High CPU temps

[Blinks]

Hello,

I am experiencing high temperatures that I didn't notice before regarding my CPU. I noticed it today playing Alan Wake. My CPU cores have gotten as high as 95 degrees C. What I also noticed is that during this, the core was maybe at 50% load, never close to maxed. I have a 4930k with an H60 and push/pull configuration on the radiator.

I am planning on checking the thermal paste momentarily but was wondering if anyone had any other ideas.

[Ghâzh]

- Check if the fan on that H60 is spinning
- Try gently moving the H60 around a bit to see if it's lose. There should be no movement.
- Check the thermal paste (remember you have to clean it up and and apply new paste)

[Deleted]

Additionally,
- check the air flow of your setup, in and out.
- check dust

For multicore CPU, a 50% loading "only" isn't relevant, as you can have 2 Core at 100% with turbo, and the others sleepings.

[Vermicious]

Definitely sounds like a thermal paste issue, or the fans/heatsink are somehow compromised (dust, dead fan, etc)

[Blinks]

I cleaned out all dust and cleaned off old thermal paste and reapplied, now the CPU idles around 75 degrees C and is instantly around 85-90 degrees when turning a game on. For example chrome and Core temp are the only things I have on (besides background tasks) and as I type this all 6 cores are between 1-7% load and in the mid 70's.

Going to go buy new thermal paste and try again. Fan is spinning and firmly in place.

[Ghâzh]

Sounds more like there might be something wrong with the mounting mechanic of that H60 (the cooler isn't making good contact with the CPU) or the built in pump is broken. Under no circumstances should even the worst thermal paste do that bad.

I'd be inclined to think that the pump might be the problem actually. I'm not familiar with the mounting mechanic on H60 but if the cooler feels like it's firmly in place and doesn't wiggle around then the pump is really the only option left. Either it's moving the liquid around really slowly or not at all. Not sure how you would go about troubleshooting that if there's no warranty left though. Maybe try to feel or hear if the pump is making any noise?

[Grimcreaper]

Theres also the possibility of TOO MUCH thermal paste. With most modern cpus, you only need 2 small lines spaced a few mm apart. the lines should be roughly the size of a grain of rice.

Also, DO NOT use the credit card spreading method. That will cuase huge heating issues.

[Ghâzh]

Theres also the possibility of TOO MUCH thermal paste. With most modern cpus, you only need 2 small lines spaced a few mm apart. the lines should be roughly the size of a grain of rice.

Also, DO NOT use the credit card spreading method. That will cuase huge heating issues.

This is exaggeration. Yes using too much thermal paste is bad but it's only really a problem if your cooler isn't making good contact in the first place and isn't applying appropriate force to squeeze it down and will probably only account for a few degrees difference. The credit card spreading method won't cause HUGE heating issues, it's not optimal but not that big of a deal either so much that it would double your temperatures.

[Blinks]

I tried to listen but can't tell if the pump is doing anything. I have hooked the pump up to multiple sports on the motherboard and directly to the PSU, temps still shooting through the roof when I try and play something.

[Grimcreaper]

This is exaggeration. Yes using too much thermal paste is bad but it's only really a problem if your cooler isn't making good contact in the first place and isn't applying appropriate force to squeeze it down and will probably only account for a few degrees difference. The credit card spreading method won't cause HUGE heating issues, it's not optimal but not that big of a deal either so much that it would double your temperatures.

the credit card spread method can cause heat increases by over 50% if you fail at it which isnt difficult.

the credit card method often leaves air pockets which heat up and fail to distribute heat correctly and even a couple small bubbles can dramaticly increase overall heat retention.

[Blinks]

Rebooted and heard a loud noise from what seems like the part right over the CPU. Almost sounded like a roulette table or dice or something. It got quieter and then eventually went silent as the computer booted up.

- - - Updated - - -

I cleaned the heatsink and cpu cover with 91% isopropyl Alocohol and reapplied the Thermal Paste once again. When the computer booted, the cores were at 37, 42, 39, 48, 42, 41 degrees C. I left the computer at the Desktop with nothing open and the temps slowly climbed on their own. Right now they are all around 74-77 C after about an hour of sitting at the desktop.

Thinking it is time for a new heatsink.

