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?

[joevh09]

Raptor-
I downloaded the third party software u gave the link to and i'm running it and its reading the CPU at 38 degrees celcius so i think the BIOS is wrong but i'm not positive on that its wrong. (Ive read on the Asus website forums that people have had the same problem with the Bios being off by 10 or more degrees celcius so it's most likely the BIOS is wrong)

[Raptor]

The room temp is around 65-70 degrees

You're pulling our leg...

[joevh09]

The room temp is around 65-70 degrees

You're pulling our leg...

How? The room temp is around 65 to 70 degrees farhenheit.

[Raptor]

The room temp is around 65-70 degrees

You're pulling our leg...

How? The room temp is around 65 to 70 degrees farhenheit.

Well, things tend to get a bit confusing when you first speak in Celsius and suddenly switch to Fahrenheit without mention...

Can you make a screenshot of the sensor section and post it here?

Does your computer ever shut down when it reaches 80 degrees Celsius or above (According to your BIOS)?

[joevh09]

Can you make a screenshot of the sensor section and post it here?

Does your computer ever shut down when it reaches 80 degrees Celsius or above (According to your BIOS)?

[/quote]
It used to shut down but i disabled the automatic shutdown for when there's and error in the BIOS- the error was "CPU overheat error"
I took the screen shot but where do i go to open it at?

[Raptor]

Start -> Run -> MSPaint -> CTRL + V -> CTRL + S -> Save as JPEG
Upload it via photobucket or a similar service.

[joevh09]

Here it is(I hope it works)
http://www.mypicx.com/12172008/screenshot/

[Raptor]

Not only is it too small for the human eye to discern detail it is also NOT the SIW program that I recommended you to use. Or at least not the "Sensor" section..

[joevh09]

If u click on the image it makes it bigger.
There were 3 different programs to download so i just chose one of them.

[Raptor]

If u click on the image it makes it bigger.
There were 3 different programs to download so i just chose one of them.

Ah, I have javascript disabled by default and the page doesn't work that way. The temperatures seem alright under Windows. Do they remain this way?

Do you perhaps have SmartFan (Or something similar) enabled in the BIOS? Does your computer turn off the CPU fan during the POST or when you're inside the BIOS?

[joevh09]

[/quote]
Ah, I have javascript disabled by default and the page doesn't work that way. The temperatures seem alright under Windows. Do they remain this way?

Do you perhaps have SmartFan (Or something similar) enabled in the BIOS? Does your computer turn off the CPU fan during the POST or when you're inside the BIOS?
[/quote]
They stay the same.
Theres no smart fan.
The CPU fan stay on during the BIOS.

[Raptor]

If you do something CPU intensive, do the values change?

[joevh09]

Theres nothing installed on the computer so what other programs could i run that increase the CPU speed

[Raptor]

Theres nothing installed on the computer so what other programs could i run that increase the CPU speed

Open the calculator set it to scientific, push in a random number (Open as many calculators as you have cores) and press "N!" per calculator. Do not answer the query, just leave it running.

That'll get your temperature right up... Leave it running and keep an eye out on the temperature readings.

Also, get out your motherboard manual and go over the BIOS options to see if you missed anything important. Keywords are "Throttling, SmartFan and Fan Ratio (Etc, etc)"

[Raptor]

Small disclaimer:

You are absolutely sure that your heatsink is mounted according to spec and that the thermal paste has been applied per instruction.

If you're not, don't attempt to do what I said...

[joevh09]

Ok, I tried it and the CPU temp went up to about 95 degrees celcius for both cores and CPU usage went up to 100% and then dropped back down quite fast after i closed the calculators

[Raptor]

This is a socket 775 cooler, right? Do you have any experience installing these coolers and applying thermal paste? I still think your cooler isn't mounted properly

If I were you I'd unhook it, remove the mainboard, put the mainboard on something soft (IE: Cardboard)Clean the CPU heatspreader and the heatsink with cleaning alcohol and reapply the thermal paste. Make sure that you wipe the alcohol off with a lint-free cloth otherwise you'll scratch the polished metal.

Inspect the CPU cooler for damage and mount it according to instructions.

But it'd probably be better to have someone with more experience look at it and judge your work.. Or possibly do it him/herself.

[joevh09]

I went through the manual and found where to control the cpu fan speed from the BIOS and i turned it to performance mode which sets the fan at the highest speed.

