Intel Q6600 Overclocking Worries

[blacksunseven]

I've got a G0 Q6600 running at 400.0 x 7.0 @ 1.2875V on a Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R (Bios F10) motherboard cooled with a Scythe Ninja Plus Rev. B with a Silenx Ixtrema Pro 120x38mm 18dba Fan (90cfm). I've got some Corsair TWINX RAM in there running at 5-5-5-18 at a 1:1 multiplier (SPD=2.00 in Gigabyte BIOS).

Here's the problem:
With what is only a slight overclock (2.4GHz to 2.8GHz) and what I believe is a very good air cooler with a very good fan, I'm seeing idle temps of (all temps measured using Core Temp 0.99.4 in Windows XP Pro 32-bit):
Core #0: 46 C
Core #1: 39 C
Core #2: 40 C
Core #3: 45 C

and 100% loaded these temps look like this:
Core #0: 81 C
Core #1: 77 C
Core #2: 75 C
Core #3: 81 C

Which are dangerously close (or already are) to being unusable. Even at stock speeds, I'm running 67 C at full load which is close to the recommended temperature in the Intel datasheet IIRC. I've got a full aluminum case in a room with an ambient temperature around 20 C (68 F) and have a good airflow set up in my case (I've been working with and overclocking computers since the Athlon XP).

In my BIOS, I've got a CPU Temp. reading of 39 C and System Temp. of 40 C. CPU Fan speed is 1270RPM.

Any ideas?

 

[sirmonkey1985]

well first.. ignore the intel data sheet.. because thats a recommended max temp.. thats not the true max temp of the processor..

now as for the temps.. yes they are pretty high.. you can pretty much ignore the idle temps on core 2 processors because they are completely wrong..

also what tjmax do you have set in core temp.. and also i recommend using real temp instead since its geared more for intel processors with the correct tjmax settings..

if you can turn the fan up a little bit i would do that.. just to see how it effects the temps..
and if all else fails.. try remounting the heatsink..

 

[saedrin]

Is the heat sink seated correctly? What thermal paste and how did you apply it?

 

[TechHead]

Again, if he is facing any instability, then the temps are an issue. The processor will shut itself off as soon as it senses it is getting too hot. Don't worry.

 

[cyclone3d]

What is the static pressure rating of that fan?

CFM means nothing if it doesn't have enough static pressure to actually push the air through the heatsink fins.

 

[BillParrish]

Those load temps seem high to me also unless the room is very hot.

Something is wrong, HS not mounted well, bad case airflow, very high Vcore (set to auto) would be the first things I checked (not necessarly in that order) .

 

[[H]ocusPocus]

In the bios, check your setting for "smart fan control" (or something like that). For my older DS3, the "Intel qst?" setting was the default value and it ramped fan speed very slowly.

 

[saedrin]

Again, if he is facing any instability, then the temps are an issue. The processor will shut itself off as soon as it senses it is getting too hot. Don't worry.

He can't push his system far enough to start causing instability because of the temps. I'm figuring there's a problem with the heatsink situation that's causing such high heat with such a low OC. The temps are an issue because if he pushes it even a little further the system is going to lock down from overheating.

 

[Buttnose]

Reseat the heatsink, rip off the silenx fan and swap it out for a 120x38mm Yate Loon.

 

[Zero82z]

rip off the silenx fan and swap it out for a 120x38mm Yate Loon.

+1. SilenX fans are crap. I doubt it's the cause of the problem here, but using a better fan would probably still help.

Anyway, all I can do is really echo the other suggestions here. Reseat your heatsink and make sure it's secure, ensure that you have good case airflow and that there's nothing significantly obstructing the path of air through the case, check your ambient temps to see if they're too high. Also, try setting your CPU back to stock speed and then seeing what kinds of temps you get.

 

[vertigomhs]

arent the system temps, the case temp?

if they are, 40c seems like a lot.

 

[Zero82z]

arent the system temps, the ambient?

if they are, 40c seems like a lot.

The ambient temperature is the temperature of the room the computer is in.

 

[vertigomhs]

The ambient temperature is the temperature of the room the computer is in.

my bad, i meant isnt the system temp the temperature of the inside of the case?

mixed my words up...

 

[wol-va-rine]

reseating the heatsink would be priority numero uno imo, I had this same problem a few months ago, I reseated the heatsink a few times until my temps dropped about 10°C, I also added a fan to the other side of my heatsink for a push/pull configuration...

 

[blacksunseven]

Just checked it out to make sure the airflow was configured properly (been very busy this week) and I can confirm the airflow is good. I took the side of my case off and am going to watch the temps for a while, see how they go. Some preliminary temps.:
Idle (CPU Use = ~3%) Stock Speeds
Core #0: 35 C
Core #1: 33 C
Core #2: 30 C
Core #3: 27 C

100% Load Stock Speeds
Core #0: 61 C
Core #1: 60 C
Core #2: 55 C
Core #3: 56 C

I agree with others that the fan is the most likely culprit, I wish I hadn't dropped the $10 or w/e I got it for when I built this comp. but, I thought it was with good intentions. Unforunately, looks like the real world proved much different for me. I might try using the stock fan that was included with it and see if that does anything to the results. I am also going to look into another exhaust fan to mount on the rear to make sure the heat is escaping the case and not just sitting.

I hate when people do what I'm about to do but, I am certain the heatsink mounting is not the problem. I used AS3 Silver for anyone curious about the thermal grease and have never improperly mounted a heatsink (there's a first time, I know) but, if nothing else fixes the heat "issues", I'll give that a shot later down the line.