High idle temps in Shuttle XPC - SK83G - HELP

I

IronChefMorimoto

Limp Gawd
Joined
Apr 14, 2002
Messages
273
I'm running the following:

- Shuttle XPC Sk83G (BIOS 29 - updated today)
- Athlon64 3400+ (Newcastle)
- 1GB PC3200 DDR (Crucial)
- 200GB Maxtor DiamondMax SATA hard drive
- 8X Lite-On DVD-R/RW drive
- ATI Radeon 9800 Pro 256MB

When I first set up the box last night, I was running the original system BIOS. I updated it with little or no change in idle temps. Want to get that issue out the way from the start.

Today, I installed all the components and booted the machine without the cover on. Idle temps went from 50 C to 55 C. I left the CPU FAN SPEED MODE in "quiet mode" rather than "safe mode" and installed WinXP. Temps got up to about 57 C - 59 C, according to the BIOS readouts after a reboot.

This IS my first processor with a heat spreader, and I'm not sure if I installed the Arctic Silver II correctly. I originally tried Arctic Silver Ceramique, but when I first saw the high idle temps, I was afraid I'd not applied it correctly and went BACK to Arctic Silver II. In fact, the Ceramique was so tacky that it pulled out the Athlon64 when I went to remove the heatsink/heatpipe.

In both cases, I DID NOT spread the heatsink compound all over the heat spreader, as the instructions from the Arctic Silver website recommended putting a 1/2 BB size amount onto the heat spreader and letting the heatsink spread it out. PLEASE CONFIRM -- is this the way that it should be done, or is the heat spreader not getting adequately covered.

I'm reading on SFFTECH.com forums abouts temps that vary from idling in the 50s to idling down in the low 40s. So far, the only thing that I can think of as the source of the problem is the thermal compound issue. If that's not it, what am I doing wrong?

Thanks,
IronChefMorimoto
 
You are applying the Arctic Silver correctly. I have seen threads posted about Newcastle temps ever since they came out. Many people have reported high temps on ABIT, MSI, and Shuttle motherboards just to name a few. I would assume the motherboard is reading the tempurature wrong, but I know how hard it has to be to just ignore it.

Where did you buy your Newcastle chip? I've got a thread going here and at SFFTECH about Monarch Computer Systems sending me a 3400+ Clawhammer when I ordered the Newcastle. They already admitted their mistake, I just hope they have a Newcastle in stock to replace it with.
 
I had a friend whose computer store was closing special order the Newcastle for me. Can't help you there. Sorry. :(

I've been told on SFFTECH.com forums to spread out the Ceramique or AS2 on the heat spreader rather than drop the BB onto the top and let the heatsink spread it out. Any other comments on that? Is there a case where the internal thermal protection on the chip or other components on the board (I'm thinking PSU) will shut the system down?

This is rather annoying. It really makes it hard for me to comfortably game on Far Cry or (soon) Doom3 if I'm watching the temps on my Shuttle XPC start to "imagination bake" the wall behind my desk. [Reference to Imagination Christmas at the Flanders house on The Simpsons.]

Any additional input is appreciated.

IronChefMorimoto
 
Alright -- kewl -- good to know. Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm going to re-apply the Ceramique and spread it out over the heat spreader rather than risk the crappy coverage (and big air bubble/suction) that I had the first time I used it.

Keep the suggestions/recommendations coming. I really DO NOT want to have to order a $200 Zalman Reserator like my friend just did for his Prescott roasted...er...powered Antec Aria SFF.

Thanks,
IronChefMorimoto
 
Alright, here's something really stupid, if you are using the shim, did you remember to take the blue plastic off? :p
 
Shim? Mr. Spock? Did you say shim?

Seriously -- what shim? I don't have a shim in my XPC packaging. Nor do I have one from the Athlon64 package. To what do you refer?

IronChefMorimoto
 
Still don't know what the hell that shim was which the last guy mentioned. :(

Let me know if you could hear that above the roar of my new XPC.

I have now closed up the system mentioned at the beginning of this post. I wanted to see how much the temps rose when I put the damned thing back together. The Speed Fan mode setting is at Safe Mode rather than Quiet Mode. According to MBM 5.3.7.0, this is what I'm getting WHEN THE DAMNED BOX DOESN'T REBOOT WITH 10 DEGREE C COOLER TEMPS AND BLOW MY MIND:

- System temp: 43C (Sis950/ITE8705F-1 in MBM)
- PSU: 45C (Sis950/ITE8705F-3 - in MBM)
- CPU: 61C (Sis950/ITE8705F-2 diode - in MBM)

I have tripled checked to make sure that the MBM readings (and sensors) match those of the BIOS sensors. I'll be damned if this thing isn't noisy as hell now with the 60C+ IDLE (that's right -- I-friggin'-DLE) temp. And I still get it to boot every so often 10 degrees C COOLER.

