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Do these temperatures sound correct?

B

Brash Endeavors

n00b
Joined
Oct 29, 2004
Messages
33
We recently received new FX-55 systems from Monarch Computers, the systems work great but I was really shocked to see how LOW the "ABIT EQ" utility is recording the temperatures.

The temps the utility shows are:

CPU: 22C
SYS: 23C
PWM: 29C

The systems are FX-55s on Abit AV8 K8T800P motherboards and GF6800GT videocards, they are in Sonata cases with a second 120mm case fan, but otherwise no particularly "upgraded" cooling system. If I play a game or run a simple benchmark test the temp might go up to the 30s; I also tried a utility called "S&M" that is supposed to "stress-test" for thermal and it skyrocketed up to 71C before I decided I didn't want to chance testing it higher. So it DOES record increases in temperature.

Is a CPU temp in the low 20s for idle really believeable?? That seems so low to me (my old XP 2400+ never dropped a point below 50C even with a room fan blasting into the side of an open case...). I have seen it go into 30s and even low 40s (and much higher in the S&M test) so it IS recording some flucuations but even those readings seem very low given that I am not using any extra cooling besides a second 120mm case fan.

I just want to know if I should be concerned whether these are accurate temperature readings.
 
Brash Endeavors said:
We recently received new FX-55 systems from Monarch Computers, the systems work great but I was really shocked to see how LOW the "ABIT EQ" utility is recording the temperatures.

The temps the utility shows are:

CPU: 22C
SYS: 23C
PWM: 29C

The systems are FX-55s on Abit AV8 K8T800P motherboards and GF6800GT videocards, they are in Sonata cases with a second 120mm case fan, but otherwise no particularly "upgraded" cooling system. If I play a game or run a simple benchmark test the temp might go up to the 30s; I also tried a utility called "S&M" that is supposed to "stress-test" for thermal and it skyrocketed up to 71C before I decided I didn't want to chance testing it higher. So it DOES record increases in temperature.

Is a CPU temp in the low 20s for idle really believeable?? That seems so low to me (my old XP 2400+ never dropped a point below 50C even with a room fan blasting into the side of an open case...). I have seen it go into 30s and even low 40s (and much higher in the S&M test) so it IS recording some flucuations but even those readings seem very low given that I am not using any extra cooling besides a second 120mm case fan.

I just want to know if I should be concerned whether these are accurate temperature readings.
Click to expand...

yeah, that's way off, currently there is no S939 boards that relay proper temperatures and are usually off by 26 to 28 dgC, adjust as such and you're good to go.

EDIT: it may be less than that on your board, what HSF are you using?
 
no such thing as accurate onboard temperature monitoring... it is part of reason why im eyeing a hardcano..all those temp probes..
 
I'm using a ASUS A8V MB with my FX-55, and the supplied ASUS probe was reporting load temps of ~52-57c. Not happy with these temps, and until I find a better HSF, I put my case near an open window here in the NE USA where it's "cold" out (~45F). This has kept my temps no higher than 52C under load.

I assume the ASUS Probe program was reporting correct CPU temps. I have no idea. How can you verify these things?
 
z0dd said:
I'm using a ASUS A8V MB with my FX-55, and the supplied ASUS probe was reporting load temps of ~52-57c. Not happy with these temps, and until I find a better HSF, I put my case near an open window here in the NE USA where it's "cold" out (~45F). This has kept my temps no higher than 52C under load.

I assume the ASUS Probe program was reporting correct CPU temps. I have no idea. How can you verify these things?
Click to expand...
an actual diode... as in a calibrated multimeter probe or such...
 
Ok, I got an email response from Monarch Tech Support but it sounds like I should take this with a very LARGE grain of salt?
My ABIT EQ shows my system temperatures as:

CPU: 22C
SYS: 23C
PWM: 29C

Those seem like incrediably LOW temperatures to me -- of course I am delighted they run this cool but is that really a believeable temperature?

I have seen it go up to 30s etc when running a game, but my old system usually was more like 50C-53C so these very low temperatures seem almost "too good to be true"...

