Ok, well after installing both my new video card and new PSU, my computer would at times lose picture and I would have to restart. I discovered a big problem I have now is that my GPU is overheating like crazy. It idles around 55-60C and climbs to 70-80C seconds after I run a game, before settling around 85-95C. My CPU also seems hot, as it idles around 50C and goes up to 85C+ after being at full load for a few mins. The Psu I bought had a fan on the bottom instead of at the back like my old one, I don't know if that messes things up, but it is facing my video card fan. I don't know much about computers so does anyone know if there is anything that I can do to potentially fix this heating problem? I tried testing it without a cover, but the temps were pretty much the same. I uploaded some pics to help: http://www.megafileupload.com/en/file/114026/pics-rar.html Thanks for the help! (I used EVGA Precision and SpeedFan to check temps) My Comp Stats: Windows Vista 32bit AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core 5000+ (2.6GHz) 3GB RAM DDR2 Sparkle Geforce 9800GTX+ 1GB (new) http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4352340&CatId=3669 HP Nettle Motherboard http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?lc=en&dlc=en&cc=us&docname=c00906137 CORSAIR CMPSU-400CX 400W (new) http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139008 EDIT: My CPU seems to be idling at around 45C now (fan 100%) with both cores going to about 70-75C after playing a game for 5 minute
Is the PSU getting hot? What video card did you have previously? Did you try increasing the fan speed on the new video card?
The fan on the bottom of your PSU is drawing heat off of the card so that is no problem. By losing your picture do you mean you get a blank screen? Which drivers do you have installed? Make sure your rear case fans are blowing out I don't think your load temps are really too hot but it does sound like overheating to me.
LOL - your Athlon X2 5000+ goes up to 85+ C ? Bloody hell that's impossible I can tell you right there - I think you are confusing readings. I have an Athlon 64 x2 5600+ 2MB edition (2.8Ghz) this one is 89W, and at full loa it does not exceed 55C and that on a hot day ! As far as your graphics card your bugs/issues are definately not heat related because those GPU temps are within specs - the GPU is made to withstand a lot of heat and you are well within the meltdown/throtltting threshold - maybe you don't have optimal cooling but if your temps stabilise to 80-85C and don't keep going up I would not worry about it - If they climb above 100C then you should do something about it - temps of that range will not cause your GPU to lockup or fail or black out. I use the latest EVEREST 5 to get accurate readings on my CPU + CPU cores + GPU temps etc. Check your PSU if it is well rated for your GPU and providing enough amperage - I usually future proof my system by getting a higher rated PSU than I need - at that time I was using a 550W Antec NeoHE High Efficient series - If your PSU cannot keep up with your GPU's needs you will get stability issues like you describe. Based on specs I would say you would need a better PSU. Your PSU is underrated - and now in 2009 it seems 400W is legacy - get rid of that PSU and get something suited for that graphics card - Go for a 550W or above, although the graphics card would work on a 475W PSU, I'd go for a higher rated one. If not mistaken it requires 26A on the combined 12V current. I think your issue here is PSU related and not heat - although you could use better cooling but it's not part of your problem for now. Why do people use megaupload and other crap to upload images, they suck NUTS - all they want is sell you premium accounts - why not use imageshack.us much faster much cleaner much faster than bloody megaupload crap!
By blank screen, I mean I lose signal and my screen goes black (well actually it says "no input"). I have installed the drivers it came with, initially, before updating to the current drivers from the nVidia site. The PSU isn't hot and I have tried increasing fan speed to 100% through EVGA precision. My previous video card was the Geforce 6150SE it came with (on board). If it matters, it seems that the underside of my card on the left side (right above the RAM if you are looking at the pics) gets way hotter than the rest of the card. Well I'm pretty sure about the CPU, when we ran a PI calculator for 5 mins it reached 85C but I'll try again with the program you mentioned. I'm surprised you say your CPU idles at 55C under full load, considering mine idles at 45C and shoots to 70+ instantly after being under full load. As for the GPU, it currently does cut out whenever I play a game for more than 5 mins (as in I lose signal). Also, while it does stay around 90C in-game, I've seen it jump to 105C during graphically demanding parts of the game. People on another forum told me that the PSU should be able to handle my card, I think one of the 12V rails is close to 30A. I had to buy a 4pin to 6pin converter tho since the PSU only came with one 6-pin connection. I hope it is PSU at least taht way I can return this one and solve the problem.
I think you will have either rma the video card or possibly get a new case. If you've really increase the video card fan to 100% and it still reaches 90+c there is definitely something wrong.
Read my post again - that is not what I said - I said under FULL load (note the FULL part) both my cores have not gone above 55-56C at most) and keeping in mind I have the 89W 2MB version of the 5600+ those run hotter than the 1MB, 65W version. Idle, it will be in the mid 30's to 40C depending on ambiant room temp. I do not know the thermal ratings of the AMD CPUs by heart but if memory serves I think yours is rated at 65C, I know my Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 89W is rated at that. So it's impossible that your CPU would reach 85C LOL even under full full load torture tests, HOT CPU tester, PI tests, Prime you name it, I've left it hours and horus and it never has even come close to 60 as I stated above, once again. Your CPU is a step below mine and should run cooler too, it would be absolutely abnormal for you to get such ridiculous temps, your core would NEVER work at that temp mate, trust me. Ok now you are adding something new here - Looks like you may not be having proper cooling inside your case - is your case cluttered with cables ? Do you have proper air flow (air coming in, air going out ?) I must admit that's quite hot, you should be able to bring those temps down a bit. Barely maybe - Although I think you should maybe before buying, swap for another PSU to rule out the PSU........ when running those tests if you are overclocking, set everything to factory speeds and settings, make sure your RAM is healthy and not defect (run a memtest86 for example), make sure you do not have driver or other conflicts.... although I think of a gaming system and a graphics card of that caliber, a 400W PSU is pushing it......
