AI Suite 3, CPU/PCH temps, Fan Xpert 3

[faridc]

I have recently upgraded Mobo and CPU and installed the new ASUS AI Suite 3 and I had a few questions regarding the temp readings I've been getting.
I am familiar with AI Suite 2 and Fan Xpert 2 that came with it on my previous Mobo (P8Z77-M PRO), after 2 years of use, I had started getting some weird temp readings such as +100C or - 60 C CPU temps, while every other temp monitoring software I ran alongside with AI Suite 2 did not register any of these temps.

Now, with my new Mobo (ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO ALPHA) and using AI Suite 3, I'm getting some readings I wanted to see if they are acceptable or not.
See pictures below:







As you can see, the CPU temps tend to spike with every minor PC activity, opening a folder, moving mouse cursor around the screen...etc.
The old AI Suite 2 did not display such variations!
Then if you look at T_Sensor1, it shows a temp of 33C even though there is no sensor plugged into the header on the Mobo.
On the other hand, the PCH temps show random dips into 0C.

So, is it the software that's malfunctioning, the sensors that are defective or is it my CPU cooling system?
As far as CPU cooling, I'm using a 212 EVO with push-pull configuration. Ambient air inside the case is around 24 C with a total of 7 fans running.

My specs:
Windows 10 (home 64 bit)
i7-6700k (stock) - Heat sink: Cooler Master 212 EVO
RAM: 32 GB (G.SKILL Ripjaws V DDR4 2400 C15 2x16GB)
MoBo: ASUS ROG MAXIMUS VIII HERO ALPHA
GPU: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC Gaming ACX 2.0+ (04G-P4-3975-KR)
PSU: Corsair CX750M
SSD 1: Samsung 840 Pro 256 GB
SSD 2: Samsung 850 EVO 500 GB
Case: Fractal Design ARC Midi R2


By the way, I had contacted ASUS support last year when I was getting the weird readings with the AI Suite 2 and they suggested to clear CMOS and/or uninstall AI Suite, use AI Suite cleaner and reinstall AI Suite. It did not make any difference.

[JustinThyme]

CPU diodes are flaky as hell jumping all over the place. Download HW info and watch them bounce all over the place, especially on air, not out of the norm. Mine used twitch 10C at the drop of a hat and why I dont use CPU temps for regulating anything. If you do you will spend all day listening to the fans go up and down when a fly lands on your case. AIDA64 levels it out much better but doesnt work with AI Suite. I gave up on this software for other reasons butt he fan control works fairly well.

I went custom liquid and delidded my CPU. Temps are much lower and more stable. A lot of the issue is IHS and crappy job they do with it and the crappy TIM they put on it.

[quark54]

JustinThyme wrote:
why I dont use CPU temps for regulating anything. If you do you will spend all day listening to the fans go up and down when a fly lands on your case.

Sorry to disagree with you a lot lately Justin but that's not true. Might be for you, who knows how you have your system set up, but it shouldn't be.

My CPU temp at idle is 24-25 degrees only one degree variation at idle. Pretty consistent under load too. Nothing that would cause fans to ramp up and down all the time.

All of the fans in my case [5] are PWM fans regulated by the CPU temperature and controlled by Fan Xpert 3. They don't ramp up and down all the time at all. Even less chance of such a thing given that Fan Xpert has the facility to modify how quickly the fans ramp up.

My CPU fan is running at a very quiet and very constant 333 RPM at idle. One or two rpm variation, that's all.

As I type this my case fans are at a very quiet and constant 600 RPM. There is some variation but only minor and inaudible. Same under load, very consistent, no ramping up and down at all.

[JustinThyme]

quark54 wrote:
Sorry to disagree with you a lot lately Justin but that's not true. Might be for you, who knows how you have your system set up, but it shouldn't be.

My CPU temp at idle is 24-25 degrees only one degree variation at idle. Pretty consistent under load too. Nothing that would cause fans to ramp up and down all the time.

All of the fans in my case [5] are PWM fans regulated by the CPU temperature and controlled by Fan Xpert 3. They don't ramp up and down all the time at all. Even less chance of such a thing given that Fan Xpert has the facility to modify how quickly the fans ramp up.

My CPU fan is running at a very quiet and very constant 333 RPM at idle. One or two rpm variation, that's all.

As I type this my case fans are at a very quiet and constant 600 RPM. There is some variation but only minor and inaudible. Same under load, very consistent, no ramping up and down at all.

