CPU is overheating past 80 degrees Celsius

[squadz]

Specs:

1 x Gigabyte - GA-P55A-UD4P w/ Dual DDR3 2200, 7.1 Audio, Dual Gigabit Lan, USB 3.0, 1394, PCI-E CrossFireX / SLI
1 x Seagate - 1TB Barracuda 7200.12 SATA II w/ 32MB Cache
1 x Zalman CNPS10X Extreme Universal Heatsink
1 x Assemble - Assemble Hardware
1 x Antec - Three Hundred Versatile Mid Tower Gamer Case
1 x Kingston - HyperX 4GB PC3-12800 Dual Channel DDR3 Kit (2 x 2GB) C9 w/ Intel XMP
1 x Corsair - CX600 600W Power Supply
1 x Samsung - SH-S243D 24x DVD-Writer, SATA, Black
1 x Intel - Core™ i5 Processor 760 2.8GHz w/ 8MB Cache
1 x Sapphire - Radeon HD 6850 1GB GDDR5 PCI-E w/ Dual DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort

I'm running out of options. I've checked Coretemp and under a full load it's going well past 70 degrees, most of the time above 80. Speedfan is showing completely different numbers though, idling with a 34 degree average, where Coretemp would show 50. I just got this brand new computer two weeks ago, so it isn't dust already. OCCT fails when I try it, and I'm running everything under stock settings, haven't overclocked or anything.

Any advice?

[The Wise Monkey]

What temp does the BIOS show if you just leave it idling for a few minutes?

[squadz]

What temp does the BIOS show if you just leave it idling for a few minutes?

I'm not at home to confirm, but I believe it was at around 54 degrees celsius when I checked in the BIOS.

[The Wise Monkey]

That seems reasonable, so I guess Coretemp may be giving you a dodgy reading. Try a different program like Real Temp: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/ to confirm which of the readings is closest. It is a bit strange that you are getting such wildly different readings though.

It may be worth taking the CPU fan off, cleaning it all up and re-applying the thermal paste.

[squadz]

That seems reasonable, so I guess Coretemp may be giving you a dodgy reading. Try a different program like Real Temp: http://www.techpowerup.com/realtemp/ to confirm which of the readings is closest. It is a bit strange that you are getting such wildly different readings though.

It may be worth taking the CPU fan off, cleaning it all up and re-applying the thermal paste.

Not really proficient in that so I'll ask someone I know that's good with computers to do that.

I used Speedfan as well to get a reading and it was showing me a 34 degree average as opposed to Coretemp's 50 degree average. I'll try Realtemp tonight.. but what do I go by?

Picture: http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4029/4577809181_355b4a52de_o.jpg

Found that online, looks identical to my case and that is my cooler. I can move that big block up and down, and side to side without any effort. I'm guessing that's no good?

[zburns]

Found that online, looks identical to my case and that is my cooler. I can move that big block up and down, and side to side without any effort. I'm guessing that's no good?

The Zalman 'mounting parts' on their earlier coolers used a 'tough' spring clip that spanned the cpu dimension about 1/2 inch (plus) on both sides. That same type of clip is still in use on your cooler. That clip is pretty hard to push down when finishing up the install of the cooler. When you have the thermal grease between the cooler heatsink and the cpu heatsink surface, the grease would allow a little movement just by twisting the cooler assembly with your fingers. The statement I am trying to make is to distinguish between a slight firm movement with your hand and "a sloppy movement" with almost no effort -- like your forefinger or little finger just pushing on the cooler and moving it at will with almost no effort. One thing you should not be able to do at all is use a finger and push on one of the top corners of the cooler; if the cooler heat sink surface "LIFTS EASILY" off the cpu surface with almost no 'finger pushing effort', then I would say there is something wrong with the way the spring clip is installed. The outside edges of the spring clip engage the mobo while the center section of the spring clip push the cooler heat sink down tight against the cpu heatsink surface.

You should be able to move the big block side to side with a 'firm' effort -- two fingers around the big block, some effort, BUT NOT SLOPPY, LIKE 'easy push with your little finger'. If you hook your little finger under a bottom corner of the radiator, it should be sort of hard (to very hard) (ie some effort) to cause the big block to raise up off the cpu heatsink. If you take your little finger and push on one top corner or side of the cooler, the entire assembly should raise up "easier" than trying from the bottom surface (longer lever arm trying to push the top).

My cpu is a AMD 5600, dual core, 65 watt. You have four core, 95watt. While on the forum reading your posts and WMs post, my BIOS temp was 38 degrees C. Extrapolating my temp to yours based on our respective wattage, you would have 54 degrees C in the BIOS. That is what you have, so probably no harm done.

