Overheating P4 with MSI 865PE Neo2-P motherboard

[fif4evr]

I recently built a computer using a MSI 865PE Neo2-P motherboard, and a p4 processor at 3.0 ghz with HT technology, recently the motherboard fried and i got a replacement under warranty, my problem is, now the processor heats up pretty badly when i play games, even old games, i have a 256 mb vid card so thats not the problem

does anyone know what the right temperature range for a p4 3 ghz processor is? i read on another forum that i can't hurt the processor by overheating, it will just shut down first, right now i am using a program from msi to shut down the computer if it gets hot, but this disallows any gaming. how can i lower the cpu temperature? the system temp is around 45-50*C usually but the cpu will shoot up to around 65-70*C when gaming, otherwise around 43-48*C

[LLXX]

What cooler are you using? A more powerful one will help lower the temps a bit, but otherwise 65-70°C at full load is perfectly fine. Intel CPUs have automatic thermal protection: if the temperature reaches a fixed setpoint (around 72-75°C) the divider will double, and if it continues to increase it will double again, resulting in 3.0GHz becoming 1.5GHz and then 750MHz. At a core temperature of approximately 120°C the processor performs a hard shutdown.

[ripken204]

get a good heatsink

[teqguy]

The primary reason for overheating is not the fact that the heatsink is inefficient, but rather that the ambient temperature isn't low enough to allow the heatsink to be effective.

Ensure that you have at least one intake fan and one exhaust fan(the power supply fan doesn't count), and that there's enough clearance at the front and back of your case for airflow.

Taking the side panel off is a temporary solution, but it's not as effective as air passing in a linear fashion through the case.

[jcarle]

The primary reason for overheating is not the fact that the heatsink is inefficient, but rather that the ambient temperature isn't low enough to allow the heatsink to be effective.

Of course! Why didn't we think of that? Man! THAT's the solution! Let's all play outside in the snow with our computers so that the "ambient" temperature is lower! No overheating! PERFECT!

Yea, because proper seating of the heatsink, proper application of thermal compound and a proper selection of an appropriate heatsink is NOT the solution. I forgot.

You twit.

[ripken204]

teqguy, again i would like you to explain yourself. how is he suppose to fix the ambient temperature? i think that it is God's problem, the only thing that he can really do is to get a good heatsink with a good fan.

also why did you say that the ambient temp is the problem and then for him to get fans?

[kartel]

check your voltage and frequency settings and enable cpu halt detection if any for p4, and double check the heatsink alignment and such

[Andromeda43]

fif4evr,

I regret to inform you that your first problem was buying a P4 processor.

It's a well known fact by tech's worldwide, that the P4 is probably the most overrated chip that intel ever built.

It miserably fails to come up to advertised performance levels, draws way too much power and puts out way too much heat. And oh yes....costs way too much too.

So what's it's advantage? I haven't the foggiest! None that I've ever found.

Most techs that I know that are building computers will only use the AMD processors unless the customer absolutely demands an Intel.

AMD processors cost less, run cooler and outperform the P4 for like clock speeds.

My own AMD 3000+ cpu runs equivalent to a P4 at 3000 mhz or better , but does that at a clock speed of 2100 mhz., drawing less power and generating less heat.

Even under the heaviest load, I can lay my finger up along side the heat sink on my CPU and it only feels slightly warm to the touch, and that's with the stock fan and heatsink that came with the Retail Boxed CPU.

So, next time, buy AMD.

Cheers,

Andromeda43

[jcarle]

@Andromeda43: I have a Pentium 630 (3.0GHz, 2MB cache, 800FSB). Mine doesn't get nearly more then a touch warm. And not to mention that here, in Canada, it cost me less then the AMD equivalent by a large margin. The debate is long and fruitless, it's been going on for nearly as long as the introduction of the Athlon XP as to which company has the better processors. No one will ever win. IMHO, there should never be a winner as this incourages both companies to up the standards on the quality, the speed and lower thermal output of both their products.

[LLXX]

fif4evr,

I regret to inform you that your first problem was buying a P4 processor.

It's a well known fact by tech's worldwide, that the P4 is probably the most overrated chip that intel ever built.

It miserably fails to come up to advertised performance levels, draws way too much power and puts out way too much heat. And oh yes....costs way too much too.

So what's it's advantage? I haven't the foggiest! None that I've ever found.

Most techs that I know that are building computers will only use the AMD processors unless the customer absolutely demands an Intel.

AMD processors cost less, run cooler and outperform the P4 for like clock speeds.

My own AMD 3000+ cpu runs equivalent to a P4 at 3000 mhz or better , but does that at a clock speed of 2100 mhz., drawing less power and generating less heat.

AMDs don't have a built-in thermal limiter, unlike Intel CPUs. It'll just keep heating up if the heatsink fails, easily reaching over 400°F and permanently damaging itself and the motherboard as well as causing a probable fire hazard. I've seen an aluminum heatsink, on which the fan failed, that had a depression melted into the bottom of it by an overheated Athlon. In contrast...

Intel CPUs have automatic thermal protection: if the temperature reaches a fixed setpoint (around 72-75°C) the divider will double, and if it continues to increase it will double again, resulting in 3.0GHz becoming 1.5GHz and then 750MHz. At a core temperature of approximately 120°C the processor performs a hard shutdown.

Even under the heaviest load, I can lay my finger up along side the heat sink on my CPU and it only feels slightly warm to the touch, and that's with the stock fan and heatsink that came with the Retail Boxed CPU.

That's normal. In many cases the stock cooler is more than sufficient.

I know AMD cost less, and have a higher performance for same price than Intel, but still trust the Intels more. I have a 3.6GHz P4 HT that used to have the stock cooler and was overclocked to 3.9GHz, but it's now running at 4.17GHz with a rather large custom heatsink. I've never observed temperatures over 60°C, and it normally idles at ~25-30°C.

@fif4evr: 65-70°C is at the lower limit of the thermal limiter which indicates the heatsink isn't performing as it should, consider removing, cleaning, and reinstalling the heatsink with a thermal compound such as Arctic Silver. The stock cooler, properly installed, should be more than sufficient unless you're planning to overclock.