Can't lower cpu temps no matter what i do :(

[Ummugumma]

I've just bought a new 1Ghz Athlon 200fsb cpu and a second hand Abit KT7 motherboard off ebay. Everything works fine except the cpu temp gets as high as 70c! The fan is a coolermaster which supports up to a 1.2Ghz and i've tried it with a thermoengine and 7200rpm fan but the temps still rocket up even when the sytem is idle. There's 3 casefans inside and i've cleaned all the **** off the heatsink and applied some artic silver but it's still the same. The cpu isn't overclocked at all and in the bios all cpu settings are default. I've even tested the cpu in another system and the temps are fine, usually about 40c so maybe the motherboard is faulty or it's reporting the temps incorrectly? If anyone can help me with this problem it will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

[Surgeon General]

Hello Ummugumma, Are you using the mobo softare o get the cpu temps? Have you tried to get the temps using a third party software like motherboard monitor? From what you say the mobo might be reporting the incorrect temp. I would be a little worried that if it is reporting incorrect temps, what else might it be going wrong? You can't be to carefull especially when using 2nd hand gear that you don't know the history of. If I were you I would download <a href="http://www.zdnet.com/downloads/stories/info/0,10615,43551,00.html">Motherboard monitor<a/> to check the readings. You might even ant to pick up a probe and take readings right off the chip.

[Ummugumma]

thanks for the advice, i'm going by what the the bios says and via hardware monitor.
Do probes cost much? what part of the cpu does the probe go on?

[Berkswolf]

Hi UmmaGumma, welcome to our forums. I am to inexperienced to assist much in socket A matters, slot A is more my feild. Just posting to comment on your user name. A fellow Pink Floyd fan methinks :)

[dicki]

hullo there :xwavey:

when you removed the heatsink from the chip what did the bottom of the heatsink look like? did it have a cpu shaped patch of clear metal surrounded by a slight amount of thermal paste? or was there thicker patches of paste where the core should have been... if the second case is true the the heatsink wasn't making contact properly and you may need new springs (or a new heatsink) my advice is go and buy a good heatsink (the cooler master isn't up to much) lap it flat and apply a little articsilver then attach it to the chip and see what happens... if temps still rocket up try pushing down on the heatsink gently (mind your fingers those fans hurt!) and see if temps go down (this will happen quickly) if they do then it's just not sitting right so you'll need to make sure the cpu is fully in and there is nothing holding the heatsink up... your not using a shim are you?

dicki