CPU Cooling

[Desmock]

Hi all... I was just wondernig if 55 degrees Celcius is a good temperature for the CPU, and if not, any suggestions on how to cool it down some more?

[Ruantic]

Welcome to The Forum!!

What CPU, motheboard, and what is current cooling method?

To give you an accurate answer we need some more details,

[Desmock]

It's an AMD Athlon Thunder Bird 1333MHz FSB 133, Abit KT7A-RAID, and the heatsink/fan on it right now... is a default heatsink/fan that comes with a AMD XP 2200+ Barton CPU.

[Ruantic]

For what your using to cool the temperature isn't bad, I'm guessing that temprature is CPU loaded? Most would prefer to see it a bit less though. With air cooling I prefer to stay low to mid 40's loaded.

[Desmock]

I'm sorry... I know some about computers, enough to get me around and keep mine up and running without too many problems, but what does 'CPU loaded' mean?

[Synthohol]

running active programs, as simple as say defrag or as intense as SETI, folding or a benchmarking program like Sandra or Prime95 or even a good graphics active game on your PC.
BTW :D :D Welcome to Liquid Ninjas:D :D glad to have ya aboard and posting!
better cooling can be achieved by simply removing the heatsink, polishing it (the heatsink) with say 800 grit sandpaper to make the surface real shiney and use a good thermal paste like arctic silver and your temps should drop down a bit:)
any questions on how-to's please don't hesitate to ask, we are here to help!!

[Kabooka]

That would be the temperature of the CPU after it has been at 100% utilization for a while - typically after playing your favorite game, Joining our "folding @ home" team (whatta pimp!) or stressing your cpu via some other software designed to put a "Load" on it.

[Desmock]

Thank you for welcoming me into this forum of gurus and noobs alike =D

Anyhow... now I understand what you meant by CPU loaded, and yes I have to admit I do that to my poor little CPU every time I play Quake 3 Arena, The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind, Ghost Recon, and Diablo 2. My CPU temp normally jumps up to... at the highest I've seen it... 63 degrees Celcius when loaded with my games, and at lowest, the bastage wont go lower then 52 degrees Celcius LOL.

So what is this thermal compound stuff and how much does it cost? I'm sorry to say but this is the first time I've really had to ever worry ALOT about cooling for my CPU. But that's how my last computer fried and I don't want to make the same poorly chosen mistake again. I miss my old rig, but I'll miss this new one even more. (But I'm not about to brag about it, seeing as you guys with all your money put my poor little computer to shame LOL).

[amdrules770]

Originally posted by Desmock
So what is this thermal compound stuff and how much does it cost? I'm sorry to say but this is the first time I've really had to ever worry ALOT about cooling for my CPU. But that's how my last computer fried and I don't want to make the same poorly chosen mistake again. I miss my old rig, but I'll miss this new one even more. (But I'm not about to brag about it, seeing as you guys with all your money put my poor little computer to shame LOL).

WHOA there, I am broke ATM, so I don't think I count as having lots of money, LOL

[Desmock]

You say one thing... but your signature says another =P

[Snowman]

Welcome to the forums Desmock

55 degrees is a little hot yor shoud get a new HSF and have good case cooling. check out new egg.com

thermal compound- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=85&manufactory=1410&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1

Heat sinks and fans- http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=62&manufactory=1444&DEPA=1&sortby=14&order=1


Instructions for using thermal compound. http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm


Also for your motherboard check out this FAQ- http://www.sudhian.com/showfaqs.cfm?fid=2

[Drake]

We may have shiney new computers, but most of us are as broke as the next bloke :)

:D:DWELCOME:D:D to Liquid Ninjas, Desmock!

Snowman has ya pointed in the right direction. 63C isn't bad (I'm hovering around 56C right now, 100% CPU load) but it certainly isn't good either. I'd either invest in some 400grit to 2000grit sand papers and lap the heatsink until you can see yourself in it or invest in a new HSF altogether.

[Desmock]

Thank you all yet again for the kind welcomes =D

Snowman, thank you for all the information. I now know how much thermal compound is thanks to newegg (It's chump change LOL). I will definitely try out that thermal on the grinded down heatsink, and if that doesn't work I'll just go for one of those 30 dollar copper heatsinks with the HUGE fans attached to them.

My case is already good to go, more or less, it has the power supply fan in the base with vents surrounding it and a vent on the right side of the case and dual fans under a window on the left side. Plus I'm kind of scared to try and mod the case myself LOL.

But the FAQ is GREATLY appreciated, my friend sent me a few forum topics about my motherboard, and this one will go with all the sites he's sent me so far.

Anyways... thank you all for the welcome, yet again, and I'll talk at ya later =D.

