Core 2 Duo Overheating???

[phu302000]

Hey Everybody please help me out. I have a intel core 2 duo e6600 paired with a Zalman CNPS 9500 and NZXT apollo case. When I measure my temperature with speedfan and asus pc probe, my temps idle are at 41 C, and at full load they reach up to 52C. Also it always shows that my Core 0 is at 40C and Core 1 is at 42C, Core 1 is always a few degrees higher than core 0. Anyone have any idea why it is so damn hot. I applied artic silver using 3 different methods and my airflow is pretty good, (1 intake in front, intake on side, exhaust in back, and exhaust in powersupply.) Do you guys think that my CPU is jacked up, or should I exchange my heatsink. Please help me, my room is not really that hot even though its summer. Thanks ahead

[GSte]

Is your CPU at stock speed? Could be that CPU IHS isn't flat, or that heatsink isn't flat, or both. Temps being slightly different on both cores is nothing unusual.

[phu302000]

O yea my cpu is at stock, pretty much everything is running at stock. I am pretty sure that I applied the cooler right, because I just did it for my brothers quad core and its running at 10-15 C lower than my two cores. However my cpu cooler does have a few scratches on it, I dont know where it came from, but will that hinder the cooling performance. Should I go out and try to exchange it, (do you know if frys electronics exchanges things a few more days than their stated 30 days.) Do you have any recommendations to figure out what the problem is. Thanks in advance.

[Clunk]

Sounds like the heatsink isnt on properly.

Dont forget that speedfan will read the temps 15c LOWER than they actually are, so your temps are very high.

Reseat the heatsink and make doubly sure that all the lugs are pushed in properly and turned then clockwise, the last one should be quite hard to push in, and itll usually make a snap.

[phu302000]

I have a Zalman CNPS 9500 so I just have screws, and im pretty sure I screwed them in pretty hard. Do you know if small scratches on my heatsink will hinder the cooling performance?

[Clunk]

Too much paste, or too little paste can do it, or re-used paste is also a culprit.

Bad airflow in the case will make it overheat as well. try blowing a desk fan in there and see if it drops.

Scratches can affect it, but that would depend on how many and how deep, I wouldnt think that a couple of fine ones will be a problem.

[phu302000]

Yea I just freshly applied paste to the heatsink and the cpu die, pretty much I think the right amount. A straight line through the middle like the artic silver website said so, and a haze of it on the heatsink. I just checked all of my screws and everything and it is all tight and nice and straight. Also I think I have like 4 or 5 minor scratches, not really deep at all. So do you guys think it is most likely a cpu overheating issue/ or just plain out the heat sink has issues. My Nzxt Apollo case shouldnt have too much of an issue with airflow. Or is it because my room is that damn hot, cause its summer in san diego. Please help me out, I am afraid that i will fry it some day. My gpu seems to be running fine/ 53-55 C idle, 60-72C super load, maxed out settings. So what do you think? I also tried external fan, but it only cooled down my gpu .

[James Thorburn]

Temperatures do sound above normal, but ultimately if it works it's not really a huge problem.

High ambient temperatures will of course in turn lead to high idle and load temperatures.

[DratUK]

Yea I just freshly applied paste to the heatsink and the cpu die, .

You applied to both surfaces? ie CPU and Heatsink?
Probably misinterpreted that I hope.

Well it either means a dodgy cooler or a misapplication. If you have followed the instructions for Zalman I would say a dodgy cooler.
Have you still got the retail Intel cooler? If so then I would remove the Zalman, give the cpu a clean then put the Intel cooler on. If you get the same temps or lower temps it would suggest a faulty Zalman cooler. Stock cooler temps are around 41 deg according to reviews.

Its a pain but by process of elimination you could find out what the issue is. I doubt it is your case the Apollo isnt a bad case for cooling.
Best of luck.

[aidanjt]

Yea I just freshly applied paste to the heatsink and the cpu die, pretty much I think the right amount. A straight line through the middle like the artic silver website said so, and a haze of it on the heatsink.

