Yea, simple question. I think mines running a bit hot (160 degrees Fahrenheit), while I'm just messing around on the Desktop. Is it safe to be running at this temp? If not, what should I do to cool it down? I'm using the retail heatsink & fan that came with the processor, as well as one case fan in the back. I tried to install a system cooler from my old case, but it's too big for this one.

My motherboard is also at 88 Fahrenheit, but I'm not sure what a good motherboard temp is, so I could use some help out on that too.

[Ehehehhe, sorry... :o]

Try reading the post.

that is a tad warm. Add some case fans.

K, if I order some case fans online and they take a week or so to get here, should I be good till then?

Also, I read something in my motherboard manual about thermal tape. What is it, how much will it cool down my processor, and how do I apply it?

The CPU will fry if it gets a couple degrees higher. I would be very careful until you get a new fan.

OK, I'm getting a wide variety of opinions here. Someone is telling me I'm a tad warm, someone else is saying I'm about to fry my $150 processor.

Seriously, how BAD is this exactly, and can I use thermal tape to fix the problem?

Also, I've been searching to buy thermal tape somewhere, but I can't find it. Anyone who can give me a link to where to purchase some I'd appreciate it. Or even a link to some cheap, but good case fans for that matter.

OK, now I'm a bit confused. Those temperature readings I posted are from a program called AIDA32 which is pretty much just a program that lists every possible piece of information about your computer.

However, IMMEDIATELY after restarting my computer, I get into BIOS and it reads my CPU temperature as a cool 33 degrees Celcius (around 90 fahrenheit?).

Now how do I know which to trust? Obviously I would like to trust my BIOS more seeing as it is the one that is reading my CPU as running at nominal temperature.

Also, I installed a system cooler just 5 mins ago, but it hasn't made a difference in the AIDA32 reading. I don't know about the BIOS reading because I didn't really check what that was before I put in the cooler.

Try using a different temp monitor. Motherboard Monitor 5 would work. Generally 70C or 160 F is when a CPU starts to incur damage.

Thermal paste

And my CPU runs at about 158* F when playing CSS... So.. Yeah, get some case fans, you should be good to go.

Actually, my motherboard manual specifically said to use thermal tape instead of paste, seeing as the paste could possibly permanently stick the heatsink to the processor and become unremovable.

OK, very weird. I installed Motherboard Monitor 5 and it's reading my CPU as 100 degrees fahrenheit, and now when I open AIDA32 it reads it as 100 as well. This is making very little sense...

While at that temperature, the processor will run "fine," (it will not sustain damage operating at that temperature) you will notice a substantial performance increase with better cooling. An Athlon 64 processor will not take damage from any temperature below roughly 200 degrees fahrenheit. (~93C)

The BIOS may be lying.

People get freaked out when they see their CPU running at 65C, so some BIOSes subtract an arbitrary amount from the real temperature before displaying it. I had one motherboard that did this, and someone I know has one that occasionally reports the CPU as running below ambient. I spoke with a guy I know who works for a motherboard manufacturer, and he told me that his company got too many calls about CPU's running really hot, so now they adjust the temperature readings.

Anyway, if that's your problem, the software you use in Windows will display the unadjusted readings.

It helps to actually know something when you give a suggestion like that. Don't just spew something incorrect. If you don't know, don't say it.

AMD's are built to run at ~90 C.
Intels are similar, although they will slow their clock speeds before it reaches that point. (And eventually kill themselves, one plus for Intel, I must admit. They won't fry.)

A plus to having a transparent window in the side of your case is you can now watch your processor fry. :p

Just for reference, my AMD Athlon 64 2800 idles at 35C (95F) and gets just above 45C (113F) under strain. So I'd say yours is running a little hot.

Of course my CPU has almost 2 pounds of copper strapped to it, and 2 case fans.

I've got an Athlon 64 3200+ and it idles at ~30c, full load tends to be ~45c.

My laptop 64 3000 doesnt get anywhere near that hot - and my desktop maxes out around 42. I'll slap a monitor on my lappy sometime and check out what its actually running at.

personally, I'd go with the BIOS... the monitor program probably has to translate it to and from Engrish.

On the contrary, I managed to melt my intel 1.7 ghz processor running at no where near that temperature.

Then it was faulty.

Yeah. That's hot. AMDs are MEANT to be ABLE to go to 80º no damage, and after that it's uncertain, though they should be able to go to 90º no damage. 70º is about the hottest it can go without incurring damage. And of course thermal paste is going to stick the HSF to the processor...I mean...yeah. I suggest going with thermal paste, as I've never heard of thermal tape. It'll decrease your temperature DRASTICALLY compared to 70C

K, in terms of thermal paste, where can I get it, does it matter what kind I get, and how do I apply it correctly?

Also, just an update, I'm currently running at 100-105 fahrenheit, while running Half-Life 2/Far Cry it goes to about 120-125. This is acceptable with me as long as I'm able to keep it under 130-140, which seems reasonable to me until I get some further modes of cooling. This Motherboard Monitor program is useful, as it always lists my temperatures in my system tray, but I don't know how to make it start up with Windows. If anyone knows how to do this, I'd like to know.

Could always add it to the startup.

Well actually, right now you're getting very acceptable temps--100-125 is a good range, really. But as far as thermal paste--go to compusa, they should have some. Seeing as how it isn't that expensive, I see no problem getting it from there or some other place like it. Really I don't know the difference between thermal paste brands. That's where my knowledge ends :x

Just remember--Less is More.

Hmm... apparently, the Thoroughbreds can only hit 85 before going kaput, according to the info I pulled off their site when my crate was hitting 75 and dropping out. In my case, it was a mismounted heatsink, but it could be anything, including the BIOS lying.

My Athlon 64 3200+ is at 109F right now.

Well that makes me more comfortable. I was told by someone else that Arctic Silver is some of the best thermal paste, so I'll probably pick up a tube of that then figure out how to put it on.

If you dont mind voiding the warranty - Lapping a processors heat spreader to the copper can lower temperatures by a bit.

Overclockers has some interesting articles about cooling, and of course lapping the CPU.