AthlonXP temp.

[ArchAngelCD]

I just upgraded from a PIII 933eb to an AthlonXP 2100+. I installed the hardware monitor and the temprature seems high. I bought the retail version and I'm using the stock heatsink/fan. The stock Intel heatsink/fans are very good. I'm not so sure about the AMD fans... If I had know this, I would have bought the OEM version and a 3rd pary heatsink/fan.

Numbers at idle:
Case temp 42° C
CPU temp 62.5° C

I added an extra case fan and got this at idle:
Case temp 35° C
CPU temp 56 C

It this high, normal or what?

 

[duncan36]

Thats normal my 2000XP runs at 53 C with decent cooling.
Though in hardcore gaming this rig crashes more than it should, I think I now know why AMD processors werent used in the Xbox.

 

[Son Goku]

Those temps are a bit high for my taste, though that CPU temp is what one could expect with stock cooling and the use of them less then useful IMO thermal pads.

My Athlon XP 1900+ runs at 28 C case and 42 C CPU... But I'm also running in a server ATX case (Addtronics 7896A if I remember correctly) which I moded somewhat to put extra cooling on the 2 10,000 rpm SCSI drives) with like 7 fans in all...

BTW, on the CPU, there are better coolers if you want to pay for one. I'm currently using the OCZ Gladiator (a copper heatsink I bought last year or so) with Arctic Silver II... In any case, you shouldn't be able to lower that CPU temp some by cleaning that thermal pad off, and replacing it with Arctic Silver, or better yet buy a better heatsink, then AMD ships it with. There are a few, depending on what one wants to spend. I would go more with one used by over-clockers, rather then an ORM default solution...

 

[CMcK]

I've just done a very similar upgrade and my 2000+ runs at no more than 46 deg C. Case temp. 27 deg C.
I have a Coolermaster sink and fan, it's quite noisy relative to my old PIII cooler but it does the job. I have no case fans BTW.

Tip - Remove your heatsink and any thermal grease and clean the base of the heatsink with a metallic scouring pad. You know the kind of pad you would use to clean a pot. It's a cheap way of lapping the heatsink. Apply some fresh thermal grease to your XP chip and see how it goes.

 

[pxc]

Don't bother going by CPU temps alone, room and case temperatures matter too. The ambient temp for air reaching the CPU is generally your case temp if you have a closed case and no side mounted fan pointed directly at the CPU.

Your HSF has rating in the form of x C/W, meaning that the temperature of the CPU rises x degrees C over ambient temperature for each Watt of power the CPU is radiating. The 2100+ runs slightly hotter than the 2000+, so the following 2 CPUs are pretty much as expected if the HSFs have similar x C/W ratings:
46C CPU - 27C case = 19C above case temp
56C CPU - 35C case = 21C above case temp

You may be able to bring down the case temperature by increasing intake airflow and/or airflow through the case. This won't do any good if the room temperature is > 30C, but if you're closer to normal room temperature (~22C), it should help.

You can increase the airflow inside the case by bundling wires and keeping flat ribbon cables out of the way of air circulation as much as possible (bundled flat against the motherboard folded at angles if possible).