EXTREMELY high CPU temps with MVG - possible mobo problem?

[agent009]

Hey guys,

This week I picked up a 3770K to replace my 3770 in my system which was already running a H100i. On the 3770, it seemed to work fine with a 40C idle temp and 55C temp under load (with a 73C temp while running Prime95). I'm NOT overclocking, just trying to run everything at stock settings.

Upon replacing the processor with the 3770K and booting up, I started getting idle temps of 43C while slowly creeping up to 65C+. When I ran Prime95, it quickly shot up to 100C.

Thinking I didn't reseat the H100i properly, I removed it, made sure the backplate was in the correct position, reapplied thermal paste (Arctic Silver 5, pea-sized blob in the middle), and then rebooted. Same results. I then tried reapplying the thermal compound a third and fourth time with the exact same results.

I then went to the nearest retailer and purchased another 3770K. Same results.
I then tried switching to the stock Intel cooler. Same results.

A few observations:
1) The bottom hose connected to the H100i pump was extremely warm while the top one was cool
2) Both the SP120s mounted to the radiator (in pull) were operating at full speed
3) Every single time I went to reapply the paste, I found the copper block to be extremely warm (felt after I cleaned off the old paste)
4) Ambient air in the room is 78F and I was getting these results with the side panels OFF
5) When mounted, the block was not wobbly (didn't move at all) and the retention screws were only finger tight.
6) CorsairLink says the pump is operating at 2200.
7) I also checked the temps with HWMonitor, RealTemp, and ASUS Suite and they were all showing the same behavior. I didn't run the monitors at the same time--only independently.

Any ideas? Could the mobo be defective? Here's a screenshot of HWMonitor while running Prime95:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/1150538_10100603989062999_604603258_o.jpg


Thanks


Hardware...
Case: Corsair 650D (side panels both removed)
Proc: i7-3770K (only drawing about 1.15V according to BIOS)
Paste: Arctic Silver 5
Mobo: Asus ROG Maximus V Gene (latest firmware, default settings)
Cooler: H100i (firmware 1.05 with SP120 Quiet Edition fans)
PSU: AX1200i

[Zka17]

Hm... I think it's your H100i... - do you have the possibility to try an another one? The reason why I'm thinking this is that if your H100i contains some air bubble (from the factory or from slow evaporation/leaking), that may get trapped in the pump/block...

Only other thing I could think off is the CPU retention mechanism... if that isn't correctly latched back, the H100i block won't make contact with the CPU itself... - check the manual of the mobo about that mechanism...

If I'm thinking better, your stock cooler doesn't seemed to work either... - so, first check the CPU retention mechanism...

[agent009]

One of my previous troubleshooting steps was flashing back the BIOS to the previously released version. No improvement either.

I decided to remove the cooler and try to reseat it AGAIN. Here's a picture of the CPU with the paste still on it right after removing the stock cooler. As you can see, the cooler is making excellent contact. I only placed a blob about the size of two grains of rice.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/q77/s720x720/14459_10100605341881939_13829505...

I can't wait to get this mystery solved either; I always search on google and try multiple fixes BEFORE I ever post on any forum. I appreciate all of the tips so far from everyone.

[Zka17]

Something wrong with that picture... can not figure out what, but that TIM looks strange to me... (mine looks different when I remove my blocks)

Could you show a picture of the block after you removed it, please?

Edit: I think a realized what is strange with that picture...

As you can see, it's a perfectly round imprint of the TIM... which would be OK, but can you see that excess TIM at the margin? That is what bothers me...

The block of the H100i is square as far as I know - so the excess should go all the way out to the corners of the CPU... not to stop half way... (if there is not enough TIM, then you still get the round shape, but no excess at the margin)

This should be the TIM imprint when a square block is used (the image is courtesy of the AnandTech forums):

[agent009]

The TIM in my picture was round because I used the Intel stock heatsink for that. It has a round bottom. I already wiped mine off, but here's a picture of what the bottom of one looks like:

[Zka17]

Oh, I see, it's clear now!

Well, that does not help your cause... 😞

Then my thoughts are back to primarily the H100i... can not explain why you have so high temps with the stock cooler too (I actually never used that), but my feeling is that the problem resides somewhere around your H100i...

