Helpful Information

Category: Cooling

AMD 64 bit 3200+, 7 fans, and 50 degrees

Here's the comp's setup: AMD Athlon 64-Bit 3200+ on a Gigabyte K8NS-PRO mobo. Comp is homemade. CPU came with heatsink and fan. 2 80mm fans on the front of the case, at the bottom, are sucking air in, 1 80mm fan on the side also sucking in, 2 80mm ones on the back blowing out, and a PCI exhaust between the vid card and about half of the heatsink. Running 2 hdds, 2 disc drives, 1 floppy. modem and soundcard. 450 watt psu made by powmax.

Usually the proc temp is in between 48 and 51, sometimes it'll peak up to 54. This is when idle, I don't have a program or device to see the temp when playing a game. From what I've read this sounds about normal, but I just wanna be sure. I read some other threads, but I didn't see any dealing with a 64-bit processor. I thought there might be a difference... I'm thinking of moving the pci exhaust under the vid card, maybe it's producing a lot of heat (radeon 9600xt) I don't know. The proc isn't overclocked, it runs at 2.01 ghz. If this all sounds right, then good, but if anyone thinks I should change something, are redo the thermal paste, then please let me know. Thank you in advance.

edit
One more thing. About 2 years ago, a tech support guy told me that turning a comp off like everynight, wasn't good for it. Something about the psu and mobo and a surge or something. Was that true, or has it been fixed?

Those temps are a bit high. Be sure you seated the heatsink firmly with good thermal paste and good contact and be sure to leave space around the box. You can use programs like Prime95 to put a load on the cpu and see what the temps get up to. The cpu does have a shut off, so you shouldn't be able to fry it at least.
The "turn off vs leave on" debate is long running. http://computer.howstuffworks.com/framed.htm?parent=question328.htm&url=http://www.pcguide.com/care/care/gen/powerOnOff-c.html gives the info for both sides. I personally leave mine on but turn off the monitor.

I just built an Athlon Xp 2500 system and my average temps are like 33-35 c. Your temps see to be very high. I use a Tt Volcano 12 fan. I paid $40 for it. http://www.newegg.com has some very good all copper fans for athlon 64 bit processeor for around $45-$60 USD. Try that, newegg is the best and cheapest site around with unbelivably fast shipping. Yea the fans that come with the chips suck. Be sure to read reviews first. :)

I actually do have a program to monitor the temp in windows. It took a while to find it, but I do have EasyTune4. The highest the temp ever got, inbetween playing games and using Prime95, was 56. So I'm kinda leaning towards not worrying anymore. It's high, but it is quite stable. As for newegg, I know of their greatness real well cause this whole computer, cept for a hdd and dvd-rom, was bought there. I looked at the heatsinks they have available and I'm gonna think about it. There seemed to be a limited selection for the amd 64s. There was one out of stock that looked real good though, so maybe later.

ref Brightman 42 problem with Ath 64. Possible the card if running hot and then you can get a board manufacturers fan control system prog from them. My board is a Biostar KNBP8 and the original fan supply prog kept showing too high a temp on the system. The new driver on the updated prog is just fine..temps now down to 33c at idele and 48 at full throb. Mind you, I have "mickey mouse" type graf card. Try the system manufaturer for their latest driver/fan prog.

Just seen you posting....
I have also just registered so I can give you the heads up..

I my humble option you have to many fan sucking in you need to have more expelling out....
I would make your side fan out.... :winkgrins

Hope that helps

Saslt... :cool:

I solved the always on/off at night debate for myself by leaving it on and donating my extra clocks to Folding@Home (folding.stanford.edu). Dev Forums has its own team, as noted in my signature. Fold to cure! :thumbs:

Here's the comp's setup: AMD Athlon 64-Bit 3200+ on a Gigabyte K8NS-PRO mobo. Comp is homemade. CPU came with heatsink and fan. 2 80mm fans on the front of the case, at the bottom, are sucking air in, 1 80mm fan on the side also sucking in, 2 80mm ones on the back blowing out, and a PCI exhaust between the vid card and about half of the heatsink. Running 2 hdds, 2 disc drives, 1 floppy. modem and soundcard. 450 watt psu made by powmax.

Usually the proc temp is in between 48 and 51, sometimes it'll peak up to 54. This is when idle, I don't have a program or device to see the temp when playing a game. From what I've read this sounds about normal, but I just wanna be sure. I read some other threads, but I didn't see any dealing with a 64-bit processor. I thought there might be a difference... I'm thinking of moving the pci exhaust under the vid card, maybe it's producing a lot of heat (radeon 9600xt) I don't know. The proc isn't overclocked, it runs at 2.01 ghz. If this all sounds right, then good, but if anyone thinks I should change something, are redo the thermal paste, then please let me know. Thank you in advance.

edit
One more thing. About 2 years ago, a tech support guy told me that turning a comp off like everynight, wasn't good for it. Something about the psu and mobo and a surge or something. Was that true, or has it been fixed?

I'm running the Same cpu on a ASUS A8V-E SE motherboard, with the heatsinc and fan that came with the chip. My temps run (MAX durring gaming) at most 110F or 43.3C. I've never seen the temps jump above that. Idle, the temps are around 103F or 39.4C. My case has 2 fans, one in the top of the case and one in the back. one vent in the side with a duct to the area of the cpu. My powersupply has 2 fans in it, one is an intake from the inside of the case, and and exhaust. My case is an Aspire X-Plorer - http://aspireusa.net/product.php?pid=152&xcSID=01d0cc3f31c0e15a52dcaea6fefa0c55

That's my setup.. My temps are alot cooler than yours. Though, like you said, your system is stable, so it is probable nothing to worry too much about.

50 degrees C with no load sounds pretty high this would be normal for an intel chip but even my AMD 4800+ 64 X2 only runs 40C under full burn in load idles at 31C.