EDIT NOTE: Just a few minutes ago, I submitted this post with a incorrect assumption on the cpu idel temp. So some thing under 40 degrees C should be your idel temp. Everything I said about above applies from a trouble shooting viewpoint. However if your fan is "very loosely mounted", that could still be your total cause of the problem. So check that out first and see if the "idle temp" drops to low 40s or below (check google for "i5 760 idle temps"). But you have to get to a low idle temp. Again, trust your BIOS temp.

IMPORTANT: In addition to checking whether or not the Zalman is 'mechanically mounted correctly', you should also check that the "thermal grease" was not excessively used. What I am getting at, is too much grease so that some of it ran over the sides of the cpu and caused a short between two or more cpu pins, thereby, causing your problem. Your grease should be only on the heat sink surface, and 'not one speck outside of the flat horizontal surface of the cpu heatsink'. If you did not use Artic Silver for your thermal compound, it would still help for you to read their instructions for applying Artic Silver thermal compound to the i5 760. They give very specific instructions and I would think they would apply regardless of brand -- at a minimum they give you a guide.

Your Zalman cooler is a "basic" assembly but will mount to multiple cpu sockets, Intel and AMD. If this is the case, there is a difference in the Zalman hardware used to mount the cooler based on the cpu socket. So check your Zalman instructions carefully, to see if you have used the correct Zalman furnished hardware to mount your cooler. Go to this Newegg link to see the cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051

The last sentence about Zalman hardware also applies to the Zalman hardware mounted to the motherboard. Zalman supplies different hardware based on cpu socket that is mounted directly to the mobo.

[squadz]

The Zalman 'mounting parts' on their earlier coolers used a 'tough' spring clip that spanned the cpu dimension about 1/2 inch (plus) on both sides. That same type of clip is still in use on your cooler. That clip is pretty hard to push down when finishing up the install of the cooler. When you have the thermal grease between the cooler heatsink and the cpu heatsink surface, the grease would allow a little movement just by twisting the cooler assembly with your fingers. The statement I am trying to make is to distinguish between a slight firm movement with your hand and "a sloppy movement" with almost no effort -- like your forefinger or little finger just pushing on the cooler and moving it at will with almost no effort. One thing you should not be able to do at all is use a finger and push on one of the top corners of the cooler; if the cooler heat sink surface "LIFTS EASILY" off the cpu surface with almost no 'finger pushing effort', then I would say there is something wrong with the way the spring clip is installed. The outside edges of the spring clip engage the mobo while the center section of the spring clip push the cooler heat sink down tight against the cpu heatsink surface.

You should be able to move the big block side to side with a 'firm' effort -- two fingers around the big block, some effort, BUT NOT SLOPPY, LIKE 'easy push with your little finger'. If you hook your little finger under a bottom corner of the radiator, it should be sort of hard (to very hard) (ie some effort) to cause the big block to raise up off the cpu heatsink. If you take your little finger and push on one top corner or side of the cooler, the entire assembly should raise up "easier" than trying from the bottom surface (longer lever arm trying to push the top).

My cpu is a AMD 5600, dual core, 65 watt. You have four core, 95watt. While on the forum reading your posts and WMs post, my BIOS temp was 38 degrees C. Extrapolating my temp to yours based on our respective wattage, you would have 54 degrees C in the BIOS. That is what you have, so probably no harm done.

Your Zalman cooler is a "basic" assembly but will mount to multiple cpu sockets, Intel and AMD. If this is the case, there is a difference in the Zalman hardware used to mount the cooler based on the cpu socket. So check your Zalman instructions carefully, to see if you have used the correct Zalman furnished hardware to mount your cooler. Go to this Newegg link to see the cooler: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118051

Thank you for this response, very informative. Unfortunately I wasn't the one to install this cooler (I'm not good with hardware), it was custom built and shipped to me.

And I'm pretty sure I can move it with the slightest touch of my pinky, it's loose.

[zburns]

See my edit above, just made to my previous post. Right now you have to assume that the loose mount is your total problem; you will not know until you get the BIOS temp down to low 40 degree C or under that.

As in the my earlier post, I assume you will find the wrong Zalman parts were used for mounting to your particular cpu socket; but I emphasize that the Zalman shipment (box with cooler) would have included all parts necessary for AMD and Intel sockets. You have used wrong parts or they somehow have been installed incorrectly.

So you have to straighten this out, before you unequivocally know it was (is) the problem.

[squadz]

See my edit above, just made to my previous post. Right now you have to assume that the loose mount is your total problem; you will not know until you get the BIOS temp down to low 40 degree C or under that.

As in the my earlier post, I assume you will find the wrong Zalman parts were used for mounting to your particular cpu socket; but I emphasize that the Zalman shipment (box with cooler) would have included all parts necessary for AMD and Intel sockets. You have used wrong parts or they somehow have been installed incorrectly.

