My new computer Options

[CheesyLobster]

Hey guys, it's been a while since I've been here but I've been really busy with school and such.

I finally broke down and decided to splurg on a new computer, here's what I got:

-Asus P5B Delux Wifi Ed.
-Pentium Core 2 Duo 2.4 E6600 OCed to 2.8
-Zalman copper CPU fan
-ATI Radeon X1900XTX
-New NEC 19inch with 900:1 Brightness
-1GBx2 DDR2 800 Ram OCed to 2volts.
-120gb hdd (sata)
-Rosewill 550w PS

I have a question. I feel like my cpu is running really hot, especially with the zalman. underload it gets to about 55c, and i'm using arctic silver 5 and this fan. my voltage is set to auto at 1.36v. I don't know why it's running so hot. i'm thinking the fan may be defective. any ideas? thanks.

[sinner96ST]

underload it gets to about 55c

i think thats a bit too hot, these are the factors that come in to play when dealing with CPU/HSF :

1) the heatsink surface may be uneven, if you take a fine grit sandpaper and smooth it down, making sure it's completely, 100% level & flat, it may help the situation. they call this 'lapping' the heatsink. you normally don't have to do this, but if you notice the bottom of the heatsink looks rough, it might be worth your time.

2) you need more thermal paste. make sure it gets evenly spread on the CPU, not some tiny amount in the center. don't put too much on, but don't put too little.

3) remember that heat rises, so, exhaust fan up top, intake fan on the bottom, usually near the front or rear. it creates a decent air flow in the case.

zalman's are decent heatsinks, but i would recommend a thermaltake / thermalright.

edit: just saw the link you posted for your HSF, i wouldn't bother with it. you need a HSF with more metal, as it stands right now, yours is just a glorified GPU cooler. it's a great design, but it doesn't have enough surface area for the heat dissipation.

This post has been edited by sinner96ST: Oct 21, 2006 - 10:09 PM