Any other thoughts? Suggestions? Help? The SFFTECH folks seem rather mute on the subject, unfortunately. :(

Thanks, and rather peeved with this XPC,
IronChefMorimoto
 
Sorry Iron, I frequent the SFF boards as well (aka mstrmold). Seems to be a problem with Shuttle an their readings for the processor temps. This was fixed on the SN85G series via a BIOS update, but the SK83 has no such fix as of yet. Shuttles issue was with polling the CPU for reporting temps which were abnormally high. The last BIOS update (034) fixed this. I'd imagine that this will get addressed in the near future via an update. But, I'd guess to say that Shuttle will wait a painfully long time before fixing this like they did with their previous Socket 754 solution. Until then, I wouldn't worry too much about it as AMD's site rates your cpu to take temps up to 80c before a problem will develop. Maybe it's time for an Aria swap? :)

-E
 
MrE said:
Maybe it's time for an Aria swap? :)

-E
Click to expand...

I just put together an Aria w/ a friend who used a Zalman Reserator to cool it. Oddly enough, it worked -- VERY WELL. Maybe I'll bite the bullet and make the switch. :rolleyes:

Right now, on this XPC, I'm looking at relatively normalized temps. After 3 reboots. I just don't understand this damned SK83G. Now...to install a game...and actually...HORRORS!...play it. :eek:

IronChefMorimoto
 
I just put together an Aria w/ a friend who used a Zalman Reserator to cool it.
Click to expand...

Yes, I saw the pictures. Very sweet. I'm looking to WaterCool this, but I've yet to find the right setup for the Aria. Will keep looking. So far, I'm looking at the Posieden W2 cooler, or, Global Win Silent Storm. Very compact and clean.

-E
 
Man -- this Sk83G continues to befuddle me. I booted/rebooted (as I was installing software) about 3 times last night, and the CPU temps would go from 40C to 60C back to 50C at IDLE. And the whole time, the Smart Fan keeps compensating for the temperature changes by revving up or slowing down.

Any other suggestions folks?

IronChefMorimoto
 
Set it to full in the BIOS and wear earmuffs! ;) Seriously, one of the reasons I went to an SFF was for noise. Before buying a Shuttle I had an Antec 1030SX case with 5fans running. I went to LAN parties a lot and wanted quiet and portable. Well one out of two. They are great for slower procs/fanless gpu's but I've deturmined that running the high end stuff means running high end cooling to compensate. One of the only ways I got the SN85G4 to run cool(er) was to have it set to full in the BIOS, and control the fans using Speedfan. Even then, the CPU would fluctuate pretty radically.
Since the Aria swap, I've been pretty happy. Its quiet, and, it idles with the same equipment in it about 7-10c less than the Shuttle. Good luck in conquering this beast.

-E
 
I said shim since I had one packaged with my Shuttle. I guess the SK83G doesn't have one...
 
A few guys on SFFTECH.com recommended that I install the Cool & Quiet Power Options add-in for the A64 processor. It's sort of like SpeedStep, I guess. I also rebuilt the system from the ground up and made sure to re-Flash the BIOS via the WinFlash utility to update the DMI (this supposedly helps).

Since the C&Q add-in was installed, I think my A64 was running at 999MHz. I didn't notice that it changed automatically when I started up a game (according to CPUID -- it looked locked at 999MHz). Is there any reason why, after playing StarCraft or another game, that the C&Q wouldn't visibly show a change in the speed of the processor? I ask because I monitored the speed in both CPUID and MBM, and the CPUID program showed 999MHz but nothing in between. MBM never showed a change from 2.4GHz.

Speaking of games, temps are in the 50C range, although the CPU keeps jacking up to 60C and higher every so often. I played StarCraft last night for about 15 minutes and jacked the temps up into the mid-60C range.

This morning, I played Medal of Honor: Allied Assault for about 15 minutes with full-on graphics, and the temps didn't get above 50C. In fact, the darn thing booted in the 30s C.

I DID submit a full technical support request to Shuttle US. I hope to hear from them soon.

