New PC too hot!

~bones~ · 13 Nov 2011 at 18:08

So I've just bought a new pc from a family friend and my plan when I heard the specs was to intall a blu-ray drive and get some new fans so I could have it running silent when watching movies and bump them up for gaming and then somewhere down the line upgrade the graphics card, its got an i7-920 and is running two 4870's in crossfire... It was as a pre-built from overclockers... problem is when its running using the overclockers setting of 3.4ghz in an OCCT test the core 1 hits 86 after 3 mins and has to stop the test and in a GPU test it stops after 6 seconds because the GPU has hit 87. So I went back to the default settings and the GPU has the smae problem, idles at 78, and within seconds of use goes off.... the cpu hovers at around 74 when at max load....

So its in an antec 902 case and the top and rear fans are exhaust the air coming out of them isn't particulary warm?..... is this something that new fans and new cpu cooler will fix or do i need a new case with better airflow?

Devrij · 13 Nov 2011 at 19:14

The gpus will be hot, especially in xfire. If you can get a fan pointed right at them it might help, but otherwise the only solution is a board with pci-e slots further apart (or ramping up fan speeds to 100%).

What cooler is on the chip? That's a bit toasty for that chip. Also, what Vcore is it running? If it's a decent cooler and vcore isn't excessive then I'd reseat the cpu with some decent paste.

Also, those tests are a worst case scenario, what are your idle temps?

Tealc · 13 Nov 2011 at 19:35

4870s could be clogged up with dust as this will affect temps greatly. Are GPU fans running? Are the fans set to auto adjust?

CPU cooler could also be clogged or not adjusting the fan.

My 920 at 3.6 tops out at lower temps than yours at stock.

DarkHorizon472 · 13 Nov 2011 at 20:48

I had simlar issue and it was a dodgy stock Intel CPU cooler. Upgraded to a proper CPU cooler and temps have dropped a lot from averaging about 73C when all 4 cores at max to a maximum of 60C. It idles at about 37C now. Previously the graphics card and RAM kept erroring. Now the PC is completely stable without any over clocking.

This is in a warm room with no case fans. There is no dust in the case and the cable routing is clear but not the best.

~bones~ · 15 Nov 2011 at 21:03

I'm a bit of a newb with overclocking so you will have to bare with me... so i checked the vcore in the bios and its 1.28, the same as when it isn't overclocked?... But i thought that you change the vcore to OC it so I am checking it properly?

CPU fans are set to auto adjust in the bios and the case fans are on full... not sure which cooler is on the cou but its pretty big.... I don't know how to check the GPU fans?

I've taken one GPU out and its not made much difference, idle temps are in the 60's still and doesn't last long in OCCT before overheating?

p.s.. idle temps for the processor is mid 40's