Northwood 3.20c temps ok?

[rtwjunkie]

Northwood 3.20c w/ HT (not OC'd), p4p800-E dlx MB, 2 512 mb ddr 3200 Crucial ram, BFG FX 5900XT video card, 2 IDE HD (80G and 120G), Masscool all-copper heatsink w/ arctic silver with 80mm variable fan, 120mm exhaust fan, Cyclone Blower slot fan under AGP card, Antec True Power 550 PSU. Bios and AI control and ASUS Probe all report idle at 46-48 C, and up to 59 C after running Rome TW for an hour. Should I be concerned? I know it's a tope-end Nortwood, so it will be warm, but that seems high, considering that the previous cpu (a 2.53 P4) ran idle at 38 and full load at 48. I can't find any consensus on the web, so I figured I'd post and find out. Is it ok?

[ric449]

Its fine. For some reason mine runs at up to 65 C when running full pelt, maybe I have too many wires.

[glc]

The 3.2C's I've built with on that motherboard run cooler than that with the stock Intel heatsink/fan and thermal pad. You don't have to worry about 59C, but something isn't right there.

[Winnipesaukee]

i think the limit is 69-71

like before it ignites

[kram 2.0]

Welcome to PC Mech forums

That is alright, but definately not the norm. What is your case fan orientation? Front low intake, rear high exhaust?

i think the limit is 69-71 like before it ignites

Intel Pentium 4 does not ignite - Thermal Monitor downclocks the processors to a suitable clockspeed to run safely. We're talking 75C more than 69C.

kram

[rtwjunkie]

Thanks for the welcome. My case fan is a rear, high exhaust. I don't have an intake fan mounted. Will it actually help? I did notice last night that the cpu fan, when running on high speed was only doing around 2900- 3000rpm's. When at idle it's like 2350.

[kram 2.0]

Originally Posted by rtwjunkie Thanks for the welcome. My case fan is a rear, high exhaust. I don't have an intake fan mounted. Will it actually help? I did notice last night that the cpu fan, when running on high speed was only doing around 2900- 3000rpm's. When at idle it's like 2350.

Those are normal speeds. Intake will certainly help, but I don't find that the solution. How is your room temperature?

kram

[Cricket]

How's the wiring? Do you have the wires neatly tied up out of the air flow paths around the CPU heatsink? Or are the wires just hanging everywhichway?

And the rear fan exhaust port...is the metal just perforated with small holes or large holes? Small holes restrict air flow.

Cricket

[rtwjunkie]

Room temp is about 78deg F. My wires are as neatly bindled and out of the way as I can make them. As to the 120 mm exhaust port, the'yre fairly large holes. It is an Antec 3700BQE case.

[discodanman45]

I wouldn't worry about it at all. 59 degrees at pretty much full load is fine. It is summer and it is almost 80 degrees F in your room. You should see about 10 degrees lower once summer hits.

[rtwjunkie]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I put a low-speed (1000rpm) 120mm fan in front as an intake, and my high temps are 2 deg C lower! I guess it's ok and I'll just have to get used to this hot cpu.