Its fine to disagree but if you take a minute to read around, more than just here, you will see the same results for any controller especially with the skylake chips that have not been delided and I would ask anyone who claimed otherwise to post up a video showing their CPU temps and fan speeds as Id have to see it to believe it. It may not be true for you when you have your CPU undervolted and underclocked. Any chip, delided or not will jump 40C at the drop of a hat when put under load. If you use this app to control your fan speeds referencing the CPU and it stays steady you have a golden chip and should list it on Ebay. I had the same issue I spoke about. Menial tasks like surfing the web and the fans would ramp up out of nowhere from 400 rpms to 2500 then back down again........repeatedly and had the same result with 3 6700Ks. Search the web and you will see this same scenario literally thousands of times across every enthusiast forum out there. How to fix it? Use a different reference that doesn't move so drastically.

@ OP download HW info and see what you get for temps with that app. I run multiple apps at the same time and have never had issues like what you are posting. They all pull the info off the SMbus, they do not load down the bus or change the values. AIDA64 lauches with windows and contantly monitors the hardware diodes and feeds that info to my Aquaero 6 controller. Im liquid cooling so a temp sensor the is in the discharge side of my pump is my source for control. All my fans cool the liquid, not the CPU. I go under full load and the CPU temps jump up to 40C at the drop of a hat with a delided 6700 @ 5GHz. Meanwhile the fans are still quiet. If Im running a bench or stress test it takes several minutes for the liquid temp to rise and the fans and pumps ramp on a curve with the liquid temp.

[quark54]

faridc wrote:


As you can see, the CPU temps tend to spike with every minor PC activity, opening a folder, moving mouse cursor around the screen...etc.
The old AI Suite 2 did not display such variations!
Then if you look at T_Sensor1, it shows a temp of 33C even though there is no sensor plugged into the header on the Mobo.
On the other hand, the PCH temps show random dips into 0C.

So, is it the software that's malfunctioning, the sensors that are defective or is it my CPU cooling system?
As far as CPU cooling, I'm using a 212 EVO with push-pull configuration. Ambient air inside the case is around 24 C with a total of 7 fans running.

Hi, I've just checked on my system and I'm not seeing any of the spikes you are seeing at all. All very consistent. Moving mouse cursor around, opening folders, no spikes at all.

Are you using the latest BIOS and latest version of AiSuite? Don't forget there are always plenty of BIOS updates with a new platform.

[faridc]

quark54 wrote:
Are you using the latest BIOS and latest version of AiSuite? Don't forget there are always plenty of BIOS updates with a new platform.

BIOS I know it's the latest version: 2202. I updated it right after I installed the MoBo.
AI Suite 3 is whatever version came in the installation disk...I'll check it out ASAP though.

Is it usual to see 0C and minus temps off/on? Should I worry about it or is it usual that sensors just go crazy sometimes?

[faridc]

Here is my AI Suite 3 version:
Also you see the PCH temp dip to 0C.

[quark54]

Is it usual to see 0C and minus temps off/on? Should I worry about it or is it usual that sensors just go crazy sometimes?

Nope, to be honest I've never noticed that before. Mind you I'm not constantly monitoring, but all I can say is I've never seen that behaviour.

If you have the latest BIOS, but are using the AiSuite on the disc, it's almost certain to be way out of date. If I were you I'd visit the Asus support site and download the latest version of AiSuite.

There's no way that the PCH wpuld suddenly drop to 0 degrees. It's either sensors or software. One point to remember though is that you should never run two temp measuring utilities simultaneously or they can mess each other up. Always one at a time.

[faridc]

quark54 wrote:
One point to remember though is that you should never run two temp measuring utilities simultaneously or they can mess each other up. Always one at a time.

You mean either AI Suite or any other PC Monitoring app?
You can't run AI Suite and something else at the same time?

On the other hand, I will definitely re-install AI Suite 3 from the ASUS website.
However, I did have hard time uninstalling the old AI Suite 2 on my old PC and just could not get rid of it even in safe mode with the special ASUS cleaning tool!!!
I'm hoping AI Suite 3 is not going to be a pain in the neck.

Thank you all for your input and happy new year, wish you all lots of great upgrades.

[quark54]

Yes, I mean AiSuite and something like CoreTemp or RealTemp. Or both CoreTemp and RealTemp together. The general advice is to not run two different temp monitoring utilities simultaneously. As sometimes they can interfere with each other and send the readings bonkers.

Happy new year to you too, and good luck with your issue. 🙂