ideal CPU temprature
 

just wandering..what is the ideal CPU temp for a P4 3.4GHz??

mine is currently running at 53 dgrees C /127 F @ about 4% usage. is this normal?? it has a large copper heatsink from newegg...and is not OCed...

thanks

I'm guessing you've got a Prescott core cpu...which on average run about 10C hotter then the Northwood cores...stil, that seems a tad bit hot all things considered...my Northwood core 3.0 runs @ 32C and up to 38C when being pushed...even when I OC it to 3.6, it only runs 2-3C hotter...

what type of case, and how many fans do you have in it..also, what type of thermal paste did you use, and how did you apply it?

yes it is a prescott , my case actualy has 7 fans in it including the large one on th ecpu heatsink...and about the thermal paist , i just used the stuff that came allredy on the heatsink when i bought it, there was still some paist from the old stock heatsink on the the chip too...

iv been running the case with the cover off just so i can watch the lights etc, and thats when i meshured the temp...it was at 63C @ about 50% usage and then i quit my one application and it went down to 53C @ about 4% usage...

this is the heatsink i installed : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835106606

first...you made the mistake of leaving residual thermal paste...you should have carefully cleaned it off, then applied new paste...just a smidgen is needed..too much is as bad as too little...the procedure for applying the paste is as follows: apply a dab to the middle of the cpu, and spread it carefully around so that is covers the entire chip...enough so that it is evenly applied with no transparency visible...I just used a bit of a cardboard matchbook to do the spreading..then install the heatsink...now, if for some reason you have to pull the heatsink back of, you may very well have compromised the integrity of it all, which will result in higher temps...

second..that's not exactly the worlds greatest heatsink..prolly no better (perhaps worse than...) the stock Intel one...

I would recommend the following heatsink, if it will fit in your box without any conflict with adjacent hardware (like the PSU or capacitors on the MoBo): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16835118112

I'm using the all copper version, but research I did after the purchase indicates it really doesn't offer that much more performance the the alcu version which I linked to above...

as noted, my temps max out @ ~40C

if my memory is correct, you are using an Asus P4C800-e deluxe board, which is the same as the one I am currently using..so said heatsink will work just fine...

also, you mention there was residual from the stock heatsink...Intel I assume?..in which case the residual is not thermal paste, but part of the thermal pad..to remove this use some acetone (take the damn cpu off of the motherboard to clean, as I really think acetone dripping on the board is not exactly kewl)..and actually, from some research I just did, your temps are not all that high, though in my mind such temps with the case open are an indication of 'problems', possibly just related to the residual thermal pad...

and of course, be very, very carefull with the cpu whilst cleaning it...a bent or broken pin would certainly ruin anybody's day!

lastly: I hope you've got those fans with the proper airflow orientation...your rear fan should exhaust out (as does your PSU), and fans in the front should suck in...believe it or not, the cpu fan should blow DOWN onto the chip, which makes the airflow of a side fan kinda questionable...I just had a little conversation with a tech mentor on another forum in regards to this, and am probably going to reorient my side fan to blow in (onto the heatsink) as opposed to blowing out as it presently does...of course I will monitor the temps to see any results

finally....arctic silver 5 is considered the king of thermal paste, fyi