System Running Too Hot?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

Maybe an obvious question, but is there an easy way to check the power supply? I suppose the SIW software I used to post the numbers off the top would tell me exactly what is what, would it not? What numbers are important to know when card shopping?

Thanks to anyone who can help with this!

If you open your case door, the power supply should say it's wattage and it's 12v amperage. Also most decent power supplies come with a PCIe 6 pin connector. More powerfull PSUs come with more PCIe 6 and 8 pin connectors. You can google your PSU to find out the information or look at the booklet it came with.

The cards tech specs often say what wattage and connectors are required. You may have to google the manufacturers website to find this though some sellers give this.

Here's an example for this GTS 450 video card.

http://ncix.com/products/?sku=55461&...nufacture=eVGA

Requirements
Minimum of a 400 Watt power supply.
(Minimum recommended power supply with +12 Volt current rating of 22 Amps.)
One available 6-pin PCI-E power dongle

Not having a 6 pin PCI-e power supply dongle can be gotten around if you are sure the psu has the necessary wattage with a 6 pin to two four pin connector, but it's not generally recommended.

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by photon

I get a big swing between cores as well, I think it's pretty common from what I've read, heat spreader isn't totally flat or the heatsink isn't totally flat.. 52 seems a bit high for idle but not crazy, mine idle at 34 and 40, 50 and 58 under load. On a Q9500.

The big swing between cores is one thing but that the temperature doesn't change between idle and load, has me stumped.

[photon]

Whoah, I missed that part. Yeah that's bizarre.

Define load I guess, just running a game? Or using Prime95?

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by photon

Whoah, I missed that part. Yeah that's bizarre.

Define load I guess, just running a game? Or using Prime95?

All I've done is open up a few youtube videos running at 1080p, so the task manager shows 80-100% load.

I'm thinking maybe using the different heatsink may be causing the readings to be off.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

The big swing between cores is one thing but that the temperature doesn't change between idle and load, has me stumped.

Originally Posted by Vulcan

All I've done is open up a few youtube videos running at 1080p, so the task manager shows 80-100% load.

I'm thinking maybe using the different heatsink may be causing the readings to be off.

Youtube IS NOT LOAD AT ALL, even with a few 1080p videos and it might not be using all your cores. I just opened up 20 1080 videos on Youtube and my CPU didn't break 50° C on 1100 RPM fan setting after 5 minutes.

Use Prime95 (blend test) AND Furmark and then tell us what your temperatures are. If I Prime95 or Furmark for 5 minutes on 1100 RPM, my CPU will hit 70° C! It's completely different.

Also, instead of CoreTemp, use RealTemp.

[Hanni]

The fact that it never changes is odd, mine will change slightly depending on the room temp. Perhaps a faulty temperature sensor?

[Hack&Lube]

I use this for my temperature monitoring so I don't have to rely on software.

[Hanni]

I seriously considered one of those but ended up using rainmeter to put all the system stats I wanted on my second monitor.

If a temperature sensor on the cpu itself isn't working properly it wouldn't matter what you used to monitor it.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Hanni

I seriously considered one of those but ended up using rainmeter to put all the system stats I wanted on my second monitor.

If a temperature sensor on the cpu itself isn't working properly it wouldn't matter what you used to monitor it.

External temp monitors use independent probes that you can physically stick anywhere you want, doesn't rely on your system temperature readings which all route through one motherboard chip which can give wildly different readings depending on what software you use and it's TJMax implementation.

It takes some work to get it close enough to where you want to monitor temperatures though. I wasn't hardcore enough to mill a channel in my CPU but you could. For me, my readings are close enough.

[OilKiller]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

This would be a better card for $100 or so.

http://ncix.com/products/index.php?s...r&promoid=1015

other cards to consider in the $100 price range are the Geforce GT 240 and maybe the new GTS 450, although when you get into GTS 450 or ATI 5750, 5770 territory, you have to check if your power supply will handle it.

So I was thinking about picking up this one today at Memory Express. I'm really only going by your suggestion as I don't know much about video cards. I am also going to consider the other ones you noted here as well when I'm there this afternoon. I still have to open my system up and check the power supply, but I'll do that just before I leave.

Anyone else have any video card suggestions? I would like to stay under $200 if I can. I'm not a high end gamer or anything like that. Just like to view HD on the system once in a while. Perhaps there is a good deal out there today at Best Buy or Future Shop or somewhere I don't know about? Any heads up would be great before I head out in a couple of hours. Thanks!

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by OilKiller

So I was thinking about picking up this one today at Memory Express. I'm really only going by your suggestion as I don't know much about video cards. I am also going to consider the other ones you noted here as well when I'm there this afternoon. I still have to open my system up and check the power supply, but I'll do that just before I leave.

