Possible Issues with i5 2500K Stock Cooler

Alicomb · 14 Jun 2011 at 19:20

Hey,

I think this is the most appropriate forum for my question, even though I am not overclocking I am having some issues with a new system I've built.

I recently build a system

i5 2500K 1156 (Stock Cooler)
Asus P8P67 Pro
Nvidia 460 GTX
8 GB DDR RAM
Corsair 750 Watt TX
ANTEC One Hundred case (have not installed any additional fans at the front or on the side panel yet)

At the moment I am not overclocking or have any intentions at this time, I just want the system to run.

The only issues I am having is when I am playing Crysis 2 after about 10 minutes I get a loud beep, the sound is still playing but my system hardlocks and what I have left on my screen I can only describe as Spectrum 48k rainbow graphics.

When I restarted the computer I had a BIOS warning about the CPU temperature been too high.

Overall I've had no other issues, system seems very stable, no other crashes, I've ran SC2, WOW and the Witcher so far and had no issues with those games but in my experience that doesn't mean their isn't something amiss.

I am using the stock cooler for now (i'll likely get a third-party when I next get paid) but the stock cooler should be enough, more so when I am not overclocking, the cooler is seated properly and has the clips through the board okay the screws are tight.

If I check the temps in the BIOS from a cold boot, its quickly pushes up towards 84c, yet if I check in Windows its show on average 45 (Speedfan, CPUID)

What I am worried about is the CPU frying, has anyone else had issues with the stock i5 2500k cooler?

I don't think its an issue with my graphic card, at least not yet annyway, since the BIOS warning.

I've not changed any BIOS settings and from what I am see, everything is on stock standard speeds.

Phenomenologica · 14 Jun 2011 at 19:25

To cover the obvious before we go any further, did you take the plastic cover sheet off the heatsink before mounting it? I think the stock cooler comes with thermal paste on, did you just mount it as it was? Also, what fans do you have in your case?

Alicomb · 14 Jun 2011 at 19:33

Yeah, took that off, checked there was nothing on the thermal plate on the CPU, and the cooler had some thermal paste I Can only describe as looking like this ] | [, which is strange, but I've not build a computer since I had an AMD X2 so I guess this how Intel designs their coolers and paste.

The only fans the standard Antec coolers at the upper back and top of the Case. I am planning on getting some 3 more fans, 2 for the front and 1 for the side.

ahar · 14 Jun 2011 at 21:33

Alicomb said:
and the cooler had some thermal paste I Can only describe as looking like this ] | [, which is strange,

If it helps, my 2500K stock cooler came with the same pre applied paste design and I don't seem to have any issues

mikeo · 14 Jun 2011 at 22:06

Any chance that one of the push pins on the stock cooler did not quite "lock home"?

Did you look at the back of the mobo after installing the cooler to check that the push pins had locked correctly? (see handy guide that should have come with your CPU).

If it was me, I would just remove the HSF, clean up with TIM remover, add new paste and re-fit.

mr griffin · 14 Jun 2011 at 22:53

Have you checked to make sure the fan is spinning on the stock cooler? I have found the stock cooler fan power lead is tight on the fan and stops the blades spinning unless you adjust it.

Operation · 14 Jun 2011 at 23:02

Phenomenologica said:
To cover the obvious before we go any further, did you take the plastic cover sheet off the heatsink before mounting it? I think the stock cooler comes with thermal paste on, did you just mount it as it was? Also, what fans do you have in your case?

lol. So often asked, but has the answer to this question ever been yes?

Surveyor · 14 Jun 2011 at 23:47

Operation said:
lol. So often asked, but has the answer to this question ever been yes?

Cleeecooo said:
make sure you didn't do what i did...

Alicomb · 15 Jun 2011 at 07:49

mikeo said:
Any chance that one of the push pins on the stock cooler did not quite "lock home"?

Did you look at the back of the mobo after installing the cooler to check that the push pins had locked correctly? (see handy guide that should have come with your CPU).

If it was me, I would just remove the HSF, clean up with TIM remover, add new paste and re-fit.

I this very thing last night and indeed it seems that two of hte pins where indeed not exactly plush, pretty sure they where but everything seems seated and the temps seemed to have levelled off now 33C on idle pushes to about 50c on load.

So thats fixed one potential and thankfully no obvious lasting effects, but Crysis 2 still crashes :|, thanks for the help all.

mikeo · 15 Jun 2011 at 09:52

Alicomb said:
I this very thing last night and indeed it seems that two of hte pins where indeed not exactly plush, pretty sure they where but everything seems seated and the temps seemed to have levelled off now 33C on idle pushes to about 50c on load.

So thats fixed one potential and thankfully no obvious lasting effects, but Crysis 2 still crashes :|, thanks for the help all.

Great news (other than Crysis 2 crashing of course).

This is why I don't like coolers with this push pin arrangement. Not so bad with the stock Intel cooler (as it's quite small and light). But I've seen manufacturers of some after market coolers use this arrangement as well. Best fixing method is a backplate with a cooler that screws down onto it (EG. the Gelid that I'm using now ... which gets a major thumbs up from me), can't go wrong.