[Machalel]

Hello,

I appologise for the long post, but I thought more background information is better than none

I've been having some trouble with an overheating problem recently. I've been using my computer for a while now, and while it has always ran a bit hotter than others, it's only recently that it started getting bad. I have a temperature display on the front of the case that reads the CPU temp, and it used to read about 40-45 degrees Celsius (depending on winter/summer time & load), but sometime during the last couple of months, it has slowly crept up until around 50-55 degrees.

This week it has started to "beep" at me (which is BIOS temperature settings), which shouldn't happen until it gets over 60 degrees (the front reading says about 55 degrees). I have run PC Wizard, and have the results below. I have installed a program that came with the motherboard, "I-Cool", which lowers the temperature to around 50 degrees, but it slows down the computer (and I shouldn't have to rely on it in the first place).

I dismantled the CPU heatsink, cleaned it (there was lots of dust), and added new arctic silver etc, and now the temperature on the front of the case reads around 42 degrees with "I-Cool" and about 50 degrees without "I-Cool", but it still seems to overheat.


here are the PC Wizard results:

Three things look odd...
1) +5V is really high!
2) +12V is low
3) Power/Aux Temperature appears to be what the BIOS is reading when it thinks the computer is overheating, but it does not correlate with the reading on the case temperature display.



Mainboard : Gigabyte 8I945G
Bios : Award Software International, Inc.
Chipset : Intel i945G/GZ
Physical Memory : 1024 MB DDR2-SDRAM
Processor : Intel Pentium XE 940
Frequency : 3200 MHz - (current : 3215.60 MHz)
Video Card : NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT (Omega 2.169.21)
Hardware Monitoring : ITE IT8712F


Before cleaning, with I-Cool running:

Font of case sensor: 44.3°C
Voltage CPU : 1.16 V
DIMM : 2.03 V
+3.3V Voltage : 3.31 V
+5V Voltage : 6.85 V
+12V Voltage : 11.13 V
Chassis Fan : 2136 rpm
Power/Aux Temperature : 50 °C
GPU Temperature : 49 °C
GPU Diode : 52.4 °C
Hard Disk Temperature : 42 °C


After cleaning, with I-Cool running:

Font of case sensor: 42.2°C
Voltage CPU : 1.18 V
DIMM : 2.04 V
+3.3V Voltage : 3.31 V
+5V Voltage : 6.85 V
+12V Voltage : 11.13 V
Chassis Fan : 2057 rpm
Power/Aux Temperature : 49 °C
GPU Temperature : 47 °C
GPU Diode : 50.5 °C
Hard Disk Temperature : 34 °C



Before cleaning, with I-Cool not running:

Font of case sensor: 55.4°C
Voltage CPU : 1.16 V
DIMM : 2.05 V
+3.3V Voltage : 3.30 V
+5V Voltage : 6.85 V
+12V Voltage : 11.13 V
Chassis Fan : 2518 rpm
Power/Aux Temperature : 65 °C
GPU Temperature : 51 °C
GPU Diode : 54.1 °C
Hard Disk Temperature : 45 °C


After cleaning, with I-Cool not running:

Font of case sensor: 50.5°C
Voltage CPU : 1.16 V
DIMM : 2.05 V
+3.3V Voltage : 3.30 V
+5V Voltage : 6.85 V
+12V Voltage : 11.13 V
Chassis Fan : 2518 rpm
Power/Aux Temperature : 65 °C
GPU Temperature : 48 °C
GPU Diode : 51 °C
Hard Disk Temperature : 34 °C




Thank you for any help in working out what's wrong!

 

[Tumbleweed36]

If those voltage ratings are correct, the power supply is fading on you and likely is causing some of your issues. Go to the bios and check the voltages in there, because that reading is most likely the most accurate.

BTW, what brand name and wattage power supply do you have in there? Please list your general computer specs including the video card.

 

[Machalel]

Thanks for your reply, here are my specs:

Mainboard : Gigabyte 8I945G
Chipset : Intel i945G/GZ
Processor : Intel Pentium XE 940 @ 3200 MHz
Number of Core : 2
Physical Memory : 1024 MB (1 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM )
Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 7600 GT

Power Supply is a Cooler Master 600W


The BIOS voltages are:

 

[Tumbleweed36]

Thanks for your reply, here are my specs:

Mainboard : Gigabyte 8I945G
Chipset : Intel i945G/GZ
Processor : Intel Pentium XE 940 @ 3200 MHz
Number of Core : 2
Physical Memory : 1024 MB (1 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM )
Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 7600 GT

Power Supply is a Cooler Master 600W


The BIOS voltages are:

????????????? also look at the bios temperatures

 

[Houndog777]

Hi guys...........must agree with my colleague, these front sensors etc are usually inaccurate and the best indication of temps etc is in the bios.
Must also agree the the voltages you are receiving would point to an inferior or dying power supply.
A quality psu costs a few bucks but makes one hell of a difference to the performance and stability of your rig.
Having quality fans at the front and rear of your rig also makes a big diff to temps.

