How best proceed with overheating i7-4790K?

[REnso1]

I have an i7-4790K in a GA-Z97MX Gaming 5 mobo latest F4 BIOS.

I used a Noctua NH-L12 cooler rated at 95W for cooling the processor rated at 88W in a Lian Li PC V354 with 4 fans, 2 in 2 out, case closed and case open, ambient is 27-30°C.

Temperatures in BIOS and memtest86+ were high so I decided to try stress testing and in Prime95 small FFT cores 1&2 overheated to 100°C using Core Temp.

I tried reseating the heatsink and renewing the NT-H1 TIM and opening the case but it made no difference. I have a photo of the contact pattern here.

When I tested using the OCCT benchmark I was unable to complete a test due to the processor overheating so I underclocked the processor to 3.6 GHz, disabled turbo and manually set vCore to 1.1v.

With an underclocked processor I was able to get a heating and cooling curve using the OCCT auto capture, to enable me to study the problem.

Even when underclocked the processor was reaching high temperatures, rapid fluctuations in temperature with work load suggest a bottleneck in the thermal pathway. When I tested with the intel retail cooler which came with the CPU the cooling was much less effective than the NH-L12 (even when underclocked taking just over a minute of OCCT to reach the 85°C cut off point see below) indicating the NH-L12 was doing a good job of removing heat, which meant the processor was making the heat or the source of the bottleneck.

I have discussed it http://forums.hexus.net/cpus/327593-4790k-overheating-nh-l12.html elsewhere. Advice was to contact Intel due to an absence of information relating to my retailer's testing procedures. I have asked about these but am still waiting for a reply.

So my question is how should I proceed from here? Does this qualify for an RMA? If so is it possible to negotiate this with Intel direct or do I have to go through my retailer?

I have done my best to make sure I am not doing anything wrong and I would be grateful for any pointers to any mistakes I may be making.

[dadi]

So you get around 30 celsius idle with a delided cpu and water cooling ?!? You should do much better, I'm on air cooling and I get 22 celsius in idle (leave pc untouched for 30 minutes at least). While browsing and doing minor tasks on pc I'm aslo around 30, but that is not idle. However, it's more important that you eliminated the high temps in full load.

PS- my cooler is very tight on the cpu, I applied the maximum possible pressure (cm hyper 212 evo)

[Hur_R]

My problem was also resolved upon re-applying the thermal grease range idle temperatures at low 30 C ( ussually around 31 or 32) even on the defaults settings where default power is set to 4095watts. After applying the above mentioned settings in XTU i ran the stress test witnout XMP profile, the processors temperature raised up to 63 to 65 C at max and after applying XMP profile it got up to 73 C. This is with the water cooler: CM Seidon 120V. I agree, with the stock cooler it was flat 100 C when stressed. BUT, I do have a question though, whenever I have ran the stress test I have never seen thermal throttling going beyond 0 percent mark, and because of that I was thinking for RMA. Any idea why that could be even at 85 C and with the latest bios?

Sytem specs:

core i7 4790K

Asus Z97-K

corsair 32gb vengeance 1866Mhz

[LCCF]

along these same lines, i was going to post this sometime back and i guess i forgot to.

When i went looking for a cooler, i settled on the Nochua NH-L9i as my case is a small form factor case - i remembered one reviewer had noticed how "unlevel" his heatsink base was - he put a straightedge across it, and if held down on one side, it would show a gap under the straight edge on the opposite edge. when my NH-L9i came in i thought i'd check it and sure enough it is not flat across the bottom, but what i found appears to be intentional on nochua's part - the very center of the heat sink base comes to a point, not a sharp one but a tip of a m o u n d, and depending on the angle you held it, in the light, you could see circular grooves (similiar to a phonograph record). The circular patterns are very fine, and actually too fine for me to capture with my camera, but in the below shot, borrowed from one of the reviews of the NH-L9i on the web, you can see two triangular areas reflected in the light, directly opposite each other, one centered at the approx 12:00 O'clock position and the other at the 6:00 position. Where the tips of those two triangular reflected areas meet or touch, that's the tip of the m o u n d (for whatever reason, the intel forum chose to "x" out that word).