[joevh09]

This is a socket 775 cooler, right? Do you have any experience installing these coolers and applying thermal paste? I still think your cooler isn't mounted properly

If I were you I'd unhook it, remove the mainboard, put the mainboard on something soft (IE: Cardboard)Clean the CPU heatspreader and the heatsink with cleaning alcohol and reapply the thermal paste. Make sure that you wipe the alcohol off with a lint-free cloth otherwise you'll scratch the polished metal.

Inspect the CPU cooler for damage and mount it according to instructions.

But it'd probably be better to have someone with more experience look at it and judge your work.. Or possibly do it him/herself.

I mounted it the way the CPU manual said to and ive double and triple checked it and its on all the way.

I know a person who could look at it but he lives 25 miles away so maybe i could call him and have him come look at it in a day or two.

[Raptor]

Your processor is probably still under warranty but you could possibly damage it if you continue using it like this. And I'm not sure if Intel can tell what caused the warranty to void..

I'd wait for the guy if he's got the experience and know-how.

At what RPM did your fans spin when the processor was at 100% in our last test?

[joevh09]

It didn't say or i didn't see it. The fan speed thats shown in the BIOS is about 1740 RPM when its idling
The warranty to send it bak to newegg where i got from has expired but i don't don't know about the intel one.

[Raptor]

It didn't say or i didn't see it.
The warranty to send it bak to newegg where i got from has expired but i don't don't know about the intel one.

I don't know how warranty works in the US so I can't help you there.

[joevh09]

The fan speed thats shown in the BIOS is about 1740 RPM when its idling

What country r u from?

[Raptor]

The fan speed thats shown in the BIOS is about 1740 RPM when its idling

What country r u from?

Europe. Yes, that's not a country but to give you an idea warranty-wise, it'll do.


1700RPM when idle is fine. The default settings of the BIOS should automatically make it spin faster so that is probably not the problem. (Assuming you did not change the default settings)

[joevh09]

I did but i can always change it back again.

[Raptor]

I did but i can always change it back again.

Well, I'd kind of recommend against using the computer until it's had a thorough check-up by a professional...

[joevh09]

Ok, i will have the person look at it.

[Raptor]

Ok, i will have the person look at it.

I know someone with the same motherboard, I can ask him if I can rummage through his BIOS to see if I can replicate the problem in the coming days. (If the problem isn't with the mounted cooler)

Mind mentioning the changes you made to your BIOS so I can jot 'm down?

[joevh09]

I have changed a lot of them so if you could it would be easier if you could tell me which ones are necessary since your friends computer probably has different hardware.

[Raptor]

I have changed a lot of them so if you could it would be easier if you could tell me which ones are necessary since your friends computer probably has different hardware.

You're not overclocking the processor or memory by any chance are you?
If you say you changed 'a lot' maybe you should revert it back to its default settings and test it one more time...

Man, I hate not being able to sit behind a computer and fixing it myself. 

[joevh09]

I'm not overclocking anything.
By a lot i mean like the boot order, num lock, just basic stuff.

[Kurtiskain]

Just something I've noticed...

When you are in the BIOS screen (this applies to everyone) It seems that the BIOS is actually pushing the CPU to 100% anyway, because I have seen many motherboards that keep the fan speed constant at BIOS screen and inside windows, yet inside windows the temp is ALOT lower at 5-10% than the BIOS ever displays, I.E my BIOS states my CPU is running at 50 degrees Celcius, yet in windows right now, 25-30% CPU usage, my temp is 35 Celcius...

Just a theory really but worth looking into

[Calum]

Kurtiskain, that's something I've been looking into myself, but have never been able to find an answer to.
it seems obvious that the BIOS would put no load on the CPU, but on some boards I've noticed it seems to be stressing it.
Examples: my main system, seems to be a small load as my CPU gets to the mid-30s in the BIOS, under full load in Windows about 46, and idle in Windows high 20s.  My laptop idles in Windows in the 30s, load at 60-64, in the BIOS there's no way to check the temperature but it does feel much hotter than idle in Windows.
The original reason I looked into this was my Athlon XP machine, it was in the BIOS at over 50C which didn't seem right to me, with a cold room and open case.  It was lacking a HD at the time and now is missing a cooler, so it doesn't have an OS on to compare against.  That's what makes me think that the BIOS does put a load on the CPU.

[Raptor]

The original reason I looked into this was my Athlon XP machine, it was in the BIOS at over 50C which didn't seem right to me, with a cold room and open case.

Athlons were simply really hot running processors and I have never seen a BIOS that causes the CPU to be at 100% load.