I just want to know if this is any cause for concern.
Click to expand...
Response from Greg-Support:

No cause for concern at all - your system is cooling very efficiently.
Click to expand...
 
"Sonata cases with a second 120mm case fan"

Good stuff, cant improve case airflow very much there.

Yes its BS, I love how the processor is a degree cooler than the motherboard/internal case temp. Neat trick.on air.

Question is, is it really a problem ? Do you have applications that will cause the machine to crash due to heat ? Are they OEM chips with aftermarket HS/fans or retail with 3 year warranty ? What is Monarchs warranty? How big a deal to your business if you have to send a machine back, as in fire up your most intensive application (or a benchmark) and stress the heck out of one of the machines all day, if it lives, eh, problem solved. If not get someone from Monarch on the phone that has a clue and start screaming.


One day they will put an offset in the bios to make it more beleivable if not more accurate. .

Greg should made to wear a tee shit that says "I am an Idiot" then be shot somewhere painfull but not leathal. Cant beleive that, I HAD a high opinion of Monarch.
 
Question is, is it really a problem ? Do you have applications that will cause the machine to crash due to heat ?

The systems are primarily for personal use + gaming. We usually don't overclock at all, and absolutely not now if we think our thermal monitoring is suspect. I don't know how much extra heat the GF6800GTs might be adding to the overall temps while running games.

Are they OEM chips with aftermarket HS/fans or retail with 3 year warranty ?

They didn't have any retail ones in stock (and in fact ran out of the OEMs as well soon after we ordered ours), and these just have a CoolJag cooler.

What is Monarchs warranty?

We just went with the standard one-year parts+labor that came with no additinal cost; not sure what that means if the cpu itself only has a 60 day coverage? Or would that 60 days only be an issue if we had bought the cpu alone instead of in a system? These were full custom systems except we installed the OS ourselves.

How big a deal to your business if you have to send a machine back, as in fire up your most intensive application (or a benchmark) and stress the heck out of one of the machines all day, if it lives, eh, problem solved. If not get someone from Monarch on the phone that has a clue and start screaming.

Since they are not business machines, and we gave our old systems to our kids, we would just "borrow" back our systems from the kids if these had to go into the shop, and no real critical data is at risk. However I absolutely, positively, can't stand the mere idea of having to ship the systems back. I have a hard time even sending in mail order rebate postcards, let alone the thought of repacking and shipping a system. Especially with Christmas rush hitting the computer business and probably completely backlogged schedules there. So I prefer not to stress them just to see whether they'll blow up under stress, if we have no other sign of an issue. Especially if they are completely out of FX-55 cpus and on backorder.

Agaiun, we don't have any sign of any actual heating issue -- just that the "official" temperatures don't seem to be correct. When I put my hand inside the cases while running, everything feels extraordinarily chilly; the heatsink and fan itself are quite cool to the touch and not feeling any warmth from there at all while running, almost as if the system was not even on. Air blowing out of the case from the back 120m fan is quite cool.

One day they will put an offset in the bios to make it more beleivable if not more accurate.

I presume that is a very far-in-the-future hypothetical "one day"? I guess I might look into upgrading the cpu fans to Zalmans or something if I start getting too nervous.

Greg should made to wear a tee shit that says "I am an Idiot" then be shot somewhere painfull but not leathal. Cant beleive that, I HAD a high opinion of Monarch.

I'll maybe send an email expressing my concern to Dave F of Monarch; I think he might be in charge of their systems department and he seems extraordinarily knowledgeable. I tend not to trust the more anonymous run-of-the-mill tech support guys places hire off the street, but I think this manager Dave F knows this stuff very well, and I think he would be candid with me about what I should do. It's the front-line low-level tech guys I am a bit more wary of.

==========

I *hope* unrelated to this -- today one of the computers would periodically make a single tiny beep, maybe once every hour. Just one short beep, then nothing else. Later in the day, the new keyboard on that computer died (purchased separately from the systems, model is listed here. It was an illuminated keyboard (so we could type at night without needing extra room lights on) and I tend to be suspicious of "gadgety" devices anyway. We plugged in an old used keyboard and that works just fine. The computer hasn't beeped at all since then.