Woh, straight line?.. that's wayyyyyyy too much.

Application of AS5 101:
* Clean HSF and CPU IHS thoroughly with Isoproxy alcohol or a TIM eater like Akasa TIM Clean.
* Leave to dry out for 30 minutes, and give a good scrub with clean kitchen paper again.
* Seat CPU in socket, lock latch.
* Apply a little over a rice grain (uncooked!) amount of AS5 on the CPU IHS.
* Use a flat peice of plastic like a credit card or maybe a plastic wick to flatten out AS5 and keep it contained to the center portion of the IHS, the outer parts aren't where the heats coming from, ideally you should almost be able to see the IHS (as in a really thin layer), only add a dribble more if you think it's absolutely necessary.
* Add a *dab* (say 1/4 rice grain) to the base of the heat sink, flatten it with plastic object you used for the CPU, then get a peice of kitchen paper and rub it around gently until the base is as reflective before application but still grayish.
* Carefully reseat HSF as evenly as you can, and rescrew in place.

That should fix your temp problems.

[bigpun69]

For quad cores is it really nescessary only to apply such a small ammount of AS5? I thought you were meant to cover the entire die in a very thin layer?

[aidanjt]

The entire die is covered by the IHS, nearly all the heat is concentrated around the center area (where the die's are situated). You don't need to plaster the whole IHS with the stuff, remember when you seat the HSF the AS5 will push out during application, as well as during it's 'curing' process (for lack of a better word).

[DratUK]

@aidanjt he is probably following the Arctic silver instructions for dual core intel which does state a straight line
AS Dual Core Intel

Not saying your instructions are incorrect m8, just pointing out that As have changed thier method of applying AS 5.
Similarly they put instructions for Quad Core which is different again from Dual Core.

[aidanjt]

Well that's fair enough, but by using my application methodology my C2D runs at ambient temps at stock.

[Clunk]

Or is it because my room is that damn hot, cause its summer in san diego.

That sounds like your problem right there.

Woh, straight line?.. that's wayyyyyyy too much.

Application of AS5 101:
* Clean HSF and CPU IHS thoroughly with Isoproxy alcohol or a TIM eater like Akasa TIM Clean.
* Leave to dry out for 30 minutes, and give a good scrub with clean kitchen paper again.
* Seat CPU in socket, lock latch.
* Apply a little over a rice grain (uncooked!) amount of AS5 on the CPU IHS.
* Use a flat peice of plastic like a credit card or maybe a plastic wick to flatten out AS5 and keep it contained to the center portion of the IHS, the outer parts aren't where the heats coming from, ideally you should almost be able to see the IHS (as in a really thin layer), only add a dribble more if you think it's absolutely necessary.
* Add a *dab* (say 1/4 rice grain) to the base of the heat sink, flatten it with plastic object you used for the CPU, then get a peice of kitchen paper and rub it around gently until the base is as reflective before application but still grayish.
* Carefully reseat HSF as evenly as you can, and rescrew in place.

That should fix your temp problems.

With a quad, you need the extra bit of paste that you get by doing it using the line method. The reason for this is that, the cores arent central like the dual core variants, so if you just put a small amount in the middle, it will not spread out far enough to be beneficial.

I did find though, that the method on the Arctic silver website used a bit too much, and that around 2/3rds of that was enough to cove both sets of cores.

For quad cores is it really nescessary only to apply such a small ammount of AS5? I thought you were meant to cover the entire die in a very thin layer?

See above, doesnt have to be loads, but marginally more than for a dual core.

Well that's fair enough, but by using my application methodology my C2D runs at ambient temps at stock.

Impossible that mate, your readings are way off if thats what they are telling you

[aidanjt]

Impossible that mate, your readings are way off if thats what they are telling you

Well that's from TAT and the thermonitor in my room, and not really impossible (some elements or chemicals have thermal properties below ambient, well below in some cases), but of course one or the other could be taking readings wrongly so there could be a few degrees discrepancy.