if you move the heat sink or change it's angle to the light, those triangular areas will move or rotate around the center point. I don't recall now what i measured the height of that point at, but as i didn't have any guages here at home, i just used some printer paper - 24 lb paper is somewhere around .003", and i was able to slip 2 pcs stacked under the straight edge on the side with the gap (depending on which side i held the straight edge down. The gap was consistent all the way around at the 4 sides i measured, so that convinced me this was intentional in the stamping die that the heat sink was struck in

My point is, i suspect nochua is allowing for that gap under the cpu's cover, and that point is meant to push the center of the cpu in more than the surrounding area, to help close the gap between the cores and the cover, for greater heat transfer. I can only speculate, but i am convinced that that point is not accidental or from lack of QC

similiar to what someone earlier reported in this thread, after installation (i tightened it fairly firmly but this heat sink is limited in how much you can "compress the cpu" - once you hit the firm pressure needed to turn the screws, they don't turn 1/4 turn more before hitting the stop or shoulder on the mounting screws) - but after installation temps went down but not as far as i wanted, but as someone else reported, over the course of a week or 10 days, temps went down to where i am happy - idle is now 31-34C, stress testing in XTU sees primarily 72-75C with short spikes up to 78-79C, and i'm running 56-62C editing videos, whether a 30 minute or 3 hour session.

fwiw

[Hur_R]

After few days, I m back to square one. This is how it started with the stock Intel heat-sink fan. When I removed it, all the thermal grease was pushed out of the center (as Unconnected suggested) and into small groupings. I had no heating problem for about a week of purchase and afterwards it would go straight to 100C. Now after using Cooler master Seidon 120V for a cooler and re-applying the thermal grease, the system worked fine for a week or so (again) but now I m facing the same issue. The only difference is that the temperature doesn't directly reaches upto 100C, it goes to 60+C and within the 30 minutes of the stress, it shutdowns automatically. I suspect that when I m going to remove the cooler, I m going to find the same result as others did: thermal grease being pushed out of the die. Will report back as I do and in the mean while if you guys do have any suggestions do let me know.

[idata]

Hi all,

I have read most of the posts in this entry. Very soon I will become an expert, although I know little about CPU configuration... I am most a software theoretical guy.

Thing is that like all of you guys, I am having issues with my 4790k, I bought it in July (2014 of course), but until now it didn't had heavy workload that could ring my alarm. My mobo is an Asus, a small one in this case: Asus z97i-plus, latest fw (2401 if I am not wrong now, but anyhow, latest), and stock intel cooler. Under XTU, 99 - 100C and throttling like a beast!

I haven't had the time to try any of the proposed solutions (i.e. clear the CMOS, modifiy the default values in the BIOS) but I hope to be able to do some work this evening.

Since as I mentioned before, I don't have experience in this matters, it is very likely I will come back asking for advise, help, or whatever :-).

In any case, thanks all of you for your posting your experience making possible to help users!

Cheers,

K.

[idata]

Hi again,

I am going for RMA, and they ask me for the printed information in the CPU, so I have removed the cooler to get that. I applied thermal compound yesterday, (slight improvement on idle with temperatures of 41-46 vs 48-50 something before reapplying). Since I have to re-reapply today, I have bought Artic MX-4 to see if there is improvement... (maybe not too much.... but now a degree is pure gold for me!).

Here you go pictures of how the paste (coolermaster) was distributed. I applied the drop in the middle, to let the pressure to distribute it. It looks like it didn't cover the whole surface of the cooler... Maybe I put not enough and not exactly in the middle???? Also it looks to me like it is cracked, is it because it has been applied yesterday? or is this normal?? Hameem is it like something like this what you mentioned above?

Also I am thinking to get another cooler, I have a small mini case Thermaltake Urban SD1, so I cannot go for a big one. Reviews for Nochua NHL9i are really good, larryccf what is your experience with it??? Also I don't know how easy to get it here in Singapore, I have seen in a shop the coolermaster geminII M4, any references?

[idata]

I post the amount of thermal compound I have applied. Is this ok? Too much maybe? (The syringe should come with a dispenser to provide the right dose!!!)

Thanks!!!