Obviously at this point on we will be alert to any pattern of problems, and probably my first line of defense would be upgraded cpu coolers. At this stage though the systems DO seem to be running quite cool -- just maybe not THAT cool.

We were planning to install trial copies of the new WinXP 64-bit edition, mostly from curiousity -- I am assuming that is unlikely to put any type of extra stress on the hardware itself? Though I guess I should hold off if I want to monitor for basic problems for a few weeks.
 
I think you are ok, but would look into replacing those heatsinks since you are gaming.

At this point I would recommend jumping over to the abit offical forum and there should be a ton of people witht the same motherboard so you can compare notes. Since I dont have that board I would hate to steer you wrong. You would probally get word of upcoming bios fixes first there as well. There is a great support community for my board and while yours is new, I bet you will find plenty of help there from people that have your board.

http://forum.abit-usa.com/
 
Got curious and jumped over to the Abit forum, yep like my NF7 when first released, it appears the bios temp readings are "boinked". Quite a lot of threads about Low temps, temps jumping arround from day to day at first boot up etc.

It will take Abit a while if past experience serves as a guide to release a bios that fixes the issue.

You have a very good case setup for cooling, I would just get some better heatsinks (the ones you have may be fine, I am just not up an A64 heatsinks as I am waiting a bit to take the plunge) and perhaps check and see if they are installed with thermal pads or a high quality paste.

Your year wannanty should cover everything in the box but I am with you about having to send it back. Dont know how comfortable you are with this, but on day 366 I would pull those heatsinks off and make sure they are installed with Artic Silver grease. In the meantime I would be investigating the quality of that heatsink/fan and looking for high performacne alternatives. LOL oh heck I got nothing to do, think I look up that heatsink, I might learn something . :eek:

If you are comfortable with that kind of work, removing installing CPU heatsink/fan, I would do it now, but I am not quite right and it might void your warranty despite a very good argument that applying Artic Silver properly would be an improvement in the reliability of the machine.
 
"Dave F of Monarch; I think he might be in charge of their systems department and he seems extraordinarily knowledgeable. I tend not to trust the more anonymous run-of-the-mill tech support guys places hire off the street, but I think this manager Dave F knows this stuff very well, and I think he would be candid with me about what I should do."

Missed that, absolutely!!!! Be sure to ask if they use the stock heatsink pad or apply thermal grease.

Establishing a good polite relationship with someone of authority there is a great move !
 
Hmm they are not junk, skived AL optional copper base looks pretty good. Apparently you can get them with pad (yuck) pre-applied grease or plain so no way of telling.

http://www.cooljag.com/Desktop_K8.htm

I am having to guess at which HS you have but all their stuff looks decent guality.


I am kinda back to the "the bios is lying to you", actually Abit is pretty good about bios updates, well, no worse than anyone else and better than a lot. As that is a new board bios updates should come hot and heavy for next few months.

Well think I have done all the damage I can here. :) I think you are OK and are suffering from the issues that crop up when you get out close to the "bleeding edge". Think the guys in the Abit Amd 64 sub forum are for sure worth talking too. Just keep in mind you seldom see the "it works great and no problems" people posting.
 
Sorry for not replying sooner. You asked about thermal paste -- we had the systems include Shin-Etsu G675 Thermal Grease. I have no idea how this compares to the other types except it seems to be the only one Monarch likes to use in their systems.

Since my intial post, the computers seem to be reporting more like 27C-31C at idle. One change in the systems is, Monarch ties off the wiring inside very neat and careful but we had to undo those in order to install a floppy for OS install, and also then to get some data off our old computer's IDE drives. I tried to "tuck" the wires back neatly after but it is not as "tidy" as when shipped, I am not sure how much of an airflow difference that would make.

Also, I am now thinking that I might have had the case side off when I got those earlier readings, since I was moving the FDD/HDDs in and out several times around that time. It seems to be pretty consistent now in the 27-31C range which maybe sounds less unlikely of a reading, I am just not sure if the combination of the "bundled" wires and the side panel off would be enough to explain those earlier readings? I guess I could try an experiment with the panels off and tying off the wiring again to see if it drops that low again.

Thanks for the replies :)
 
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