Help, please! Don't know how to proceed...

[ocprgmr]

I have moved most of an HP system over to a new case and am monitoring the CPU temps and need some guidance. Here are my specs:

• Motherboard: IPIBL-LA (http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/d...t=3623090#N443)
• Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 G0 @ 2.40Ghz (not overclocked)
• BIOS: American Megatrends 5.13 (10/24/2007) no flash available, some areas disabled by HP
• Memory: Corsair XMS 4096MB PC6400 DDR2 800MHz (4 x 2048)
• CPU Cooler: Corsair H50 Hydro Series
• Case: Thermaltake V4 w/ Corsair HX620 pws
• Video: ASUS GeForce GTX 460 1GB GDDR5 PCIe
• OS: Win 7 64bit Ultimate

A bit of explanation...

The H50 was a recent addition after moving to the new case and I started monitoring the CPU temps and I thought they were running too high and I got a couple of BSoDs. After installing the H50 the temps dropped from about 145f (50% CPU load) to around 125f (50% CPU load). I tried moving fans around and that didn't seem to work.

This past weekend, I was to the point that I was thinking that it was the fact that the case I moved to had 1) a bigger power supply and 2) it was located at the top of the case right above the cpu. So, made the choice to move to a new Thermaltake V4 case where the power supply sits at the bottom and it has plenty of air flow. At the same time I took the opportunity to re-seated the pump on the H50. After cleaning off the thermal paste (it comes pre-applied to the copper plate on the pump) I saw some nicks on the copper (see attached photo). I used some Antec Formula 5 (only one available at my local computer store) and applied according to their directions.

After restarting the computer, it seemed that even though the temps would jump up with cpu usage, they would drop back down much faster than before. I breathed a quick sigh of relief. It was a bit too soon. The next morning I decided to play a little WoW since that's where I was seeing the more consistent higher temps, and I was seeing 129f to 133f across all 4 cores. I was not a happy camper. What was a bit surprising was that I did notice that Core 3 was now the core that seemed to get hotter after re-seating, when previously it was Core 0.


Now for the questions...

What could be causing the high cpu temps?

If this was your system, what would be your next steps -- within reason and given the following: I'm limited to a 17" high case. I can't really afford to change the mobo or processor.

Could the fan blowing air into the H50 not be running fast enough? I don't have any control over it thru BIOS.

Should I see about RMA'ing the H50 because of the nicks on the copper plate?

Is the thermal paste supposed to be applied to the heatsink or to the processor? Is the Antec Formula 5 okay to use, it's supposed to be the same as Arctic Silver.

Any suggestions?

Also, I use this system on a daily basis for work, not just for play so it gets a lot of use and I can't have it down, so quick, prompt help is very much appreciated!

[Nailezs]

the h50 block looks fine. and your temps are not high at all. about 55-60C. your bsod problem isnt temps its something else.

[Paulieg]

What power supply are you using to power this system? That is a really important question.

[Radical_Edward]

Your H50 is fine.

[ocprgmr]

Originally Posted by Nailezs

the h50 block looks fine. and your temps are not high at all. about 55-60C. your bsod problem isnt temps its something else.

I read somewhere, yesterday, and of course I can't find the link anywhere, that I should be trying to keep the temp around 42c. The BSoD was after the temps had gotten over 145F. I'm not sure just how high it had gotten because I had stepped away from the machine temporarily. I did some research and several video's I watched on CPU stress testing showed the exact same BSoD error message that I got -- which was why I presumed mine was related to too high temps. BTW, when I dropped my temps down after installing the H50, the BSoDs stopped.

Originally Posted by Paulieg

What power supply are you using to power this system? That is a really important question.

Corsair HX620. I first upgraded from the 300w that was in my original HP system to an Ultra 550 (Tiger Direct brand) and then to the Corsair once I moved to the Thermaltake V4 case with the bottom power supply.

[TheMailMan78]

Originally Posted by ocprgmr

I read somewhere, yesterday, and of course I can't find the link anywhere, that I should be trying to keep the temp around 42c. The BSoD was after the temps had gotten over 145F. I'm not sure just how high it had gotten because I had stepped away from the machine temporarily. I did some research and several video's I watched on CPU stress testing showed the exact same BSoD error message that I got -- which was why I presumed mine was related to too high temps. BTW, when I dropped my temps down after installing the H50, the BSoDs stopped.



Corsair HX620. I first upgraded from the 300w that was in my original HP system to an Ultra 550 (Tiger Direct brand) and then to the Corsair once I moved to the Thermaltake V4 case with the bottom power supply.

Did you apply thermal paste?