Anyhow, even so, 80 degrees Celsius is too hot if you ask me.

[Kurtiskain]

Kurtiskain, that's something I've been looking into myself, but have never been able to find an answer to.
it seems obvious that the BIOS would put no load on the CPU, but on some boards I've noticed it seems to be stressing it.
Examples: my main system, seems to be a small load as my CPU gets to the mid-30s in the BIOS, under full load in Windows about 46, and idle in Windows high 20s.  My laptop idles in Windows in the 30s, load at 60-64, in the BIOS there's no way to check the temperature but it does feel much hotter than idle in Windows.
The original reason I looked into this was my Athlon XP machine, it was in the BIOS at over 50C which didn't seem right to me, with a cold room and open case.  It was lacking a HD at the time and now is missing a cooler, so it doesn't have an OS on to compare against.  That's what makes me think that the BIOS does put a load on the CPU.

Yeah I did a few google searches and found some threads for and against this...

But no definitive answers.
Another thing to note is, my BIS is quite slow I.e when changing tabs it can take up to a second depending on which tab it is (mostly the advanced tab)

But selecting Hardware monitor in BIOS takes 2-3 seconds to open which sort of scared me the first few times 

Has anyone actually checked the specs for the CPU? I.e max operating temp?

EDIT: nvm did it anyway:
Thermal Specificaton: 72.4°C

so yeah you wanna keep your CPU temp under at least 60C

[Calum]

Hardware Monitors in the BIOS usually do take a few seconds.
Core 2 Duo maximum recommended temperatures, depending on the model, are around 70-80C I believe.  Absolute maximum is either 95, 100 or 105, depending on the model.
Edit: above post edited with correct information already, too quick for me there.
Extra info - that thermal specification means, basically, anything over 72.4 and the CPU's in trouble.

[Raptor]

Has anyone actually checked the specs for the CPU? I.e max operating temp?

I tried for a few seconds but I'm not familiar with the Intel website.

Max operating temperature is probably somewhere around 90-95C. 80 is still too high, even at full load.

I can't seem to find the post where the guy mentioned his processor name, though.

[Kurtiskain]

Has anyone actually checked the specs for the CPU? I.e max operating temp?

I can't seem to find the post where the guy mentioned his processor name, though.

That's because there wasn't one 

Its in his specs listing on the side

BTW just trying to find some of those links for the BIOS thing if ya wants a read

[Raptor]

Its in his specs listing on the side Smiley

I'm not sure if he's talking about the same computer.

[Kurtiskain]

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

His specs state a P5K Pro mobo and so obviously the the E8400 C2D that is in question...

[Raptor]

Ah, he did mention.

That's because there wasn't one  Grin

Remember saying that just one post ago? 

Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor E8400

Thermal Specification: 72.4°C

So even if it's running at 65W (100%) it should never go higher than that value.... At least, that's how I interpret Intel's explanation.

[Kurtiskain]

Ah, he did mention.

That's because there wasn't one  Grin

Remember saying that just one post ago? 

Haha yes in deed...though I was more pointing to the fact he didn't leave a model number

Anyway this is kind of thread jacking but this is for Calum
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=28&threadid=2173367

Extra info - that thermal specification means, basically, anything over 72.4 and the CPU's in trouble.

yeah so you want to stay at least 20C under spec at full load.

anyway,

TopStarter hasn't gotten a word in in over 6 posts so perhaps it's now fixed? 

[patio]

Or fried...

[Calum]

Thanks for that info kurtiskain.  I think I was searching with the wrong terms.
Not to keep jacking the thread, but I just want to say that the thermal specification is the maximum temperature that "long term reliability and performance can be expected" to quote, or at least closely emulate, Intel's wording.
Between that temperature (tCase) and the absolute maximum temperature (tJunction) "neither long term reliability or performance can be expected" and beyond that they expect it to die.
In other words, if it's below 72.4C then it's fine, anything above that and they don't guarantee it will work properly, if at all.
Raptor: that doesn't mean it will never exceed that temperature.  If the case is poorly ventilated, or the thermal paste or cooler isn't applied correctly, then it will go higher.  If done properly though then the stock cooler will keep it below that temperature.
My CPU is similar, with the same thermal specification, so I have a good idea of the temperatures it will normally run at.

[joevh09]

My computer isn't fried.
And yes the specs to the left for my profile are for the computer we're talking about.

Another question- When my computer is idling it stays around 38 celcius and when its playing COD4 it goes up to about 80 celcius, is that normal?