Thanks for the feedback.

IronChefMorimoto
 
As Cartman would say...

FUCK FUCK FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK!

I have repeated an SFFTECH.com forum member's recommendation of a BIOS 29-to-BIOS 25-to-BIOS 29 flash procedure about 5 times now. It involved using WinFlash, updating the DMI, rebooting after unplugging the power cord post-WinFlash, and skipping any BIOS messages straight to WinXP. Last night AFTER 3 hours of gaming was the last time that I will do it.

During my gaming last night, my machine booted at around 35C CPU / 38C PSU / 34C SYSTEM. After that, it was wild as hell. The PSU got up to 60C during gaming and would drop back into the low 40s C after a reboot -- almost instantaneously. The CPU would rise up to around 52C -- then after the reboot, it would swap high temps with the PSU -- shooting up around 65C.

Towards the end of 3 hours of gaming, I noticed the Motherboard Monitor AND SpeedFan were NOT reading RPMs from the SmartFan, even though the SmartFan setting was active AND the mode was Safe Mode (the louder mode).

I have yet to recreate some of the SFFTECH.com forum members' success with this box. Should I send it back and get a replacement from Newegg.com in the event that mine is defective? Or should I wait for a BIOS fix from Shuttle? I want to resolve this sooner rather than later because (a) I cannot afford to replace the Athlon64 (got it for $400 BEFORE last week's price reduction) if something burns it out and (b) I don't want to run out time under Newegg.com policies to exchange the XPC.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Salvation for my rather unnverving temps?

Thanks,
IronChefMorimoto
 
I don't know what to tell you. I've been waiting to see if you could fix it before I made my decision between the SN85G4V2, SK83G, and the EQ3801. Good luck, I'll be watching!
 
:D :D Listen I know how you guys feel I have an old shuttle sn45G and I had the AMD 64 one you are discussing. Its horrible, I even cut 3 blowholes and installed 3 80mm fans it slowed down the fan due to the fact that the temps were okay but now with the 3 extra fans althouh more silent than the cpu fan the system is noisy. Well needless to say I gave that machine to my wife for her home office as she's not really into computers so I don't think she noticess a quiet pc. But I got an Antec Aria setup with the AMD 64 and it runs like a dream. I do alot of gaming so I had to cut one blowhole and then I cut another just to added an LED fan and it still runs quiet even under full load. I ran Far Cry for about 2 hours then I went online with my Star Wars game and it was great checked temps after and they were stable. You can try to take temps with a third party cpu themomert and digital ready works great my temps never went over 67 celcius. If you want my complete configuration let me know send me a private message and I will get it to you. I say everyone needs to ditch that shuttle and get an Antec Aria case build your own. More flexable more upgradeable and you can really put 3 hard drives this baby is grand. SOme people say they get high temps so If you send a private message I will send you the model numbers of all my specs. The noise level of my Antec Aria is only 22dBA I can get it down to about 19Dba
 
I'm sorry that I've not update this thread in awhile, but I have pretty much solved the problems I was having with really high CPU temps on my SK83G.

First off, INSTALL THE WINXP processor driver for Athlon64 processors from AMD's software/utilities website.

Second, after the installation, go into Power Options and set the profile to Minimal Power Management.

Finally, using a CPU monitoring tool of some sort, WATCH to see that changes in your demand on the Athlon64 affect the CPU clock speed.

When the processor driver is properly installed, the Cool & Quiet technology (C&Q) in the processor should work to raise and lower your CPU clock speed according to demand. This also lowers default temps which, in turn, lowers the Smart Fan speed.

For example, on a cold boot (without my hot-ass halogen on behind the XPC), my SK83G boots with the following approx. temps:

- Sytem - 35C
- PSU - 30C
- CPU - 30C (usually lower, actually)

The CPU is running at around 1000MHz instead of the default 2.8GHz (Athlon64 3400+ Newcastle). When I start playing a game, the clock speed jumps to full tilt, and I get the following approx. temps:

- System - 45C
- PSU - 45C
- CPU - 52C

IMMEDIATELY after exiting the game, the CPU clock speed drops and the temps for the CPU start falling accordingly -- almost 10C within 60 seconds.

Since I got these C&Q extensions working per the instructions on the A64 website, I've been very pleased with the temps. Shuttle STILL needs to get the BIOS updated to read temps more accurately, but for now, this will work -- without extra excessive case modifications!

IronChefMorimoto
 
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