One idea: if my theory if with a trapped air-bubble in the pump/block assembly is correct, you could try this... Mount the stock cooler on the CPU, but leave the wiring for the H100i in place/connected... turn on your system and go into BIOS - just to have power on the H100i... Then hold the pump/block assembly in your hand and start shaking it gently... that may help the air-bubble to move away... in mean time, you also can double-check the temps of that pump/bock assembly - if it's getting hot by itself, then it's definitely wrong...

[agent009]

Here's another datapoint:

I ran the H100i connected to the PSU (with the system booted up with the Intel Cooler installed) and from the vibrations/sound from it, I'm sure the pump is working. With that determination, I reinstalled it back onto the CPU, booted up, launched CorsairLink which reported an Idle CPU temp of 50C with the Pump temp reading 40C.

I then started prime95. In CorsairLink, the CPU reached 105 in a matter of minutes and started to throttle. At the same time, the Pump Temp slowly crept up to 70C and stayed there probably because the CPU was being throttled.

Wouldn't these observations verify that I did in fact install the cooler correctly? If there was insufficient contact, the H100i's temp would've never risen as much as it did.

[MagR]

Hi

I'm back after a good sleep. To recap - the bios is fine, the cpu is fine, both the air and water coolers are fine. I looked at your HW monitor screenshot again and the highest voltage is only 1.264v which is fine. The picture of the TIM on your IHS looks pretty good - solid contact there. It is time to clutch at straws. Have you got the coolers wired up properly? On the stock air cooler the fan needs to go to the cpu fan header which according to my manual is the right hand one as you look face on of the two headers directly above the cpu socket. Wiring up the H100i looks very complicated, particularly as you have an AXi psu and are linking the software. Is it possible to try an alternative set up that doesn't link up with the psu software and might be simpler? Check these, perhaps try reseating the cpu (again!) then its time try a different motherboard as that seems all that is left.

Hope this helps

Mag

[Zka17]

I just observed thess:
"2) Both the SP120s mounted to the radiator (in pull) were operating at full speed"
"Cooler: H100i (firmware 1.05 with SP120 Quiet Edition fans)"

As I highlighted it above, the keywords which attract my attention are "pull" and "quiet edition"...

Please, explain what exactly you mean by the "pull" configuration? What is the order of your radiator and fans regarding the airflow? Is the air first hit the fan and then the radiator or first the radiator and then the fan? Asking this because there is some confusion about these "push" and "pull" terms in people's mind... Just to be on the same page, the "push" configuration is when the air hits first the fans, then the radiator, so the fans are pushing the air through the radiator. The pull config is when the air hits first the radiator, then the fans - the air is being pulled through the radiator.

With these closed loop coolers the worse you can do is to setup a pull configuration. The radiator is a very high fin density one, so the air can not pass effectively in a pull configuration... you need the fans to push the air...

Now, about the Quiet Edition fans... which quiet edition you have exactly? The high flow or the high static pressure? Because, for your H100i you need the high static pressure one... - for them to be able to push the air though the high fin density radiator...

[Retired]

TS>

1.Are the fans you are using 4 pin PWM fans?
2. Are they connected to the motherboards Cpu.Header?

regarding the paste print using a square block

1. if you use a nap of TIM, you will get a round print, depending on the size of the nap..
2. If you are using a even layer, you will have a square print

Also about the fans, push or pull, doesnt matter so much, you can just about stick any fans on the rad, as long as the air is passing trough the rad (the right amount of flow). When you run a H100, the airflow is of greater importance, than if you are using a thicker rad.. The thin rad is more air-flow dependent, when cpu is under heavy load, in order to archive a sufficient cooling..

in other words..

if the cpu is under heavy load, and the fans dont ramp up like they should, using a H100.. You are going to get very high temps (air flow dependent), its due to the small amount of water circulation/flow

and therefore i have asked you this question>

Are you using PWM fans (4 pins), and do you have them connected to the motherboards Cpu_fan header?

If you use 3 pin fans on the cpu fan header, the fans wont ramp up like they should.. and when load hit the cpu, temps will be very high indeed.

A 4 pin PWM connector>

-
+
rpm
pwm

A 3 pin fan connector>

-
+
rpm

cpu-water-air

You got the answer in the above, i am sure.

Good luck..

[Arne_Saknussemm]

I just think your H100 is defective...the pump may be running but something is wrong. The inlet should not be cooler than the outlet...if you can feel a temp difference it is because there is very low or no flow. I would send it back and get it replaced.

I would not really keep firing up the CPU with that cooler and certainly would not run Prime...

And I'd wager a kidney it's nothing to do with push or pull fans...:D