CPU temps too high on new PC build...

[akaTiGer]

So I've built a couple computers before (one for my parents and one about three years ago for somebody else) and I just built one for myself...

The processor was around 67 degrees Celsius just installing software (which I think is absurdly too high, especially for a Core i7 (model 860, socket 1156). Even my laptop running a game is idling at 54ish degrees. I don't really know where to start to solve the heat problem... the case is out in the open (Antec 900 too, so it has plenty of airflow).

I'm using the stock fan/thermal paste but 67 degrees under those circumstances is just ridiculous (I think that's about the number most people get with this processor under full load in prime95 tests).

Any ideas? I can't really afford to spend more money on a cooler, but I didn't expect the stock one to be this bad either. Maybe I didn't install the fan/paste properly?

[hamsterofdark]

lots and lots of fans. Heat kills machine faster than everything else. Spend the money.

[MingoDynasty]

Most important: where are you reading these temps from? Do a little research and make sure you know your shit (ie: tcase vs tjunction temps).

1. Is your cpu on stock voltage/clock? Use cpu-z to check, or you can check in your bios.
2. What's the temperature in your room?
3. Take a peek inside your case, or outside it, and look for dead fans, especially your cpu fan. Quite unlikely but still possible.
4. What's the temp of your gpu?

[akaTiGer]

I'm using Piriform's Speccy software.

I just looked at the temps on my parent's comp and they're: 37/40/28 degrees idle for CPU/GPU/HDD.

Temperature in my room is probably around 70 Fahrenheit, all fans are working, and for some reason the temp on the GPU isn't showing up in Speccy... the CPU is on stock voltage as well (looking at CPU-z). I haven't done anything that would change it yet. My HDD is idling at about 24 degrees, so there's nothing wrong with that.

One odd thing though... when I boot up the PC, everything turns on for about 5 seconds, then turns off for about two seconds, then back on but with an amber/orange light that shows up on the motherboard. Not sure what that means.

@hamsterofdark
My case has 6 nice fans (one of them is even 120mm) and is made of steel... I'm pretty sure that alone isn't the problem.

This is pretty irritating because the other two PCs I've built don't have this problem .

EDIT: Maybe it's really terrible thermal paste?

Now that I haven't been installing software the temp's staying about 52~55, but I read on another forum that just switching his stock thermal paste on the i7 to Artic Silver made his 50ish idle temps drop to around 38-39... I'll keep playing around with stuff but if you guys have suggestions that would be great too .

[WCIP_D4nny]

Hmm, usually paste does not make that big of a temperature difference. It was probably due to the fact he had the stock paste applied wrong , gotta remember your actual cooler (the copper or aluminun heatsink) plays the biggest role here.

Your best bet it to replace it, but make sure its applied correctly. You want a very thin amount. As far as technique does, there are lots, it depends how thick your paste is. I know the MX-13 paste is super thick and will not spread correctly with the "small dot in middle of cpu" technique.

Make sure the heatsink is mounted correctly. Once its on there, gently tug it a bit to make sure its really on there good. I know intel has those strange ass stock coolers where you think its mounted on there and it turns out it can be ripped right off with small force, so you really gotta check it.

[MingoDynasty]

Well going by your additional information, it seems only the cpu seems to getting very hot, which points to you might not have put the cpu heatsink in correctly or all the way. Try reseating it. While you're at it, you'd might as well get some better thermal paste and apply that.

Thermal paste should not make that kind of a huge 10C difference unless you're using like toothpaste or you just applied it completely wrong or you didn't seat your heatsink properly.

As WCIP suggests, tug at your cpu cooler after mounting. Even with a decent force, that thing should be like soldered to your mobo.

[akaTiGer]

Nice guess by both of you, heatsink wasn't mounted perfectly. Somehow two of locks on the heatsink weren't in all the way so the heatsink was sitting at a slight angle.

Idle temp is now 39~40, which from what I've heard is still a bit high for this processor, but otherwise is totally fine.

Thanks for the help!

EDIT: Still doesn't explain why I can't see my GPU's temp.....

[Eternal Soul]

Is your room really hot?

[MingoDynasty]

What gpu do you have? Try using Speedfan or Rivatuner.