Temps rise after adding RAID to Abit NF7-S 2.0?

[IronChefMorimoto]

OVERVIEW

I just added an SATA RAID to my NF7-S 2.0 motherboard -- using the onboard SATA RAID controller and two (2) Maxtor SATA 120GB hard drives. As you can see from the specs below, I have an AthlonXP 2500+ (stock) and Radeon 9500 Pro 128MB also in the system. It's powered by a 480W TruPower Antec PSU, and I cool the whole thing with 5 80mm fans (one on the processor with a Thermalright SK-7 copper heatsink).

Before I added the RAID, I was getting idle temps of around 35 degrees Celsius. I get the same idle temps now, but instead of going up to about 40 degrees Celsius at load, I'm now getting up to 50 degrees Celsius.

I ran, for example, a full Norton Anti-Virus 2003 system scan for about 15 minutes just a short while ago, and the temps rose from 36 degree Celsius to nearly 50 degrees Celsius.

I should note that I'm taking readings from Motherboard Monitor 5.3.5.1, I believe.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

I'm running one of those standard Chieftec Dragon aluminum cases with room for 4 80mm fans. All of the fans are Panaflo fans connected to a baybus -- they run at the lower baybus voltage setting for noise purposes. Turning them on full tilt doesn't really help too much.

The one front 80mm fan that's housed in a drive cage was PREVIOUSLY blowing over the two RAID drives. When I noticed the temp increase, I shifted them UP to the drive cage with the 3.5" floppy drive, where I previously had two (2) 20GB ATA100 drives. No change in temperature.

The one change I DID make was moving one of those ATA100 drives UP to a 5.25" drive bay -- under two (2) optical drives. This drive is used for Adobe Photoshop work disk. Disconnecting it and NOT letting it run, however, did NOT improve the temperature change that I noticed.

QUESTIONS

1. Does the SATA RAID controller add to the load temperature of an NF7-S 2.0 system, either from the processor side or from two hard drives being accessed simultaneously?
2. Would the BIOS upgrade (from 15 to 20) also cause the CPU temps to read higher at load than previously?[/list=1]
   
   I'm not sure if this is related, but I also noticed that, upon a recent boot earlier in the day, the BIOS RESET the CPU settings and gave me a warning at boot about checking the CPU for some reason. I had to reset the BIOS to the 2500+ setting. It was rather odd.
   
   Could I perhaps purchase a PCI SATA RAID card, drop it in, and have it pick up the RAID 0 that I'm already running? As a means of ruling out the temperate rise from CPU/onboard RAID question?
   
   Would a PCI card allow me to bring in an existing RAID? esp. if it's on another chipset?
   
   Any help that you [H]ard folks can offer is greatly appreciated!
   
   Thanks,
   IronChefMorimoto

 

[IronChefMorimoto]

*BUMP*

Anyone got any ideas?

This is THE WEIRDEST behavior I've ever seen from this Abit motherboard. I've been ripping all my music CDs to MP3s with Apple's iTunes, and, MAN! The temps are incredible. 53 degrees Celsius when previous such activity only go around 40 degrees Celsius.

I witnessed the same sort of temperature rise when I did a full virus scan. See the above post.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[IronChefMorimoto]

Well slap my ass and call me Mary. I just put in my old AthlonXP 1800+ (Thoroughbred B core). I played 30 minutes of StarCraft in the SAME configuration as I had earlier today with my Barton core 2500+. And, instead of a near 60 degree C CPU temp from Motherboard Monitor, I'm seeing barely a 39 degree C CPU temp.

Now, either I have a crappy ass fan for that 2500+ (same one that I'm using on the 1800+ now with the Thermalright SK-7), or the 2500+ puts out that much more heat than an 1800+. Which is it?

Thanks,
IronChefMorimoto

P.S. - Thanks to Kyle for giving me some assistance today. The [H] rocks!