Which mobo/CPU/RAM upgrade from my 2500k?

[StevieP]

Right, my new RAM has landed and my system has booted up with the XMP setting enabled (which is more than it did with the other RAM!) - here is the Memory tab within CPU-Z:

Does this look OK and I presume test-wise I'm best running memtest again to ensure no errors?

 

[tamzzy]

Yes to both questions

 

[StevieP]

How long should you leave memtest running? I wanted a quick comparison to the other RAM and had got no errors after roughly an hour and a half!

 

[tamzzy]

How long should you leave memtest running? I wanted a quick comparison to the other RAM and had got no errors after roughly an hour and a half!

i normally leave it to run overnight at the fastest ram speed it can boot at.

But if you just want to get it over and done with then I'd leave it to run 4 full passes...

(Assuming it's error detection rate is 90% per pass - it's probably way higher - then after 4 passes, there's only a 1:10,000 chance of having bad ram)

 

[StevieP]

Hmmmm, just had a crash to desktop whilst playing The Division for about half an hour - what is the best way to figure out what the issue was/is??

Additionally I left Core Temp running and it's telling me that my CPU temperature reached 95°C - I've got literally no experience of these Ryzen chips but that sounds exceptionally high to me!?!? (Ryzen 5 2600 at stock with the stock cooler)

Any suggestions on this too??

 

[tamzzy]

Hmmmm, just had a crash to desktop whilst playing The Division for about half an hour - what is the best way to figure out what the issue was/is??

Additionally I left Core Temp running and it's telling me that my CPU temperature reached 95°C - I've got literally no experience of these Ryzen chips but that sounds exceptionally high to me!?!? (Ryzen 5 2600 at stock with the stock cooler)

Any suggestions on this too??

Yeah that temp is high for stock ryzen. What is the voltage set at? Anything more than 1.3 is too high

 

[StevieP]

Yeah that temp is high for stock ryzen. What is the voltage set at? Anything more than 1.3 is too high

I've not tinkered with the voltage at all - how would I find this out? (the "VID" is being reported as 1.1375v in Core Temp but the "Core Voltage" in CPU-Z seems to fluctuate - anything from 0.408V to 1.152V - are either of these right?)

Also, could it have been the temperature being too high that caused the crash??

 

[DarkHorizon472]

You should not be seeing much above 60c when gaming on a non overclocked Ryzen 2600 even when the CPU is being really pushed hard. It suggests the CPU cooler is not working as it should. The most common causes of this are not screwed on properly, the fan is not working properly or and I have done this, the cooler has been fitted to the CPU without removing the thin plastic that protects the thermal paste on the bottom of the cooler .

95C means something is very wrong somewhere, most likely simple to fix.

 

[tamzzy]

, could it have been the temperature being too high that caused the crash??

Possibly...
See what dark horizon said

 

[StevieP]

....or and I have done this, the cooler has been fitted to the CPU without removing the thin plastic that protects the thermal paste on the bottom of the cooler .

Yeah, I don't recall removing anything covering the thermal paste so now feel like a complete and total idiot!

Assuming this is what I have done, what is my next step? I've turned the PC off straight away so do I need to simply clean off the remaining paste and apply some more or will I have done irreperal damage to either the chip or cooler (or both?)

I'm so angry with myself right now!

 

[tamzzy]

have done irreperal damage to either the chip or cooler (or both?)

No. It'll be fine. There's a reason all CPUs have a thermal safeguard.

Just remove the plastic protective sheet, replace any thermal paste (if required), and reseat the cooler

 

[StevieP]

I've taken the cooler off but I can't see any "film" - just looks like normal thermal paste to me!?!?! (I'm wondering whether there was something on there in the first place???)

Either way it's done now so what is the best method of cleaning and then re-applying some paste then? I've seen people say that you have to spread the paste around in a thin layer and others that say you should just put a pea-sized blob in the middle and let the cooler do the spreading? Any tips?

Also, should I be using anything in particular to clean the old paste off the chip and/or cooler?

 

[lee32uk]

I usually just do the pea size amount on the centre of the cpu. You can just use a cloth/paper towel etc to wipe the old paste off if it isn't set solid. Obviously better to use Thermal paste remover or rubbing alcohol etc but you should be able to wipe it clean without if you don't have any.

 

[masto]

I've taken the cooler off but I can't see any "film" - just looks like normal thermal paste to me!?!?! (I'm wondering whether there was something on there in the first place???)

Sorry, bit late now and it doesn't really help but I don't think the Ryzens come with any sort of film or cover. The cooler normally has a piece of plastic as part of the packaging that stops the paste from being touched by anything until you unpack it. I can't remember removing anything from the cooler base itself, and I've opened two CPUs since Christmas Eve.

 

[StevieP]

Sorry, bit late now and it doesn't really help but I don't think the Ryzens come with any sort of film or cover. The cooler normally has a piece of plastic as part of the packaging that stops the paste from being touched by anything until you unpack it. I can't remember removing anything from the cooler base itself, and I've opened two CPUs since Christmas Eve.

I did wonder when I took it off and it didn't look like there was anything but paste there but either way it needed checking so I'll just give it a clean and buy some new thermal paste tomorrow!

Thanks to everyone that has been helping me with this!

Happy New Year everyone!

 

[StevieP]

Holy cow - I didn't realise how difficult it would be to buy some basic rubbing alcohol from a shop in the UK!?!?!

Either way I need to buy some new thermal paste but while I was looking I saw a Liquid MetalPad and wondered whether I might be better off with one of these as opposed to the paste? (assuming they serve the same purpose??)

Are these any good or better/worse than regular thermal paste or do they do something completely different?

 

[tamzzy]

some basic rubbing alcohol from a shop

You don't really need rubbing alcohol to clean thermal paste. It's nice to have, but not essential.

Either way I need to buy some new thermal paste but while I was looking I saw a Liquid MetalPad and wondered whether I might be better off with one of these as opposed to the paste? (assuming they serve the same purpose??)

Are these any good or better/worse than regular thermal paste or do they do something completely different?

I suggest checking out some reviews first.

 

[StevieP]

You don't really need rubbing alcohol to clean thermal paste. It's nice to have, but not essential.

I suggest checking out some reviews first.

One or two reviews on the rainforest suggest that they can be good but it sounds like it becomes more of a permanent bond - think I'll stick with the regular thermal compound - in fact I may have some from years ago (and I mean 5 or 6 years!) - I assume this stuff "goes off" and I'm better getting some fresh??

Also, what would you generally used to clean the CPU and cooler surfaces in the absence of any rubbing alcohol??

 

[tamzzy]

I assume this stuff "goes off" and I'm better getting some fresh??

If it's still liquid and able to be spread, it's fine to use.
I still use my tube of mx-2 from 2012...lol

Also, what would you generally used to clean the CPU and cooler surfaces in the absence of any rubbing alcohol??

Plain andrex (seriously)

 

[lee32uk]

I have used Kitchen roll in the past (Usually stronger than toilet paper) or a cloth etc.

The MX-2 should be fine as long as it comes out of the tube i.e hasn't dried up over the years.