CPU Temperature?

[XRuecian]

Well, i recently built a new computer, for the first time. I tried to make sure that i got the best airflow i could get with my budget. I have two small case fans, and a huge one, it gives pretty great airflow.

Now i want to get my CPU temperature so i can accurately decide how far to overclock my computer. I dont want to stress it too hard.

I am using an AMD Athlon II x4 631 With stock heatsink/fan.

I have been trying several programs to detect my CPU temp, and the temperature reading is quite different on each one.

Its about 20-22c in my room.

CoreTemp says im running at 15c CPU (idle)

My Motherboard BIOS says im running at 50c CPU (idle)

Speedfan shows several temperatures,
CPU: 12c (idle)
Temp1: 60c (What is Temp1?)
Temp3: 33c (What is Temp2?)

I thought my BIOS would be the most accurate, but it says im running at 50c on idle, which sounds a little too HIGH for an idle cpu. Especially one with all the fans i have in the case.

CoreTemp and Speedfan both say around 10-20c idle, but i also am reluctant to believe it is THAT cool with only a stock heatsink.

So, im just a little confused, which one should i believe?
Depending on which one is correct, i either have a really cool CPU or a pretty warm CPU...

Is it possible that i got my Temp as low as 10c using a stock heatsink with superior airflow?

[detox]

the BIOS/CMOS will be correct, the 50c could be right and depending on how well you placed the thermal paste, it may not be getting a good transfer. On average CPU's will run around 30c - 45c idle, mine sits at 33c consistently. thou SpeedFan works well for most people, it does read wrong on some setups. Have you tried CPUID? I find this works very good and easy to read.

[XRuecian]

Just downloaded CPUID to see what it says.
It reports 11c for all four cores.

I did remove the heatsink from the CPU once while i was building the computer. It looked liked the surface was pretty much fully covered in thermal paste.
I would really like to see my idle temp at least at 40c... i didnt choose this huge case with all these fans to not even get it to 40c.

[detox]

That temp just seems wrong. Its not easy to get that 11c with liquid cooling.
Sorry man, I'm not sure were to go with this. the discrepancy from 10c-50c readings is very odd. I would run it under load and see what happens.

[XRuecian]

Im stressing the CPU with Prime95 right now.
CPUID says its up to 58c (from 11c) while stressing it. It hasnt gone past 59c though, its pretty much staying there.
Speedfan is also reporting 57c.
I am going to go check the BIOS CMOS reading now.

Okay... weird results.

On Idle, Speedfan and CPUID both reported 11c while BIOS reported 50c

When under stress, Speedfan and CPUID both reported 58c while BIOS reported... 50c... again...?

Now im pretty sure something is wrong. I expected the BIOS to report a much higher number, yet it showed 50c idle and 50c under stress.

The CPU was definitely under stress, i could finally 'hear' that fan doing its job.

[setishock]

There is a cd that should has some utilites on it that came with the motherboard. One of them will be a temp monitoring program. The one that came with my P5Q board I found to be within 2degs F of the bios. Not bad. Pretty accurate.
The point is, those programs are written to be able to access the winbond chip on that board. Some programs can't get to all of the data on the chip or they are written to so many platforms they get bogus readings. They have to use offsets and offsets can be inaccurate.
However the bios should be the most accurate. Look on the pc health page (may be called something else in your bios) for a refresh rate. Should be a selection in the menu or a dropdown.
And so we're clear here. When you stress the system with prime95 then want to see what the temp is from the bios, you have to stop and close the program, shut down the computer, boot back up to the bios, navigate to the pc health reading, let's say 360 seconds have gone by and the cpu chip has had plenty of time to cool off. Now granted it's still going to be a little warm but not the same as running the OS and the prime95 program.
Thermal paste, improper heatsink, fans(including cpu fan) blowing the wrong way, can all lead to running too hot and/or erratic operations.
And one more thing. If a rat would be embarrested take up residence in your case then it's time to tidy up the wiring. Wires hanging everywhere can and will impead the flow of air. Cable straps are your friend. Tidy up the wiring. Hide as much as you can on the backside of the motherboard mounting plate. And the rest make it as tidy as you can get it.
Ball's in your court.

