Problem with CPU temp reading, need your input

Badger_sly

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 20, 2002
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Wasn't sure where to post this, but since it concerns temperatures, I'll post it here.

Sorry for the long post, but I like to give accurate descriptions.

My question: What reads the CPU temp and passes that info to the the BIOS or other monitoring software? Can whatever reads the temps be damaged/corrupted so only the CPU temp is out of wack while the other board/case temps are fine?

Here is my system the problem is occurring on:

P4 2.8C (running stock)
Epox 4PDA2+ rev2
OCZ pc4000 Gold
BFG 5900nu (running stock)
Thermaltake Spark7+ HS
2 80mm fans (blowing in)
1 120mm fan (blowing in)
4 80mm fans (blowing out)

Previously, my system's temps were alway very good. Specifically, my CPU temp would idle around 35C, 54C under load, sometimes spike to 65C with an extreme load. These readings were all accurate with one another coming from the BIOS, Sandra, and Epox's USDM program.

Earlier this week I took my computer to my brother's garage and blew the dust out of it with his compressor, like I usually do once ever 2 months. Upon bringing my computer back home, hooking it up, and booting up, it barely got into Windows and then shut down.
Taking a quick look inside, I realized that I had forgotten to reconnect the molex connector to the video card after I had cleaned the card. I connected power to the card, then booted it up. This time it got into Windows, but when I went to open Sandra and USDM, it shut down again.
Booting up again a 3rd time, I watched inside and made sure all of the fans were working, which they were, and then went into the BIOS. The PC health showed all the temps normal except the CPU temp was running at 68-72C.
I shut down quick, figured the heatsink got bumped / unseated from the CPU, so reinstalled it with new AS5. Started it up and the BIOS again shows 68-73C. Again I reinstall it and note the CPU and HS had made contact. Restart, and same 68-73C.
I feel the side of the HS and it's not even really warm to the touch, so I turned off the thermal protection in the BIOS (which was set at 85C), and restart.
It goes into Windows, I can open any of the programs without any problems, but USDM and Sandra both show the CPU temp idling around 50C and fluctuating up into the 60s C. Yet the HS isn't hot to the touch, just a little warm. I start up Everquest2 and the CPU temp goes to 65-80C with little action, and peaks at 100C (yes, 212F), but the HS still is only warm to the touch.
EQ2 runs fine, maybe a tad bit slower or it could just be my imagination. Everything else in XP runs fine. The board, case, and PS temps are all showing good, and all the volts are good.

I've reset the BIOS, put the stock Intel HS on, and left the side of the case off, but nothing showed any change.

Could having not plugged the power into the video card have caused damage to whatever takes the CPU temp reading?

Thanks for reading all of this. Anyone with experiences like this, or just ideas, please let me know.
 
Badger_sly said:
My question: What reads the CPU temp and passes that info to the the BIOS or other monitoring software? Can whatever reads the temps be damaged/corrupted so only the CPU temp is out of wack while the other board/case temps are fine?

Onboard Winbond W83627HF-AW...

Function:
LPC bus I/O controller
Legacy peripheral interface for PS/2 keyboard & mouse, FDD, Parallel, Two Serial, Game and IrDA (v1.0 compliant), ¡K
Support Hardware Monitoring function such as fan speed monitoring and CPU temperature.

The mainboards firmware (bios) reads the hardware data from this IC...

bios page...no revision history though...which really sucks and is quite unprofessional.
http://www.epox.com.tw/eng/support.php?ps=15&type=1
 
Thank you MD_Willington for the info.

So is the Onboard Winbond W83627HF-AW, part of the board's chipset, where reinstalling the chipset drivers may possibly be a fix? Or reflashing the BIOS?

I realize that it may be damaged to where neither of these actions may do anything.

It just seems strange that the other temps of the board and case are being sensed correctly.
 
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