improper thermal contact and heat dissipation - I've seen this before - indeed, those temps are a little high for 100% speed fan. What I am even more concerned about is his 85C+ CPU temps he's seeing
You need to do quite a few things. Clean your case of any dust/hair whatever thats in there. Use compressed air. Take off the heatsink and fan of your CPU and clean off any thermal compound on the heatsink and the cpu. Reapply a small (we're talking a PEA sized amount here!) amount on the cpu, and reinstall your heatsink and fan. Do the same for your GPU. You may also need to check that your fans are working, facing the correct direction, and plugged in. Now turn everything back on, test a few games, watch your temps, and see if that does anything.
Maybe he bumped the cpu cooler when he was installing the PSU in and it could of knocked it a little loose, he should check if the CPU cooler is seated properly
Listen, I am only saying what what I actually read as the temp. I don't know much computers at all, so I take your word for it when you say my CPU couldn't have reached 85C+. I've run the PI calculator again, with a different program for reading temp, and now my CPU only reaches 70C+ after being under full load for about 10 mins. I don't know if the difference is due to the program or the fact the side of my comp is now off. While most people say it is a cooling problem, would it make a difference that these are temps I am getting with the side of the case OFF the comp? I guess I'll run that memtest you suggested and reapply thermal paste to my CPU, but at this point, for my GPU, I'm thinking I should send it back since it might be defective... I've also cleaned my comp completely. It was very dusty earlier, and it is what I believed caused my comp to often hang and freeze, before I got the video card and PSU.
On my system taking the side panel off actually raises the temps but I think its because it affects the cool air in hot air out flow of my case. Some other cases may do the opposite especially if they have poor airflow to start with. In other words opening them will cool things down. If you're CPU temp is in any way accurate then holy $hi% that's a problem in my opinion. Try using Core Temp http://www.alcpu.com/CoreTemp/ to see what it says. FWIW my sons Athlon X2 5200+ shows around 30C at idle with this program. I've seen Everest give some bogus information but perhaps this will confirm it. I would say your PSU is borderline for that card but as it has a single 30 AMP rail it is likely just enough. I find it odd that everything is that hot which makes me think its an airflow problem as others have mentioned. Perhaps removing the new card & rechecking the CPU temp with the onboard video might indicate that installing the 9800 has adversely affected overall air flow in the case somehow.
Well unless his new GPU is steaming hot air up to his CPU area - I guess we have a classic case of poor air flow or the lack of it !
I'm really concerned about your CPU - something is not right there at all - it should not run that HOT *AT ALL* even with the side panel taken off - Like I said previously I have an 89W version, a 2.8Ghz 5600+, a step higher than your CPU and it does not get that hot. The thermal specs of your athlon are well exceeded and you would never be able to run your CPU that hot - so something is fishy...... I'm wondering if those temps you are getting are the CPU's heatspreader temp....What are your actual cores temperatures ? I think your program is reporting the heat spreader's temp. I use EVEREST or any tool that can report the CORE temps seperately from the CPU temp (heat spreader). If it is the case, then it proves your CPU's heatspreader is not transfering its heat properly to your heatsink for dissipation - in which case you will need to remove it, clean both your heatsink's bottom and CPU (I use arctic silver5 and the cleaner that comes with it) once CLEAN apply a tiny bit on the center of the CPU pea shaped than apply the heatsink twisting clock/counterclockwise a bit to spread it, align it and install it properly - your CPU spreader should not get that hot for your CPU type and clock...... You should not have to run your PC with the side panel off if you had proper cooling in the first place - What type of fans do you have ? Do you have heat exaust fans at the back of your case and incoming at the front ? Why don't you enable AMD Cool & Quiet in your BIOS and install the driver for windows - in screensaver/power/set to MINIMAL POWER to activate function - this will lower your CPU temps when it is idle and uneeded. Best thing to do as to not void your waranty on your videocard. For your CPU, it's not the question of applying thermal paste, but doing it PROPERLY !!! If you apply too much it's not good either.
The core temps I was getting were about 68C and 75C. I'm not sure about the fans but the air blows out the back of my system. I'll reapply thermal paste to my CPU now (after watching MANY tutorials first) and se if that brings it down. For the GPU, COD:WaW still causes my monitor to lose input suddenly after playing for 10 mins. Additionally, towards the end of the 10 mins, I started seeing textures randomly flicker on my screen. I'm hoping its defective at this point so I can just send it in.
I have done this before. It is always worthwhile to check your temps after installation of any new hardware. Some thermal pastes "dry out" through use, and continue to work well...Unless they get moved even a little bit. I have bumped a cpu cooler last week installing hard drives, and afterward my cpu would hit max temp of 65c, and idle at 50c.....which is well above normal operational temps. I had to reseat cpu, but it solved the issue.
OK!! Well, I have reapplied thermal paste to my cpu and now the idling temps are around 30C and it goes to about 55-60C under full load, so that's a big improvement. I think this video card might just be too big for the microATX case+board. Since I also developed a weird bar with gray lines and some color on the right side of my monitor, I'm thinking that my setup won't work with this card, or it might be defective, so I'm probably returning it. Any other cards that can work on my system that are close to this one in terms of performance and price, while being smaller and less likely to cause issues? Thank you to everyone for their help by the way, I really appreciate it!