[Raptor]

Raptor: that doesn't mean it will never exceed that temperature. If the case is poorly ventilated, or the thermal paste or cooler isn't applied correctly, then it will go higher.

I refuse to believe that. I thought a Star Trek like fail-safe switch would kick in that would immediately materialize ice-crystals from a distant planet directly inside the CPU heatsink leading to a massive cool-down to keep it -exactly- below 72.4C.

Another question- When my computer is idling it stays around 38 celcius and when its playing COD4 it goes up to about 80 celcius, is that normal?

Uh, didn't we go over this? Don't use that computer for intensive tasks unless the problem surrounding the heat dissipation is solved.

When I said "Have it looked at" I actually meant "Have someone install a quality cooler (Zalman, for example), apply thermal paste according to the manufacturer's instructions and make sure that whoever looks at it knows what he's doing. IE: Do not ask the mailman.

I can't be more clear than this really. Oh, if you keep using it at 80C you'll void your warranty and screw up your processor.

[joevh09]

I was only using it to make sure that my graphics card was working properly because i had to download a new driver for it to work right.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Another question- When my computer is idling it stays around 38 celcius and when its playing COD4 it goes up to about 80 celcius, is that normal?

If you're asking if it's normal for temperatures to go up when running resource-intensive programs, yes.

At idle, your computer's processor(s) aren't under a lot of stress because they are only processing a couple million instructions per second.
When running a game like COD, they need to start calculating perhaps a hundred million instructions every second, generating far more heat then at idle.

[Calum]

Carbon: it is not normal for that CPU to go up to 80C.  It's normal for it to increase in temperature, but here's an example.  With the stock cooler and thermal paste on my CPU, with only an exhaust fan, I was idling at around 40C, load at around 65.  80C is dangerous and is outside the manufacturer's specification.  If the CPU now fails, the temperature is the reason why, and I'm pretty sure your warranty has been voided.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Carbon: it is not normal for that CPU to go up to 80C.

Yeah, 80C is pretty way up there.
I said they do increase in temperature when running resource-intensive application.

[Calum]

I just thought that gave the wrong impression, saying that it was normal.
I wouldn't like to see any of my CPUs that high whether their thermal specification was 65C (my family's A64) or 95C (my Turion).
To see something above spec like that, when these CPUs are renowned for running cool, means something is way wrong.
Again, an example from me - once I got some real thermal paste and an intake fan, my temperatures above dropped to around 35 idle, 60 load.
With the low end aftermarket cooler that I have now, my CPU idles in the high 20s and load at mid 40s, on a hot day with the fan speed on low.  That's with a decent overclock too.

[joevh09]

Ok, so if I were to get some aftermarket cooling for the CPU do you guys have any suggestions for what I should get because I have no idea.

[Raptor]

Ok, so if I were to get some aftermarket cooling for the CPU do you guys have any suggestions for what I should get because I have no idea.

A Zalman cooler. The CNPS9500 or something more modern.

http://zalman.co.kr/eng/main.asp

[joevh09]

Ok, so if I were to get some aftermarket cooling for the CPU do you guys have any suggestions for what I should get because I have no idea.

A Zalman cooler. The CNPS9500 or something more modern.

http://zalman.co.kr/eng/main.asp

I looked at the CNPS9500 and there were some different variants to this model so i was wondering if there is a specific one i should look at or are they all the same.

[Raptor]

Ok, so if I were to get some aftermarket cooling for the CPU do you guys have any suggestions for what I should get because I have no idea.

A Zalman cooler. The CNPS9500 or something more modern.

http://zalman.co.kr/eng/main.asp

I looked at the CNPS9500 and there were some different variants to this model so i was wondering if there is a specific one i should look at or are they all the same.

Yeah, some aren't 100% copper and thus cheaper. One comes with a LED and another one with an 80mm instead of a 92mm fan if I'm right. There are probably some more variations.

Do some research, make sure you get a fan that suits your needs. IE: Big fan and lots of copper.

Also keep in mind that these coolers are tall and heavy. Make sure your mainboard is mounted properly and that it can handle the weight.

[joevh09]

OK thanks i will look into it some more and have someone take a look at it in a few days or so.

[Raptor]

OK thanks i will look into it some more and have someone take a look at it in a few days or so.

You could post a picture of your computer case if you'd like to hear some advise on how to improve airflow.

[joevh09]

Here's a link to the case from where i got it from.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021&Tpk=antec%20900

I have the 2 front 120mm fans on high and the top 200mm and rear 120mm fan on medium.

