OC Temperatures for i7-930

[D3PyroGS]

I built a computer for the first time last week and everything went off without a hitch. I decided not to be a chump and overclock my processor using the AI tweaker in my motherboard's BIOS. I set my BCLK to 153 to give me about 3200MHz and left everything else at auto (so it set my voltage to 1.2400 automatically). I ran Prime95 on it for about 10 minutes and realized that Real Temp measured my core temperatures to be in the high 90's C and one even broke 100 C. I'm not totally sure if that program is accurate, but nonetheless that seemed way too high. I shut off the torture test and came back down to idling at around 50 C.

 

Can anyone tell me what's going on here? I'm using the HAF 922 case with the optional 200mm side fan installed and a Hyper 212+ in a push/pull configuration with Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound (which I'm fairly certain I applied correctly). Everything should be running at lower temps but obviously that doesn't seem to be happening. I'm wondering if even my idle temps are too high, seeing as how other people claim to have theirs more in the high 30's/low 40's C. My build specs are in my profile but I can answer any other relevant questions if need be. Thanks for the help!

[Drdeath]

Everyone has a different spin on temps. Most say 75 under load. I push it to 80 no further. I would stop asap those temps are too high.

 

Either you fan flow is not right inside the case or you need to re apply the Tim.

[D3PyroGS]

Everyone has a different spin on temps. Most say 75 under load. I push it to 80 no further. I would stop asap those temps are too high.

 

Either you fan flow is not right inside the case or you need to re apply the Tim.

 

What could be wrong with the fan setup? I have fans on both sides of my heatsink which both blow toward the rear exhaust. The side fan blows on top of the heatsink but I doubt that interferes with the flow. Does that sound right?

[ebarone]

Yea man something is wrong with your cooling setup. Try removing and reseating everything, or try putting on the stock cooler and see what kind of baseline you should be getting.

[wevsspot]

Depending on your ambient air temps you should be idling in the 39-45C range, and your load temps shouldn't be more than 65-70C at that clock and voltage.

 

Something isn't right. Are yu sure your fans are in push/pull and that you don't actually have them blowing against one another?

 

Also need to check your cpu/heatsink mating surfaces and make sure you are getting good contact. Do not apply too much TIM grease, a micro-thin layer is all you need.

[D3PyroGS]

Depending on your ambient air temps you should be idling in the 39-45C range, and your load temps shouldn't be more than 65-70C at that clock and voltage.

 

Something isn't right. Are yu sure your fans are in push/pull and that you don't actually have them blowing against one another?

I'm pretty sure. I'll double-check, but hopefully I wouldn't be that stupid.

 

Also need to check your cpu/heatsink mating surfaces and make sure you are getting good contact. Do not apply too much TIM grease, a micro-thin layer is all you need.

At this point I may as well ask, how do you know if you've done it correctly? Everybody seems to use different amounts and application processes. I made a decent-sized line and pressed the HSF on it to spread it around before securing. Could I have possibly used too much?

[RJR]

As wevsspot has stated it's always a good idea to check both your cpu and cooler with a flat edge or large razor blade to make sure neither are very convex or concave.

 

Besides that, your main problem is you have everything set on AUTO. Your Bios will determine what voltages it thinks you need to be stable, and more often than not it will overvolt.

Set the vcore manually along with the qpi/vtt, pcie, memory and pll for that small of an OC and test again. I'm betting your temps will be substantially lower.

[slugbug]

Double check that the CPU surface and heatsink are making good contact by removing the cooler and checking the contact patch. 90c seems high based on that mild overclock. I have a 920@3874mhz with a Cooler Master V8 and my load temps are in the 75c range with an ambient temperature of 25c. Thank god for AC.

[wevsspot]

At this point I may as well ask, how do you know if you've done it correctly? Everybody seems to use different amounts and application processes. I made a decent-sized line and pressed the HSF on it to spread it around before securing. Could I have possibly used too much?

 

As recommended since I put up my first reply, a razor blade or metal engineer's ruler are great for checking the flatness of your heatsink and the ihs on your cpu. Ideally they would both be perfectly flat, but we don't live in a perfect world

 

Checking the contact is easy - remove the cooler from the cpu and check the "footprint" left in the TIM on the surfaces of the heatsink and cpu ihs. The footprint should show a perfect outline where the two components were mated together. If not then your TIM application wasn't very good or your mounting surfaces aren't flat. Another possibility is under or over torque of the mounting bracket.

 

You mentioned that you used a "line" when you applied the TIM. Definitely not the best way for the TIM paste to be applied. The general consensus is a single bead about the size of a bb right in the middle of the cpu ihs. Then mount the cpu heatsink and wiggle it back and forth to help spread the TIM before tightening it down.

 

Some folks apply the bead and then spread it out evenly with a credit card or razor blade. I've tried it both ways and results are pretty similar. However, just putting a single bead in the center of the cpu ihs is the easiest in my opinion. Make sure to thoroughly clean off the old application of grease before starting over.

 

Good luck.

[AddictedGamer93]

id say try reapplying the TIM. I have the same cooler, but i put a small thin line of TIM in the center of each heatpipe, and it keeps my cpu nice and cool. Using this method my cpu idles from 32c to 35c depending on room temp, and a max load temp of 50c with only ONE fan in pull position at 50% speed.

[D3PyroGS]

As recommended since I put up my first reply, a razor blade or metal engineer's ruler are great for checking the flatness of your heatsink and the ihs on your cpu. Ideally they would both be perfectly flat, but we don't live in a perfect world

Am I to infer that if either is not flat then I should apply more?

 

You mentioned that you used a "line" when you applied the TIM. Definitely not the best way for the TIM paste to be applied. The general consensus is a single bead about the size of a bb right in the middle of the cpu ihs. Then mount the cpu heatsink and wiggle it back and forth to help spread the TIM before tightening it down.

Hmmm... Ok, I suppose I could try that. Is it different for different pastes? I was following the instructions posted on the AS website that recommends the line method (though I think I put more than their image shows).

[D3PyroGS]

Ok, so I have some idea of what went wrong. First, I removed the HSF and, sure enough, it wasn't spread evenly. One whole heatpipe had no paste touching it at all (ouch!). I thoroughly cleaned it off and reapplied it and screwed it in but still felt uneasy about it... so I took it off and it was a little light on one side so I added a little dab more and my cores are now idling @2.8GHz somewhere between 38 and 43 C. At full load I'm somewhere between 64 and 70. I suppose that's right but I'm not really sure. I may try redoing the process again tomorrow unless people are more than sure that they're acceptable temps.

 

I've tried to go manual on vcore settings but just keep ending up with bluescreens. Part of the problem is I don't actually know what my stock voltage is and can't seem to find that information anywhere. I know the basic idea is up the BLCK until it starts failing and then amp up the voltage but beyond that I'm just a n00b. I can't find any solid guides to OCing i7s and am wondering if it's worth it for the trouble.