Anyone else have any video card suggestions? I would like to stay under $200 if I can. I'm not a high end gamer or anything like that. Just like to view HD on the system once in a while. Perhaps there is a good deal out there today at Best Buy or Future Shop or somewhere I don't know about? Any heads up would be great before I head out in a couple of hours. Thanks!

You could goto Memory Express.

Ask for this: http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...29653(ME).aspx

Price match it to this:
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...5&promoid=1223

But MemEx might give you grief over the various instant and mail in rebates so just buy it from NCIX online plus you get Just Cause 2 for free when you buy from NCIX.

For a little cheaper you could goto MemEx and ask for this:
http://www.memoryexpress.com/Product...27518(ME).aspx

Then pricematch to this:
http://www.bestdirect.ca/products/22...RE_2DI_1GD5_A/

Bestbuy/Futureshop are the worst places to ever buy videocards or computer hardware unless it's on the bargain table.

[Vulcan]

The top to bottom order of the cards mentioned are:
GTX 460
HD 5770
HD 5750----GTS 450
HD 5670----GT 240

I'd go with a 5000 series card or a 400 series card as their HD video rendering is better and I know the 5000 series cards can do HD audio and I think the 400s can also. Also of course the higher end cards need a more powerful PSU.

The GTX 460 is getting a lot of raves because of it's power to dollar value, though it may be more than you require.

Here's a good deal on one.

http://www8.ncix.com/products/?sku=54626&promoid=1223

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

Youtube IS NOT LOAD AT ALL, even with a few 1080p videos and it might not be using all your cores. I just opened up 20 1080 videos on Youtube and my CPU didn't break 50° C on 1100 RPM fan setting after 5 minutes.

Use Prime95 (blend test) AND Furmark and then tell us what your temperatures are. If I Prime95 or Furmark for 5 minutes on 1100 RPM, my CPU will hit 70° C! It's completely different.

Also, instead of CoreTemp, use RealTemp.

Ok, I ran Prime95 for a couple of hours and measured the cores with REalTemp. The core 0 didn't change and was stuck at 52C while core 1 went from 34C to 45C at full load.

I did some more googling and it appears I have a stuck sensor in the one core. It seems that some cores stick and don't give the correct idle temperature but under load will give the right temperature but since I can't get my cores to go above 45C, I get no changed reading on core 0. I'm just going to ignore it for now, as Prime 95 at full load didn't seem to cause any problems or failures.

Thanks for the input H&L, Hanni and photon, much appreciated.

[OilKiller]

Thanks for all the help guys. Ended up getting the Radeon HD5670 1GB card for $124.99 at Memory Express. It's in the system now. Install was a breeze, video seems to be flying compared to the old card and it is silent as can be. Pretty damn happy.

[photon]

Originally Posted by Vulcan

Ok, I ran Prime95 for a couple of hours and measured the cores with REalTemp. The core 0 didn't change and was stuck at 52C while core 1 went from 34C to 45C at full load.

Also make sure to run the right # of Prime95 instances (though I think the newer version launches the right # for you).

Yeah I've heard of stuck sensors before but never encountered one before, interesting.

45C at full load is very nice.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by photon

Also make sure to run the right # of Prime95 instances (though I think the newer version launches the right # for you).

Yeah I've heard of stuck sensors before but never encountered one before, interesting.

45C at full load is very nice.

That's pretty crazy actually! But then again, I haven't run stock voltages and speeds for so long that I don't know what temps should be at stock.

[Hanni]

I'm running a stock i7 920 and while running 3dMark Vantage my average core temp is close to 60* even with one of these installed:

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Hanni

I'm running a stock i7 920 and while running 3dMark Vantage my average core temp is close to 60* even with one of these installed:

That's because it's a very old design Thermaltake (not the best company) heatsink. If you are going with air cooling, please choose a 6 heatpipe tower cooler with dual quiet 120mm fans. There is almost no audible difference but the cooling is much, much better. For about the same price, the Thermalright Ultra 120/Venomous X is much better.

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=2292&page=5

[Vulcan]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

That's pretty crazy actually! But then again, I haven't run stock voltages and speeds for so long that I don't know what temps should be at stock.

Actually I did a mild over clock from 2700 to 3000 although the cheap board doesn't allow increasing the voltage. The Antec 200 case has good cooling with three strong fans (two 120mm and one 140mm). I've had the door off and I haven't been able to install a video card yet, so I guess that will help circulation as well. I also used a bigger CPU heatsink off an e6750 instead of the stock 5400. Other than that, yeah 45c is very low but 4 different monitors gave the same reading.

[Hanni]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

That's because it's a very old design Thermaltake (not the best company) heatsink. If you are going with air cooling, please choose a 6 heatpipe tower cooler with dual quiet 120mm fans. There is almost no audible difference but the cooling is much, much better. For about the same price, the Thermalright Ultra 120/Venomous X is much better.

http://www.frostytech.com/articlevie...id=2292&page=5

I may consider replacing it, the fins are giant dust traps that are a pain to clean.