How hot is too hot?

[joevh09]

I built a new computer and in the BIOS the CPU temp steadily rises to 80 celcius or more. (I turn it off when it gets to that hot of a temp.) I don't know if its the BIOS thats wrong if my CPU is overheating.( I have put thermal paste on it but it doesn't help a great deal.) I have also turned up the case fans (it has 3 1200mm fans and one 200mm fan). Is there anything else that i could do to keep it cooler other than watercooling.

[patio]

DLoad install and run SpeedFan and post the results here...
In the meantime disconnect all power and double check that the CPU/heatsink/fan combo is seated fully.

[joevh09]

DLoad install and run SpeedFan and post the results here...

Do what?
I'm positive the heatsink is on all the way but i will double check it to make sure.

[Raptor]

Well, properly installing the CPU cooler for one would be a good idea.

If you suspect a faulty BIOS, why have you not yet looked for a BIOS update to see if a 'fix' is among the list?

[joevh09]

If you suspect a faulty BIOS, why have you not yet looked for a BIOS update to see if a 'fix' is among the list?

I just updated the BIOS last night to the latest version.
Its an Asus P5k Pro mobo with an intel core 2 duo CPU. The bios version is 1202

I checked the the heatsink and its seated on as tight as it gets. But i don't like the quality of the connector pins they just don't seem like their the best.

[Spoiler]

DLoad install and run SpeedFan and post the results here...
In the meantime disconnect all power and double check that the CPU/heatsink/fan combo is seated fully.

did you install SpeedFan?

[joevh09]

did you install SpeedFan?

Where do i install SpeedFan from

[Raptor]

I've seen the P5K Pro and it has not got any problems with its sensors as far as I know.

How did you apply the thermal paste, what kind of thermal paste is applied, has the cooler been cleaned with cleaning alcohol and have you used a back plate to keep the motherboard from bending like a cheap piece of Meccano when you mount the cooler?

[patio]

But i don't like the quality of the connector pins they just don't seem like their the best.

This leads me to believe it's not firmly seated...What style hold downs ? ?

[joevh09]

I've seen the P5K Pro and it has definitely not got a problem with its sensors as far as I know. I own a P5k offspring as well.

How did you apply the thermal paste, what kind of thermal paste is applied, has the cooler been cleaned with cleaning alcohol and have you used a back plate to keep the motherboard from bending like a cheap piece of Meccano when you mount the cooler?

I put read to put on about a rice sized amount onto the heatsink so that what i did. The thermal paste is Arctic Silver 5. It shouldn't need cleaned its brand new. And yes theres a backplate on it.

[joevh09]

This leads me to believe it's not firmly seated...What style hold downs ? ?

Some plastic type that when u push it down on the holes in the mobo a black peice wedges between to other peices to make it tight when it goes through the hole. Then to take it of u twist the top of it and it pops up again.
The heatsink is made by intel, i will check and see if i can find a picture of it.

[Raptor]

You're from America, yet you use  Celsius and millimeters. You're not mixing it up with Fahrenheit, right? 80 degrees Fahrenheit would definitely not be something to worry about.

Did you remove the thermal pad before applying the thermal paste? Thermal paste needs time to settle in. If you kept the thermal pad, it's a giant mess underneath there that won't help heat transfer one bit.

[joevh09]

You're from America, yet you use  Celsius and millimeters. You're not mixing it up with Fahrenheit, right? 80 degrees Fahrenheit would definitely not be something to worry about.

Did you remove the thermal pad before applying the thermal paste? Thermal paste needs time to settle in. If you kept the thermal pad, it's a giant mess underneath there that won't help heat transfer one bit.

I'm positive its 80 degrees celcius because next it it says about 170 degrees fahrenheit.
What thermal pad? i don't believe i ever saw one.

Heres what the heatsink looks like-
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.frostytech.com/articleimages/200706/intelC2Dstock_top.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm%3Farticleid%3D2132%26page%3D2&usg=__gbkOlq8xmDswwT7bLuZ6d5IS1tM=&h=349&w=350&sz=58&hl=en&start=2&sig2=s39_YYtFwDj0uNf-K2YmKw&tbnid=DTgH5MfZaQKlBM:&tbnh=120&tbnw=120&ei=KVxJSanEKZ3aNIPG_Sk&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dintel%2Bcore%2B2%2Bduo%2Bheatsink%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

I also have another question- What is the normal temp for a CPU to be running at?

[Raptor]

Well, most boxed coolers come with a small pad underneath that is simply Intel's variant on coolant paste.
What you have looks like a boxed cooler... Could be a European thing, but I doubt that?

You better make sure there aren't two types of thermal paste underneath that cooler. The rice size droplet is fine.

By the way, does the CPU reach 80 degrees Celsius even when it's idle? What's the ambient temperature of the room and what are the other temperatures reported by a program like Patio suggested? If it can't read the BIOS properly, try This

[joevh09]

Well, most boxed coolers come with a small pad underneath that is simply Intel's variant on coolant paste.
What you have looks like a boxed cooler... Could be a European thing, but I doubt that?

You better make sure there aren't two types of thermal paste underneath that cooler. The rice size droplet is fine.

By the way, does the CPU reach 80 degrees Celsius even when it's idle? What's the ambient temperature of the room and what are the other temperatures reported by a program like Patio suggested? If it can't read the BIOS properly, try This

The CPU does reach 80 degrees Celsius while idle-i'm watching it with the hardware monitor in the BIOS
The room temp is around 65-70 degrees
How do i get the program that Patio suggested?