large differences in CPU temperatures

[MikeG]

Pardon me, people, but I am still worried about my CPU temperature. I've scanned these messages back for 75 days. It is unbelievable the difference in temperatures reported for Celerons. Some incredibably high, others unbelievably low. Do you think that some of the differences are because of where the temperature readings are being taken? If you put the sensor on the heatsink where the fan can blow over it, the temperature is going to be lower than if you put the sensor where the fan doesn't.

The longer my CPU runs, the hotter it gets. It ran for several hours at 40C when it was new. 48 hours later it has worked its way up to 43.5C. So much for getting "broken in"! It has Aavid single fan, thermal tape, heat sink, runs on BX6-2. Any advice from anyone?

[2Cool]

Thermal tape?

Hmm... you realize thats not the best thermal conductor, right?

Likely if you remove the tape, and use a good thermal compound, spread thin, you will see a 3 to 4 degree decrease.

Beyond that, consider better case airflow options. Cool the environment and you cool the chip.

2Cool
www.2cooltek.com (http://www.2cooltek.com)

[MikeG]

Actually, I'm not sure if it is "tape". It is more like glue. I tried to remove the heat sink from the cpu and couldn't. Its stuck tight. HOWEVER, if the HEATSINK is hot, that means there is good thermal transfer from the chip to the heatsink. If there was poor thermal transfer from the chip to the heatsink, the heatsink would be cool when the chip was hot! Right?

[2Cool]

The heatsink would be warm irregardless of thermal conduction, due to radiation of heat as much as conduction.

Radiation just is not nearly as effective as conduction. So while your heatsink may be hot, that doesn't mean your CPU is efficiently passing thermal energy (human translation, it may still be running too hot)

Anyways... enough theories. Yes, everyone shows different temps, as a lot of them are from motherboard sensors located nowhere near the CPU, while others are actual CPU slug temps. So basically we are comparing apples to oranges for the most part.

Real world test... run your system, play games, and if it works good, with no errors or lockups, you are fine.

Hows that?

http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

2Cool
www.2cooltek.com (http://www.2cooltek.com)

[Hammy]

Ok, I can only say what WINBOND has reported to me, but with a FAB28 (with the graphite pad still on it) and some silicon compound, no extra case fan but some blanking plates off the back; after running the machine (300a at 450) for 16 hours solid top temp was 37 degrees C. This is well within BIOS warning temp of 70 degrees C.

[nk4]

Mike:

In any case, you should download waterfall, or cpuidle. Both are shareware programs that cool down your cpu by skipping idle instructions. This cools very much the cpu while in windows, and while in games where the cpu is used most of the time, there is still improvement(at least I see some). You have nothing to lose.

[bharn]

If you cannot get the sink off then it's taped on. If you can twist them enough it will come off however. As for graphite on the bottom OUCH, never liked that and never will. I sand the bottom of the sink and the top of the CPU with VERY fine paper until they take on a mirror finish and then thermal paste em with as little as will cover the area. You sort of have to rub them together to get a good seal. If your rubbing and it really starts to drag then you're getting a good connection!!

Keep it Cool!

[cobain1crt]

heat is always an enemy, some of us have wonderfull cooling setups with tons of fans and even watercooling or freon, some people have converted AT cases with a power supply fan and the OEM heatsink.