[IRunSoFarAway]

Rebooted and heard a loud noise from what seems like the part right over the CPU. Almost sounded like a roulette table or dice or something. It got quieter and then eventually went silent as the computer booted up.

- - - Updated - - -

I cleaned the heatsink and cpu cover with 91% isopropyl Alocohol and reapplied the Thermal Paste once again. When the computer booted, the cores were at 37, 42, 39, 48, 42, 41 degrees C. I left the computer at the Desktop with nothing open and the temps slowly climbed on their own. Right now they are all around 74-77 C after about an hour of sitting at the desktop.

Thinking it is time for a new heatsink.

If your temps are going up that much just idling, and you've checked your bios, then it's probably the installation of the heatsink, or the heatsink itself not functioning properly. Hopefully a new one fixes your issue, if not, it's most likely something other than the heatsink.

[Str8Tripa]

You will be able to check the pump pressure by squeezing the hose when it is turned off it should have some squash but when you turn the system on it should be a lot more firm!

[Gravewyrm]

I noticed you have an Asus Rampage board. Is the pump lead connected to the CPU_OPT header, or a standard fan header? If the latter, use AI Suite to check the RPM on the header. the H60 tops out at 4500RPM for the pump. If the speed registers less than 1500, try adjusting using the Fan Controls in AI Suite. If it wont change, the pump is dead. Also, if you do have the pump connected to the CPU_OPT header, change it to a regular header. You can not control the speed of the pump if connected to the CPU_OPT header.

[Deleted]

I guess you should have expected that. I'm not saying that the H60 is a bad choice, but its kinda cheap if you make a pargon between many "coolers".
The things are two: or its the CPU, whic probably is not, or its the h60. In the case you keep having this kind of issue, you should just change it, since its not that big deal, because its just a 60 $ piece.
In my opinion leave the water cooler system, it's not worth the risk and the difficulty, as this one, you gonna face.
The right choice, always in my opinion, is a good zalman fanless. They might be a bit overpriced, but we are talking about high quality product, whic aint never gonna leave you.
check their website: http://www.zalman.com/eng/main.php .
And take a look!

[Majesticii]

Sounds like the pump is working poorly.
@Ekaku, H60 has it's place in the market. For me it's fantastic, because my mainboard doesn't allow for towercoolers (socket placement).
Haswell being haswell, it doesn't produce allot of heat. So any overpriced cooler would've been wasted (atleast for the speeds i'm running at now).

[Deleted]

Imo the pump or the whole engine is gone forever!
@ Majesticii, Well, for a 500 € cpu, you should expect the heat therefore, you have to think about the possibility that, builiding a low cost watercooler isnt a good choice :P

[Majesticii]

Imo the pump or the whole engine is gone forever!
@ Majesticii, Well, for a 500 € cpu, you should expect the heat therefore, you have to think about the possibility that, builiding a low cost watercooler isnt a good choice :P

I said it had it's place in the market, not that it was a good idea to put on a 4930K. However, I object your statement linking power consumption the costs of a CPU's like it some sort of unavoidable derrivative. That's not really how it works.

[Str8Tripa]

I'm moving away from closed loop coolers and be picking up some noctua NHU14S coolers for my systems just learnt they upgrade mounting for free between CPU series changes!

[Blinks]

I noticed you have an Asus Rampage board. Is the pump lead connected to the CPU_OPT header, or a standard fan header? If the latter, use AI Suite to check the RPM on the header. the H60 tops out at 4500RPM for the pump. If the speed registers less than 1500, try adjusting using the Fan Controls in AI Suite. If it wont change, the pump is dead. Also, if you do have the pump connected to the CPU_OPT header, change it to a regular header. You can not control the speed of the pump if connected to the CPU_OPT header.

I will check it out. This motherboard is pretty knew in my box and my first Asus board so I am not super familiar with the features yet. Is the AI suite something that is installed using the MB disk or something I have to download elsewhere?

- - - Updated - - -

I got it installed. AI suite shows the Pump, which is connect to a CPU OPT header, running at 4800RPM. Will move it to another header and see what happens.

- - - Updated - - -

With the pump in the Chassis Fan 1 header, it gives the same reading of just under 4900 RPM, but then it dropped to about 1100-1500 RPM.

As for the physical hardware, when everything is on, the tubes feel very firm, one of them is warm and one cold which I assume is warm water leaving to the radiator and the other being cold water coming in.