[dadi]

I use about the same, but usually I add a little more just to be sure

I'll add to that 10% more, on the upper left corner of the drop in the photo

[idata]

Ok Great!

Btw, I have reset the CMOS (or at least is what I pretended to do). I have touched with a key the pins the mobo manual indicates, but I am not sure whether it has been reset or not... Some parameters have been reset, but the date is the same... It should have been reset as well, shouldn't it????

[idata]

BTW danyxp, I will not reset the cooler again, but I will have your suggestion into consideration for the next time (soon probably, if I upgrade the fan finally...)

[dadi]

If the settings are changed you cleared the cmos. I did not had to set up my date and time again after clearing the cmos.

Edit : I recommend you to monitor the temps; next time add less thermal paste and monitor for a few days; and so on, until you notice higher temps, and then you will know what is the limit.

Personally I never had the patience to do that, but I think is the way to go

[idata]

Thing is that I have cleared the CMOS just after inserting the CPU, so that's why I am not sure...

Also, next step is to load optimized default values???

[dadi]

If your bios has optimized values and default values keep the default ones; if you only have optimized values, use those, but I think they are already loaded from cleared cmos.

Just lower turbo boost values and current limit, and disable asus multicore enhancement, set your cores multiplier on auto ( or manul 44-44-43-42 for 1-2-3-4 cores)

Use intel XTU to read the values from windows and to test for throttling (thermal or power or current limit), and adjust those values according to the readings. Different MB have different sweet spots.

[idata]

Oido cocina!

In the exit menu I have the option of loading optimized defaults, but in the ezMode I see just default... (but I guess it is also optimized defaults... Correct guessing...).

[LCCF]

Regarding the noctua NH-L9i cooler, i'm happy with it - it has greater heat exchanger fin area, so by that alone + the larger fan (92mm) it should pull heat out of the cpu faster. My temps did drop initially, irrc about 4-6C, and then over the next 5-6 days after installation i saw an additional decrease in temps, which echos a few posters back about the middle of this thread, reporting the same decrease over time. The speculation then was that the additional pressure from the more secure mounting system of their aftermarket cooler was, over time as t he cpu would heat and soften the bonding compound inside the cpu, cause that bonding compound to spread out more and decrease the air gap between the underside of the cpu case cover and the cores, so heat would transfer faster into the cpu's case cover. I can't factually confirm that with great authority, but that does sound logical.

Also note my post (# 540, pg 37) re the slight pointed or mound surface on the noctua's heat sink, which i speculated was designed to help depress the cpu in the center slightly to help decrease the air gap under the cover.

Since you're also using a SFF case, the following might be of interest to you. While your case has a slight larger volume than mine (silverstone SUGO SB02), being about 2 to 2.5" larger in all dimensions, one major design flaw in my case, was the PSU is placed right above the CPU with the PSU's intake fan about 1 & 13/16" above the cpu's fan. So i had two fans, one a large PSU fan and the other the anemic intel cooler fan, both pulling air from the same space - big fan will win every time. One other benefit to the noctua was that it's overall height was shorter than the intel cooler's height by about 3/8" (10mm), so it had greater distance from the PSU's fan, and then added to that was the noctua's fan was larger diameter w/greater cfm than the intel's. I actually looked at inverting the PSU, but the rear mount holes are asymetrical so it would have entailed fabricating an adapting mount plate, and cutting a grill into the top of the computer case - way too much work & time.

you can see the psu's placement over the cpu in the below pix - i also contemplated installing a polymer sheet as a baffle, separating the psu's fan from the cpu, installing the polymer sheet where you see the green line, to force the psu to draw it's air from the rear and from the sides, and not away from the cpu fan.

But even after the noctua installation, while the temps were greatly improved, they were not where i felt they could be. i ended up adding two 60x20mm Scythe in addition to the fan i had already added - all three 60mm fans are on the opposite side of the case (from the side this pix was taken, so they're all blowing directly at the cpu and across the motherboard.