[XRuecian]

There is a cd that should has some utilites on it that came with the motherboard. One of them will be a temp monitoring program. The one that came with my P5Q board I found to be within 2degs F of the bios. Not bad. Pretty accurate.
The point is, those programs are written to be able to access the winbond chip on that board. Some programs can't get to all of the data on the chip or they are written to so many platforms they get bogus readings. They have to use offsets and offsets can be inaccurate.
However the bios should be the most accurate. Look on the pc health page (may be called something else in your bios) for a refresh rate. Should be a selection in the menu or a dropdown.
And so we're clear here. When you stress the system with prime95 then want to see what the temp is from the bios, you have to stop and close the program, shut down the computer, boot back up to the bios, navigate to the pc health reading, let's say 360 seconds have gone by and the cpu chip has had plenty of time to cool off. Now granted it's still going to be a little warm but not the same as running the OS and the prime95 program.
Thermal paste, improper heatsink, fans(including cpu fan) blowing the wrong way, can all lead to running too hot and/or erratic operations.
And one more thing. If a rat would be embarrested take up residence in your case then it's time to tidy up the wiring. Wires hanging everywhere can and will impead the flow of air. Cable straps are your friend. Tidy up the wiring. Hide as much as you can on the backside of the motherboard mounting plate. And the rest make it as tidy as you can get it.
Ball's in your court.

First off, i already checked the CD for a monitoring utility. The only utility it comes with is made for overclocking and checking core/ram speeds. Nothing for checking CPU temp anywhere.

Second, it only takes me about 20-30 seconds to restart my computer and enter the bios to check the temperature. If your computer is taking 360 seconds to reboot, then you have some problems.

I have a front Intake fan, a giant side intake fan, and a rear exhaust fan. One fan on the video card, one on the CPU. As far as i know, none of them are blowing the wrong way. Also, the entire top of the case is grated so that air can flow through it.

As for cabling, i have about 90% of the cables behind the motherboard, there is pretty much nothing in the way of the airflow whatsoever.

The computer is only a week old, there is no dust or anything else that could be overheating it.

If i had to guess, the only possible reason it could be hot is because of the stock heatsink and possibly the thermal paste.

[markjason]

The cooler the processor runs the more performance you are going to get out of it. Therefore, if you're looking to overclock your processor or if it's getting too hot, you may need to consider any or all of the below recommendations.

1. Keep the computer clean - Over time dust, dirt and hair can build up and prevent air from getting in or out of the case. Make sure your computer case and ventilation is cleaned.
2. Improve computer's environment - Make sure the computer is running in a good location. The computer should not be in an enclosed space such as a drawer or cabinet unless there is plenty of ventilation such as the back of the drawer or cabinet is removed. The computer should not be in a tight space, there should be at least a two-inch space on both sides of the computer as well as in the front and back of the computer.
3. Verify fans - Make sure all fans in the computer are properly working. Some motherboards and computers have fan monitors that will display the RPM of each of the major fans in the computer and if they are operating properly. Otherwise, you will need to check each of the fans and look for any spinning issues or listen for any abnormal noises to determine if the fans are properly working.
4. More fans - Consider installing additional fans into the computer. Almost all computers will come included with a heatsink and fan, as well as a case fan. However, most cases will have the availability to install a second case fan that can help bring in additional air and help keep the computer cool. Computer enthusiasts and many overclockers may also create their own air ducts with fans to help bring in additional air or take out more of the hot air.
5. Better fans - Many computers and processors will come with cheap fans to help bring down the overall cost of the computer. Installing improved fans or heatsinks that can move the heat away from the processor better and faster can keep the processor cool.
6. Alternative solutions - More advanced users or users who are overclocking may also wish to consider alternative solutions such as water cooled solutions to keep their processors cool.

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[sniperviper21]

id suggest using only a "pea sized" drop on the center of your cpu when attaching your HSF and to make sure you don't have a thermal pad on your HSF.

if you installed a fan on your cpu that already had a pad on it plus the paste, well that would absolutely destroy your temps.

also u should probably have your side fan blowing out. more cubic feet a minute exhausted then on intake is very important for creating negative case pressure.

[setishock]

Pea sized? That's too much. Grain of rice size is all it takes. But the catch to that is getting it evenly spread out over the surface of the cpu shell.