 

[Machalel]

oops sorry, I meant to say that the voltages aren't available in the BIOS. There is only temperature in the BIOS (CPU temp), which hovers anywhere from 45 - 55 degrees, but normally around 50.

I've got 3 additional fans in my case, one on the top, one at the rear, and one on the side directing air onto my graphics card (it's a passive cooling one), shouldn't that be enough? I've also deliberately spaced everything out to help with airflow (ie a "space" between hard drives, PCI slots etc).

It will be annoying if it is the power supply, as I just replaced that last year. It is actually still under warranty, how can I tell if it really is the problem?

 

[Houndog777]

Could you download this little utility and see if it gives you similar readings....
http://www.majorgeeks.com/SpeedFan_d337.html
Let us know if the results are the same, as it does sound like you do have a decent psu.

 

[Tumbleweed36]

Back fan MUST be blowing hot air out of the case, not blowing air in to the case.
Top fan MUST be pulling hot air out of the case and exhausting it out the top.
Side fan MUST be pulling in cool air and blowing it toward your unit.
Front fan (if any and you need one there more than the top or side) must be pulling in cool air from the outside.

 

[Machalel]

ok here are the readings from SpeedFan (with I-Cool running):

Temp1: 51C (I'm guessing CPU?)
Temp2: 38C (GPU)
Temp3: 45C (Video Core?)
Temp4: 30C (HDD)

VCore1: 1.22V
VCore2: 1.82V
+3.3V: 3.33V
+5V: 6.85V
-5V: -5.06V (varies from -4.50V to -5.36V)
+12V: 11.78V
-12V: -4.71V (varies from +0.56V to -9.97V)
VBat: 3.82V



Should the voltage to the two cores be the same?
The -12V varies widely, am I correct in assuming that this is bad?


Oh, and fans are set up like you said

 

[Houndog777]

Hi again, could you try something for me here?
Remove any peripherals e.g. printer/scanner, Unplug the top and side fans, disable I-Cool, leave the side panel off the case and run speedfan again.
The temps are'nt actually too bad, but i'd like to see if we can make a difference to those voltages, especially the +5v.
Cheers.
In the BIOS please also utilise the Fail-Safe Default settings; I believe it's by pressing F6; save settings and restart the pc.

 

[Machalel]

ok, removed printer and fans and turned off I-Cool, and here's what I get:


Temp1: 63C (CPU?)
Temp2: 40C (GPU)
Temp3: 47C (Video Core?)
Temp4: 28C (HDD)

VCore1: 1.20V
VCore2: 1.82V
+3.3V: 3.31V
+5V: 6.85V
-5V: -3.60V (varies from -3.50V to -5.36V)
+12V: 11.71V
-12V: -5V (varies from -0.84V to -9.41V)
VBat: 3.82V



the -5V and -12V are rough estimates of what the value seems to be most often. It varies up and down all the time, the rest are static.

 

[Machalel]

oh, and a quick note, if it makes much difference, that today is at least 5 or 6 degrees cooler than yesterday (first post)

 

[Houndog777]

OK.................sorry that was a waste of time mate.
Now, with this happening suddenly, my best guess would be that something has suddenly failed on you, and it looks likely to be the sensors on your motherboard or your power supply.

However I would persevere and my next shot would be to reseat every component firmly in place, especially the cpu and psu, and try again.
If you can borrow another stick of memory, please do because this is really a Dual-Channel mobo.

IF that fails, try to borrow a different power supply and try that. Only takes ten minutes to swap over a psu with a friends pc; check the readings and then return his psu.

As you obviously know; those readings are a nonsense and you don't want to be losing all your data if the whole rig fails.
Sorry I can't be much more help.

 

[Machalel]

Thanks for your help, it is much appreciated.

I've already reseated components (twice actually), but I'll try another PSU to see what happens...

If that fixes it, then I can return mine under warranty, but if it still has the same problem where should I turn next?

 

[Houndog777]

Do you have the latest bios installed?

 

[Machalel]

yes, I do

 

[Houndog777]

I'm trying my best to figure this out mate.
You mentioned before that the pc beeped at you; how many beeps?
Also, have you tried resetting the cmos? (can be done by removing the mobo battery for a few mins, then replacing)

 

[Tumbleweed36]

Michalel,

Just double check what Houndog777 mentioned to you about the CPU being firmly down in the socket. Make sure on leg isn't loose, because that can happen and cause problems.

If you can get a power supply swap with a friend as mentioned also to test your supply, that might be a wise move. That voltage on the +5 line is troubling.

+5V: 6.85V

We have no way of knowing if that is accurate, but it is consistently very high and could cause multiple problems.