Hot CPU

[UnmodNick]

I have a XP1800+ and a MSI K7T Turbo2 mobo with a Volcano 6cu and I am having problems with the system locking up. I check the temps and under no load it is running at 64C!
The heatsink on the fan is not very warm at all, I can touch it and it feels luke warm.

I have switched fans twice, put fresh thermal compound on and it is still running hot just sitting idle in the BIOS. The case is open and the case temp is 22C.

Oh, it is NOT OC'd

Thoughts? bad CPU? Mobo? PSU???

[Mntsnow]

What kind of contact pattern are you getting with Volcano and the CPU? With the heatsink not getting very warm your not transfering heat....Thats a bad sign....You WANT the heatsink to get HOT so that the fan can carry away the heat. Do you have another heatsink you can try out and see if you get a better heat transfer?

[n7vxj]

I would also think about going to a different cooler.I'm running my xp2100 with a volcano 8, and will probably go to a volcano 10 so I can get a duct kit, so I can go to a larger fan. But that's just my opinion.I'm sure there are those that will say what you have is fine.Also, keep in mind to much thermal paste is as bad as not enough!!!

[UnmodNick]

I did try three different heatsinks on the processor. I used a fairly light coat of thermal grease. After this last attmept the processor temp shot thru the roof and the heat sink got REALLY hot. The system shut down it was so hot.

[n7vxj]

What are you voltages running at, according to your bios, or monitoring program? Almost sounds like you could be running high vcore to the cpu.That would certainly cause high temps.

[Xaotic]

I'm mostly with Mike on this one. Try cleaning both the core and the heatsink base. Look for any remains of heatsink pads, even a small piece could interfere with transfer. If you have some wet/dry sandpaper, you may wany to lightly wet sand the heatsink base on a piece of glass to ensure flatness. Clean and reassemble, remember just enough thermal compound to fill any gaps between the core and heatsink. A good method is to use the edge of a credit card as a flatedge to get the compound thin and uniform. If you're using the white stuff, it should almost be translucent. When attaching the HS, make sure that you put to on flat and don't push down on any edges. If not done this way it may be wedging the HS compound out. If that doesn't work, have you tried resetting the BIOS and then using fail safe defaults to possibly clear any BIOS issues, as Dan thought on voltages.

[Hickman]

You may have a Palomino cpu that will get warmer than a tbred. Is it a Palomino? The next thing I have to ask is how big is your case? Is it a standard mid-tower atx or one of those small mini-towers?

I had a xp in a mini-tower and the temps shot through the roof. They were about 62 C. I removed the board and put it in a mid-tower then the temps were around 50 C.

Some artic silver 3 might be kind of expensive but it would be cheaper than a new cpu. Also make sure you don't put on the thermal compound too think. Only a very thin layer is needed.