[Farabomb]

Before you pick up some sandpaper and go at it check out a article or two about lapping you heatsink. Here (http://www.liquidninjas.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3497&highlight=lapping) and here (http://www.liquidninjas.com/bbs/showthread.php?s=&threadid=3183&highlight=lapping) are threads dealing with lapping.

what you are going for is making the base of the HSF as flat as possible. It doesn't have to be mirror shiny just as flat as possible. Pick up a assortment of wet/dry paper at the auto parts store. 1000 grit paper should be the finest you'll need. Find a piece of glass or something else perfectly flat and go at it. :)

[Drake]

And for an extra professional touch, you can polish the base :D

[Smokin_Joe]

Having at least 1 intake(sucking in) and 1 exhaust(blowing out)fan helps a lot too.;)

[notoriousformula]

Originally posted by Synthohol
better cooling can be achieved by simply removing the heatsink, polishing it >>>(the heatsink)<<< with say 800 grit sandpaper to make the surface real shiney

and i thought you were talking about Polishing the CPU core with sandpaper :D :D :D

[Synthohol]

UUGGGGHH!!!! sorry m8, next time i will be more specific!
wow, that was a close one :)

[nontact]

Hi, let me save you all the time ,(because you all seem so polite)

Welcome to liquid ninjas nontact!!!

ok thanks everyone for that warm welcome...

Drake you said at full load you're at 56c which isn't "good either", but most of the heat sink reviews I've read, test temps are around 42c for idle and 62c for load, for good HSF. I'd say on an air system 56 is great!!! Right now I'm folding and priming at 100% at 61.5c...so you got me beat.

well thanks for listening

nontact
oh and since this is my first post with you guys here's a pic!

[Drake]

:D:DWELCOME:D:D again to Liquid Ninjas, nontact :P

Nah, 56C is horrible considering it jumps to 60C if the room temp is in the high 20's, I spent about an hour polishing the HSF base to a mirror surface, and there's a 60dB fan on it.

[nontact]

OIC...you're running AMD so maybe they run cooler...not sure on that...but from what I know 'bout P4's 60ish is good at full load. But don't take my word for it(I often talk out of my A$$).

I know what you mean about ambients though, room temperature is key. It get super hot here in the summer, and without my Airconditioner this black beauty would probably croak!

nontact

[Drake]

I would attempt to keep a P4 out of the 60C range. At around 66C (I think) thermal throttling kicks in and lowers the clockspeed until things cool off.

AMDs had the reputation of running hotter, and until 2.8GHz P4s appeared that was true. My processor is the hottest running AMD made at about 75w at default speeds and I'm running overclocked, so I'm not too worried about heat, but this noise is bothersome sometimes.

[nontact]

hmmm, good to know.

I was playing with my O/C just a bit ago...things started to get a little unstable at 270 fsb at 5:4 mem settings. Prime95 wouldn't run through, but folding was fine. temps at 53% were around 58c, but my wife just shut off our A/C...she and I are always fighting over the temperature in our appartment. She likes it warm and I like it cool. The problem lies with my case's intake. There are two intake fans but there is only a narow bottom/front mounted filtered slot for air to come in. My case has a top fan and a good system fan. It's night time now the ambient in the appartment is about 24c, I'm writing this and folding, and my cpu temp is 51ish. I'm running my P42.4c @ 3.0, 250FSB, before I thought my temps were fine but now you have given rise to doubt.

way to go!!!

guess I should cut up the front of my oh so pretty case, or put a couple of side fans on in the window. What do you suggest?

my beauty:
http://www.liquidninjas.com/bbs/showthread.php?threadid=4906

[Drake]

You can perforate your case if you wish, but I wouldn't do that if I had a Lian-Li :rolleyes: Is it on the floor? Why not mount it on something so the intake isn't flush with the floor.

If you don't mind the obscured view, a fan on your window would be excellent for cooling down your VGA card (nice heatsink ;)) and allowing more fresh are to get to your CPU HSF.

You also have a Zalman HSF. They are known for being quiet, but their performance is usually lacking.

Your temps are fine as long as you're comfortable leaving them in that range. It certainly won't damage anything.

[mdzcpa]

nontact's temps are right in line for an overclocked P4 on an IC7 with decent air cooling. The Abit IC7/IS7 report higher temps on average (due to Abit's temp reading implementation).

BTW, throttling, will not kick into until 70c.

[nontact]

Wow great replies, thanx!!!

the case is on the floor for the moment, I'm going to try to find some taller legs, or make some myself. The case is very similar to a lian-li, it's from a japanese manufacturer, and there are slight diferences. It came with a clear plexi door on the front, but with the nexus fan controller the door wouldn't shut, so I took it off. I didn't want the door anyways(they are a pain in the a$$ if you ask me). I passed up cheaper cases because they had doors, but this one looked super easy to take off, and it didn't change the look!!! The interior contruction is bar-none the best I've seen. To be true, the case I really wanted was the Kingwin triple window black aluminum ATX, but I couldn't get it here in Japan. I was too impatient to order it overseas, and I didn't want to chance defects. I found a single window look a like but it had gold thumbscrews, fan-covers and buttons(super gay), but the interior was the same as the Kingwin all done in black. All in all I'm very happy with this case.

mdzcpa: thanks for re-assuring me that I wasn't hurting my system!!!

Drake: I might just put a couple side fans on. One in and one out. I kind of like them anyways. I could get some nice blue c.c ones that would go perrrrfect wth my case!

btw, if my posts are too long just tell me.

thanx