QFan Query

[Buckster]

I'd like to start using my overclocked system as a Media Centre PC as a 2nd role, and would like to quieten it.

I have a overclocked 6600 and a P5B Deluxe

Enabled Qfan - great - far far quieter.

but I can't get it stable - any ideas please ?

With Qfan on - CPU temp at idle is 51C - then when running Orthos - an initial Spike up to 57C - fans then spin up, and it settles at 54C (all measured with TAT) - 54C seems fine to me - but then Orthos crashes within about 1 minute.

Disable Qfan - and Orthos stable - temps aren't that much lower - circa 51C - but MUCH MUCH Louder.

any ideas please ?

thanks, Mark.

 

[Joe42]

Unfortunately Q-fan is completely different depending on the motherboard and bios revision, it ranges from a simple on/off option which sets it to full speed above a certain temp and to a lower rpm below it, to a completely configurable fan controller. Check that there isn't an updated bios for your board, you may find that asus decide to improve it in a later revision, sometimes they do sometimes they don't.

Do you feel you're nearing the limit of what the processor is capable of or how far you want to go? If not, i'd say get a better cpu hsf.

Its odd that its crashing at 54 but not 51... i thought cpus don't become unstable due to temperature, the worst that can happen it it'll shut off if it gets too hot.
Certainly i've never heard of cpus becoming unstable in the summer that ran fine in the winter for example, if they did this surely as part of the overclocking process you would have to really cook it and get it stable under worst case heat conditions, and i've never heard of anyone doing that.
With older cpus they could certainly become unstable if you exceeded the maximum temperature but modern ones all have a thermal cutout which trips before they become unstable...

Could it be that the heat is cooking something else and causing that to become unstable, or that the temperature reading in orthos is not correct?

Either way, its a little toasty, so i'd say for the performance and for lower noise a new hsf is in order.

As far as quietening goes, you'll have to investigate to see whats making the most noise, try stopping some fans temporarily and see what makes the most difference.

 

[Buckster]

thanks for the post - very useful.

the only thing I suddenly thought - is could it be with the low rpm of the Freezer Pro (500 rpm) - whilst its cooling the CPU OK .. the passive heat-pipe heatsink on the motherboard is not getting enough air-flow ?

thanks, Mark.