[Frogger]

I would let the paste settle in for a few days. If you still don't like the temps try adding another fan to the rad to give it a push/pull air flow

[Batou1986]

Id be willing to bet the mobo is bad every time i see a high end cpu stuffed in an oem computer the cheapo boards they use wind up failing before anything else.

[PopcornMachine]

Originally Posted by ocprgmr

I read somewhere, yesterday, and of course I can't find the link anywhere, that I should be trying to keep the temp around 42c. The BSoD was after the temps had gotten over 145F.

42C is not necessary. I've been running a Q6600 for two years, and it will keep running past 80C (176F). Though I don't know how long it would last that way. About 70C and lower is safe, so as others have said temps are not your problem.

Always look at temps in celsius, not fahrenheit. Gets confusing otherwise.

[ocprgmr]

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Did you apply thermal paste?

Yes...

Originally Posted by ocprgmr

At the same time I took the opportunity to re-seated the pump on the H50. After cleaning off the thermal paste (it comes pre-applied to the copper plate on the pump) I saw some nicks on the copper (see attached photo). I used some Antec Formula 5 (only one available at my local computer store) and applied according to their directions.

Originally Posted by Batou1986

Id be willing to bet the mobo is bad every time i see a high end cpu stuffed in an oem computer the cheapo boards they use wind up failing before anything else.

I really didn't want to hear this... Is there anyway to tell this? Is it telling that I saw the higher temps move from one core (core 0) to a different core (core 3) after I re-seated the pump? I do think that I positioned the pump differently.

Is there any kind of testing I can do?

What's the impact of replacing the motherboard? Would it be worth it to keep the processor and memory? I don't want to have to replace everything if I don't have to. I don't have a lot of "extra" money or time.

[Batou1986]

Your temps are fine that's not the issue idk why your going by Fahrenheit but unless you see temps over 176F your not in the realm of temp related issues.

As far as testing anything short of a new board wont help, I just recently went though a similar situation if the board is bad everything connected to it will act screwy.

Replace the motherboard with something like ep45-ud3p and your set, your cpu and mem should be fine for quite some time with a good board like that you can easily oc that cpu to 3ghz+ which is even better.

In fact theirs someone selling 2x of them for 110 each on TPU [FS] 2 x GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 A...
If it turns out not to be the board you should have no problem re selling it as they are one of the most loved 775 skt motherboards around

[TheMailMan78]

Ok your temps are fine. You are getting BSOD's now. What are the errors you are getting?

Don't worry about the mobo yet. Lets not panic. Chances are if your mobo was really bad it would just up and die. They don't normally "slow death".

[ocprgmr]

Originally Posted by Batou1986

Your temps are fine that's not the issue idk why your going by Fahrenheit but unless you see temps over 176F your not in the realm of temp related issues.

As far as testing anything short of a new board wont help, I just recently went though a similar situation if the board is bad everything connected to it will act screwy.

Replace the motherboard with something like ep45-ud3p and your set, your cpu and mem should be fine for quite some time with a good board like that you can easily oc that cpu to 3ghz+ which is even better.

In fact theirs someone selling 2x of them for 110 each on TPU [FS] 2 x GIGABYTE GA-EP45-UD3P LGA 775 Intel P45 A...
If it turns out not to be the board you should have no problem re selling it as they are one of the most loved 775 skt motherboards around

I've never been good at relating to Celsius. I'm really surprised that my system would be able to handle that high of temps, but okay.

I'll keep that info around just in case.

Originally Posted by TheMailMan78

Ok your temps are fine. You are getting BSOD's now. What are the errors you are getting?

Don't worry about the mobo yet. Lets not panic. Chances are if your mobo was really bad it would just up and die. They don't normally "slow death".

I'm sorry. I didn't make it clearer. I haven't had any BSOD's since I installed the H50 which is one of the reasons I was fairly certain it was related to high temps.

[ocprgmr]

I want to thank all of you for responding to such amateur questions.

I have a few more if you don't mind....

I have a Thermaltake V4 case (http://www.thermaltakeusa.com/Produc...0&ID=1967#Tab2) that allows for the following fan placements:

• Rear - Cooler Master Blade Master PWM Intake (H50 radiator)
• Top
  • Back-unavailable due to radiator
  • Front -Scythe 120mm SLIP STREAM SLIM Exhaust
• Bottom - empty atm (need slim due to modular power)
• Front - Antec Tri-Cool Intake

What fan placements would you change (other than I need intake on the radiator)? The Cooler Master has the speed and the 4 pin needed to connect to CPU FAN header. I have no control over the BIOS section related to fans etc. HP had ASUS disable that. So if y'all think that I need to get some sort of hardware to control the fans, please suggest it.

Oh, and do you think any of this will help?

Thanks, again!