Q6600 burning up !!

[Poot1873]

My PC has been playing up recently, re-booting, blue screens etc. So i checked my temps and myQ6600 temps seem to be very high. Its idling around 75-80c ! I have taken the heatsink off and re-sat it using Artic silver but the temps are still the same, the temp inside the case is 34c, so I dont think there is a problem with the case cooling. I am using the stock heatsink do you think this could be the problem ? When I first installed it last year the temps where around 50c, can heatsinks deteriorate through time ?

[Jay]

this could be many different things.

Is it overclocked?

How much paste did you use?

are you 100% sure all four clips are locked down? (I made this mistake!)

Use core temp or the new speed fan to read your temps.

There is also the possibility that you have a concave CPU.

[akaneria]

just a quick comparison,
my q6600 ideals around 30oc but this is with a TRUE 120 extreme (not overclocked)

[Mossy]

What is the hardware you are using, latest Bios etc....

[Poot1873]

Sorry should have given more info. No its not overclocked everything is standard. There is a thin layer of paste over it, just the usual amount i have used in the past with no problems. All the pins are locked down fully, I did check this previously as i thought that might of been the problem. The temps stated were from Coretemp, nvidia monitor give a slightly lower reading but still in the 70c's.
Full specs:
Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0
ASUS P5N32-E SLI (bios rev 1103 i think, not the latest)
2x 768MB nVidia 8800 GTX in SLi
4 x1024Mb Samsung PC2-6400
850w Silverstone ST85ZF PSU
X-Plosion 7.1 DTS

I just find it weird that the temps used to be ok but are now 30c more than it used to be.

[smithmr8]

My Q6600 was running at around 75C under semi-load when it was built using the stock cooler. Which is very inadequate. It wasn't a great case, but by getting a better HSF [Asus Silent Square Pro], of which there are lots of different ones about, it dropped the temperature to around 60C under load. And now, with my new case [which has lots of cooling power] Antec 900, the temperatures are 35C - 45C under load and running idle.

I didn't run my computer, when I built it, until I bought a new HSF.

If you can afford one, buy a decent HSF and make sure you are using decent paste aswell. It should make a noticeable difference.

Edit: I might be blind, but what case is your system in ?

[Poot1873]

The case is a Casetek super ATX tower I got from Scan a couple of years ago. There is 7 fans in it, so there should be enough air going in and out of the case. The case temp is 34c so I think that is cool enough.

[joshwa]

Mine was this hot - when using the Intel heatsink - and when it wasn't mounted properly - you really need to install the CPU and heatsink onto the motherboard when the motherboard is out of the case so you can check underneath the motherboard to make sure the pins are clipped in properly.

[Poot1873]

I'm sure the heatsink is properly clicked in. My m8 has a spare Zalman heatsink i'm going to try on it, so we'll see what the temps are like with it.

[Triplea4UK]

can you take a picture of the cpu with paste because to much paste can cause temps to rise also do you know which stepping the cpu is?

[Poot1873]

Its a G0 stepping.
I usually put about the size of a grain of rice on the cpu, then thinly spread it over with either a credit card or my finger covered in cellophane. I've never had any problems in the past doing it this way. I just find it strange that the temps used to be around 50c idle when I first installed it, but now they have went to 80c idle.

[Fraz]

I take it that the fan is still working on this heatsink, right?

[Jay]

I think you should let the heat sink spread the paste.

[smithmr8]

Maybe, as the stock cooler isn't exactly great and the fact that its a fairly high performance CPU .. along with the fairly small amount of TP you put onto it.. its probably just worn off.

I'd suggest buying some new Thermal Paste and applying it [Being a bit more liberal with it this time]. This is the thing which strikes me as the cause of your increased temperatures, if the HSF and case fans are all still functioning.

Plus, this is the cheapest to test .

[Agent]

Its a G0 stepping.
I usually put about the size of a grain of rice on the cpu, then thinly spread it over with either a credit card or my finger covered in cellophane. I've never had any problems in the past doing it this way.

Thats the correct way to do it. You want a thin layer on the chip, just enough to bridge the gap between the minute air pockets within the 2 surfaces

[Mithrandir]

I take it you've applied your paste as instructed HERE