Why are my temps so high?! E2180 + Zalman 9700 (Even Lapped!!)

kevlee89

Member
Alright so I've been having some trouble with temperatures with my CPU. I have an E2180 at stock, and my idle temperatures are about 38 degrees on PCWizard (core temps that is) and my load temps hover little over 50 degrees.

I'm using a Zalman 9700 and MX-2 Paste. I've tried ALL manner of things to try and lower then temperatures. I have re-seated the HSF about 5 times, tried all sorts of different applications of TP, and today I even lapped both the HSF and CPU. The lapping took maybe 2 degrees off my load temperatures, but at the same time I think with my coolers and at stock speed, it really should NOT be this high with a C2D. Maybe a bad egg?

One thing though. When I seat my Zalman, and screw the screws REAL hard..I can still move the HSF a little. It seems its not completely in place. Is anyone else's Zalman like that? I mean it wont move front to back, but side to side I can twist it a little.

Any suggestions?

EDIT: Btw my case is a CM Centurion 5 (1 intake and exhaust fan 80 / 120 mm)
 
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Just about all heatsinks will "twist" after they have been "locked" in..

i just finished re applying the thermal paste on mine

heres how it should look

DSCF2334.jpg


in your case, its very possible they the bios is just reporting the temps wrong
 
okay, so the twisting thing isn't just me, got that out of the way. I actually tried pressing down the HSF and monitored PCWizard for a couple minutes. lol :P

yea I put just a teeny bit less than the amount of TP you used in that pic..I have no idea..I guess the BIOS might be reading temps wrong. The actual HSF itself is always very cool when I touch it.

Gah, whatever, I need to get it over it and get on with my life, haha :D
 
We all worry!! why do you think i just finished re applying 1 week old thermal paste!? :P

Sounds like you have it on perfect, i wouldn't worry about it. If it was me...
 
lol yeah

dude, you know what's weird though is..

I just OC'ed it from stock 2.0ghz to 3.0 ghz, and PCWizard and other monitoring programs are still reporting like the same temperatures at idle. I still have to Orthos and Prime, but is that normal? Doesn't sound right to me!
 
Yeah, sounds like its just reporting the temps wrong.

Still not as bad as these E8400's reporting the wrong temps :P
 
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