So you have to straighten this out, before you unequivocally know it was (is) the problem.

I will check all that out, I'm almost 100 percent sure there were no extra parts sent to me, as the only thing I saw was the old stock Intel fan. Thanks again.

[The Wise Monkey]

Actually, I misunderstood - I thought it was averaging at about 70C! An average of 50C isn't too bad, to be honest. Going up that much when under full load is a bit high, but it should be OK. Does your PC crash when it gets that high?

[squadz]

Actually, I misunderstood - I thought it was averaging at about 70C! An average of 50C isn't too bad, to be honest. Going up that much when under full load is a bit high, but it should be OK. Does your PC crash when it gets that high?

50C is a little high for idling don't you think? And no it doesn't crash, it only shuts off at 99 degrees.

I really don't see how I'm idling 50C with that setup.

[zburns]

Check the newegg link I gave you. It shows multiple pictures of the cooler as well as pictures of the parts sent with the cooler (all there coolers shipped with parts for AMD and Intel sockets)

[squadz]

Check the newegg link I gave you. It shows multiple pictures of the cooler as well as pictures of the parts sent with the cooler (all there coolers shipped with parts for AMD and Intel sockets)

I actually linked the wrong cooler, this is mine: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118059&Tpk=performa

But yeah, I have that box and I will check it all tonight and make sure it's all there.

[RickyTick]

Go to YouTube and enter "ZALMAN CNPS10X". You'll find several installation guides. Hope that helps.

[zburns]

Use your own link to Newegg. Then go to 'Details' and that page will show you all the stuff shipped with your Zalman. Also, the same page lists the AMD and Intel sockets it will mount to using 'what is shipped to you'. One picture on that page shows a lot of small parts; these are all the parts that cover all the sockets; only some of them are used depending on your socket.

Ricky's video idea is good; however, there are several choices of videos and they are quite different. Your cooler has a 'Performa' suffix to the name as in: Zalman CNPS10X Performa . Here is a link to the youtube video that applies: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCmJBpbLWvw

This is a tough installation and I can see how it would be easy for someone to make a mistake. It is unlike any other Zalman cooler I have seen. You have to be super careful and follow the instructions. Watch the video multiple times while at the same time look at the Zalman instructions.

[zburns]

I looked at your video several times and it is not as hard as I was making it out to be. However, a couple of other things occured to me. I believe you said someone else built this for you and it was "shipped" to you. If it was shipped, for example by UPS, I hope the cooler assembly was taken off the cpu and shipped separately. If it was not, it should have been reinforced inside the case (would be somewhat difficult); but the best way to ship it would be with the cooler assembly removed from the cpu and shipped separately.

The radiator/heatsink assembly weights 748 grams (apx 1 5/8 lbs ) and it is apx 5 3/4 inches tall. Way to large and too heavy to leave attached during shipment. If you plan to ship it back to your assembler, then you should remove the cooler/radiator/heatsink assembly from the cpu by taking out the retainer clip that holds it in place over the top of the cpu heatsink. Ship the cooler/radiator/heatsink back in the box it came in. Shipping it attached, you run the risk of damage to both the cpu and the motherboard. It would be best if you can solve the problem locally without shipping it back.

[squadz]

I looked at your video several times and it is not as hard as I was making it out to be. However, a couple of other things occured to me. I believe you said someone else built this for you and it was "shipped" to you. If it was shipped, for example by UPS, I hope the cooler assembly was taken off the cpu and shipped separately. If it was not, it should have been reinforced inside the case (would be somewhat difficult); but the best way to ship it would be with the cooler assembly removed from the cpu and shipped separately.

The radiator/heatsink assembly weights 748 grams (apx 1 5/8 lbs ) and it is apx 5 3/4 inches tall. Way to large and too heavy to leave attached during shipment. If you plan to ship it back to your assembler, then you should remove the cooler/radiator/heatsink assembly from the cpu by taking out the retainer clip that holds it in place over the top of the cpu heatsink. Ship the cooler/radiator/heatsink back in the box it came in. Shipping it attached, you run the risk of damage to both the cpu and the motherboard. It would be best if you can solve the problem locally without shipping it back.

Found the problem. It was the cooler. The copper rod was scratching against the base, it basically tore most of the outside shell off the rod and since it could move back and forth there was NO conductivity. They screwed up big time. Put the stock fan on now and I'm seeing 30 degree idle temps and 50 under usual load. Highest temp during OCCT was 81. Not enough to overclock, but good for now until my new cooler comes in.

Thanks for the help.

[squadz]

Actually one more question.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a different cooler? I plan on overclocking this card if that helps.

[RickyTick]

I like both of these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835227006
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181010