OCing a dual-core processor, and some airflow questions.
Here's the deal: I'm running an X2 3800+, and I've gotten it up to 2.5 Ghz. It's fairly stable, since it runs Prime95 for 7 hours, but I've yet to do a 24 hour test. Anyway, my question is this: I'm running two instances of Prime95, one for each core. Is this the ideal way to test for stability on a dual-core system? My temps get pretty high this way (66 degress). Will anything else really tax my CPU in this way?
Also, contributing to my high temps is the fact that my PSU exhaust fan isn't working. I'm going to replace it, but I'd like to know how much of an improvement I'll see with a PSU with a 120mm intake fan and a honeycomb exhaust grill. How would this compare to the current 80mm intake and exhaust fans?
And ym last question: Ihave a fourth 80mm fan. The other three are being used for front intake, side intake, and rear exhaust. I got the idea to have two rear exhaust fans, so I took plastic ties and tied the fourth one to the first rear exhaust fan. Is this an effective set-up? Is it moving more air? Is theRE A better use for it? Thanks a lot!
Also, contributing to my high temps is the fact that my PSU exhaust fan isn't working. I'm going to replace it, but I'd like to know how much of an improvement I'll see with a PSU with a 120mm intake fan and a honeycomb exhaust grill. How would this compare to the current 80mm intake and exhaust fans?
And ym last question: Ihave a fourth 80mm fan. The other three are being used for front intake, side intake, and rear exhaust. I got the idea to have two rear exhaust fans, so I took plastic ties and tied the fourth one to the first rear exhaust fan. Is this an effective set-up? Is it moving more air? Is theRE A better use for it? Thanks a lot!
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Comments
Yes--two Prime95 instances is the ideal way to test stability of a dual-core processor. I prefer the 'Small FFT' test. Be sure to set 'affinity' of each Prime95 instance so that it is effectively using each core. Prime95 is VERY CPU intensive, and I don't know of anything else that will burden it that much.
In regards to your cooling--66'C is far too high. Most of the X2 3800+ processors come with a rather weak all aluminum heatsink. You could greatly reduce your temps with an aftermarket heatsink (like the Zalman 9550, or the Thermaltake big typhoon). I would not run any kind of stress testing until you can get either a new PSU, or repair the fan on your existing one. If the PSU can not stay sufficiently cool during heavy load, you increase the risk of a dead PSU that may take some of your hardware along with it
MediaMan wrote a great article on case airflow a while back.. check it out: http://www.short-media.com/review.php?r=230
If you need any help overclocking, check out the link in my signature below
1) insufficient case air intake
2) insufficient case air exhaust
3) airflow bypassing the CPU heatsink
4) very warm ambient air (room temperature)
5) case in an area that doesn't ventilate
6) improperly/poorly installed heatsink
- intake and exhuast should be approximately the same volume, if uneven, exhaust should be stronger
- ensure that cool, incoming air makes it to the heatsink and is not bypassing it
- ensure that hot air dissipating from the heatsink is exhausted out of the case and not recirculating
- CPU heatsink mounting-- ensure that it is resting absolutely flat on the CPU, ensure that you use quality thermal paste, preferable Arctic Silver or equivalent and that the past is not too thick-- paper thin is proper
What happens to your CPU temperature if you remove the case side panel?