PCA Forums

I just recently replaced my mb, I had an asus p4s533-E, and now have a soyo dragon ultra 2. Anyway, I didn't reapply any thermal paste, since I used the same CPU/HSF on it (thermaltake volcano 7+). Ever since the change, soyo's temperature reporting program holds constant at 115F no matter what. I am folding, with my HSF on the low setting, and it stays 115. I can quit folding, and go to the high HSF setting, and it doesn't change. I even have the side of the case off (I'm going to order some arctic silver, and put that on in the next day or so). Do you think there's any reason why this is happening?

Larry

Try using Motherboard Monitor. If that gives the same result, try the BIOS. If the temps aren't changing, the board could possibly be faulty.

Ok, I installed motherboard monitor. For some reason, it gives the temperature as 167F for one of the readings. I just pulled the CPU, wiped off all the old thermal compound, and put on shit that came with my video card fan. I am just at a loss as why it doesn't report this correctly. If I had run this fan on high, on my asus board, temps would've been below 95F easily.

Larry

Ok, check out the BIOS then, what does that say?

Onboard temp monitoring is NOTORIOUSLY unreliable. Use it only for reference. A LOT depends on the monitor electronics and the exact location of the thermal probe.

Same chip and HSF in two different mobos will indicate two different temps. I see it all the time. Don't sweat it.

Only accurate way to measure temp is with a laboratory grade temp probe on the base of the heatsink.

Mother Board Monitor is also notorious for lack of accuracy. The monitoring software that came with the mobo is going to be the more reliable of the two, but don't take those numbers as accurate.

Even more accurate (but still no where near as accurate as a thermometer) is the BIOS PC Health menu, but this won't give you temps under load.

The simplest test is to just touch the base of the heatsink while the computer is running. If it's too hot to touch, it's running way too hot. It should be warm, even uncomfortably warm, but not too hot to touch.

The PC Health menu gave almost the same readings. Let me check if I can touch the heatsink...

Larry

Edit: I was able to put my finger all up on the fins of the 'sink, it was cool to the touch. Like the friggin pc was off!

Sounds like it's running cool to me, as long as you're sure there's a flush mate between the heat sink and the CPU, and you've got some kind of heat sink compound on it.

Regular heatsink compound (white stuff) is just fine. If you plan to overclock then I'd recommend Artic Silver - it tends to knock 5 - 8 degrees off.