[Raptor]

That seems alright.

Bit odd that the PSU is at the bottom, is the 120mm fan of your PSU (Assuming it has one) pointing upwards or towards the ground?

[joevh09]

It points up towards the top of the case.
Personally i don't like it on the bottom of the case because the air the fan blows into the case hits the graphics card (which has its own fan) and then is pulled out the case by the rear fan (which blows air out of the case) before it can have any effect on the CPU.

[Raptor]

It points up towards the top of the case.

Alright, I was planning on buying a case like that but I figured I'd rather have the PSU up top because I couldn't figure out whether the PSU blows into the case or out of the case.

Case cooling is fine, then. CPU cooler is what needs fixing. You're still having that guy come over to take a look at it right?
My guess is you'll have to invest a bit in a more robust cooler. Remember; Zalman is the way to go. 

[joevh09]

It points up towards the top of the case.

Alright, I was planning on buying a case like that but I figured I'd rather have the PSU up top because I couldn't figure out whether the PSU blows into the case or out of the case.

Case cooling is fine, then. CPU cooler is what needs fixing. You're still having that guy come over to take a look at it right?
My guess is you'll have to invest a bit in a more robust cooler. Remember; Zalman is the way to go. 

I'm gonna give the guy a call tomorrow (the weather is terrible here right now)

[joevh09]

The guy just came to look at my computer and he told me to order a new CPU cooler for it and he showed me one that he has used with the same CPU as mine and said he was able to OC his CPU to 4.2mhz without a problem with it.

Here's the link to it-
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233001

[BC_Programmer]

I'm gonna give the guy a call tomorrow (the weather is terrible here right now)

terrible weather there. outside, it's -8 and we have three feet of snow. That should make you feel better- unless you have 4...

said he was able to OC his CPU to 4.2mhz without a problem with it.

That's underclocking. I would have never attempted to underclock to less then half the speed of the ISA bus, but to each his own...

[joevh09]

I'm gonna give the guy a call tomorrow (the weather is terrible here right now)

terrible weather there. outside, it's -8 and we have three feet of snow. That should make you feel better- unless you have 4...

said he was able to OC his CPU to 4.2mhz without a problem with it.

That's underclocking. I would have never attempted to underclock to less then half the speed of the ISA bus, but to each his own...

Here we got about 10 inches of snow and about the same temp.

How is it underclocking?

[BC_Programmer]

just picking at your wording- you said Mhz, when you obviously mean Ghz.

[joevh09]

just picking at your wording- you said Mhz, when you obviously mean Ghz.

Ok, i guess i was wrong.

[BC_Programmer]

just picking at your wording- you said Mhz, when you obviously mean Ghz.

Ok, i guess i was wrong.

I sure hope so! the original IBM PC from 1982 ran at 4.22Mhz, if memory serves.

[joevh09]

Yah that sounds right.
I don't know haw i could have survived if i had a pc that was that slow

[Geek-9pm]

Hey with that weather out there just put you case our in the weather.
And get extensions for you VGA, Keyboard and Mouse!. You can be warm inside while the CPU is cool outside! No need to fix it until spring! 

[patio]

Cons: Mounting only allows venting up/down, and not back towards case exhaust fan.
A bit loud, just a bit.
Aluminum fins are slipped on, not solder/welded to heat pipe.(ie degrades heat transfer potential)

You should rethink your approach since heat is the issue here...

[joevh09]

Hey with that weather out there just put you case our in the weather.
And get extensions for you VGA, Keyboard and Mouse!. You can be warm inside while the CPU is cool outside! No need to fix it until spring! 

I guess i never thought of that. lol

[joevh09]

Cons: Mounting only allows venting up/down, and not back towards case exhaust fan.
A bit loud, just a bit.
Aluminum fins are slipped on, not solder/welded to heat pipe.(ie degrades heat transfer potential)

You should rethink your approach since heat is the issue here...

Why?

[BC_Programmer]

ie degrades heat transfer potential

[joevh09]

Sorry, the guy that looked at my pc has used the heat spreader with the same cpu i have and said it works great. So i didn't understand why i needed to rethink my approach.

[patio]

It's the old axiom...you get what you pay for.
Personally when considering the replacement cost of a CPU/MBoard i'm going to spend more to keep them cool...

[joevh09]

The new CPU cooler came in today and appears to be working fine but for some reason COD4 gets the blue screen of death when i try to run it.
I'm going to post a new thread in games for this problem.