What the picture doesn't show is the asus graphics card i installed, which means with it's two fans added to the PSU's fan, all exhausting air to the outside (in addition to the one 80MM fan exhausting at the top of the case, there had to be slightly negative air pressure inside the case. After i added the two 60mm fans, my temps are now where i am happy with them - idle (no use for 20+ minutes) - 31-34C, editing videos, temps are 61-66C, XTU stress test, generally 71-75C with sometimes peaks up to 79C.

if i had it to do over, i'd probably have gone with a diffferent, larger volume case and definitely one where the PSU fan was drawing air away from (and in competition with) the CPU fan. Why Silverstone designed that case so that the psu is drawing air away from the cpu cooler is beyond my comprehension.

FWIW, while i'm happy with my temps, since then i've found the case i should have and wish i'd seen - nearly twice the volume and a damn good looking case, the aerocool dead silence cube. This silverstone case will serve nicely as a HTPC case

http://www.pccasegear.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=25701&cPath=547 Aerocool Dead Silence Cube with Window Devil Red Edition [AERO-EN52339] - $119.00 : PC Case Gear

[idata]

larryccf thanks for the explanation. My case has two fans just below the PSU which I think they really help, and both side walls are well ventilated (is that word correctly used here?? :-) ). But also the available space for the cooler, according to what I have read is 9mm. CPU cooler height limitation: 90mm VGA length limitation: 350mm (http://benchmarkreviews.com/14309/thermaltake-urban-sd1-microatx-case-review/ Thermaltake Urban SD1 MicroATX Case Review Urban SD1 841163053713, CA-1A9-00S1NN-00, Thermaltake, Tom Jaskulka, Urban SD…) Edit: the NH-L9i cooler is only 37mm tall... Don't know I thought it was higher! Then I will get this almost for sure. Won't be a mega cooling system, but I guess will help a lot with it.

Moving to modifying the CPU values, I have played around a bit, and although there is some improvement (no throttling on benchamark) XTU 5 minutes stress is still too much for it... it takes about a minute to reach 90C and in the second minute it starts throttling, less than before, and temperatures are not constant 99-100, but 95-100 (not so often 100C like before). I will have to play a little bit more with the values. And I will read a little bit about it, I am modifying values randomly without really knowing what I am doing, taking as reference other Asus MoBo values...

It is really disappointing and frustrating to spend such an amount of money in a supposedly top product and face this kind of troubles...

Thanks...

[idata]

Hi all again,

I have been trying many configurations, and even in contact with Intel Support where Meric I. has been really nice and helpful. However no matter what, the improvement is null. Under just 5 minutes stress test with XTU temperatures quickly goes above 90C and and the last two minutes is continuously throttling. Intel support suggested me several configurations for my MoBo: Processor Current Limit 105.0A and Turbo Boost Power Max and Turbo Boost Short Power Max: 88W. However this didn't help at all, and the come out is always very similar.

Intel Support asked me to run Intel Processor Diagnostic tool in one of the latest messages, As usual, the CPU passed the test (Big Green Letters) and what shocked me is that in the "temperature load test" the tools report it is 8C below the Maximum! When asking to Intel Support what this Maximum Temp is, they answered this Maximum temperature is T-Case (~74C, right?). However during the CPU load test, the temperature shown in XTU was 95-100C!!!!! Then something is really wrong, I think. Similarly, they told me that CPU passes XTU stress test when it does not throttle... But again, in my tests, CPU passes the stress test, while throttling like a beast!

They also asked whether I was experiencing any BSOD, resets, etc. No I am not, which proves the CPU stability is great, and that I am not stressing it for a long time. I really don't see the point of keeping the CPU close to 100C just to see if it hangs or not. It is not working under Intel specs for the processor, and this is enough for me.

Something is wrong, but it looks clear to me that the temperature is definitely above the T-Case Temp!!! And I am not happy having a processor that is working near 100C under load.

I attach some screenshots I sent to Intel Support.

Big Green Letters claiming passed, while the CPU temp is still at 97C!

CPU Temp at 96C, Throttling 19%.. But the CPU will pass the stress test!!!

[DClar7]

Hi All,

I'd like to thank everyone so far for their efforts in solving this issue, I've had so much help from you all.

Now I thought I throw my 2 cents worth.

I have a Gigabyte Gaming G1 mobo,.

I had a stable computer until I noticed that it was running at about 90oC.

I've tried all the settings given by everyone and all its resulted in is an unstable computer. I've tried fixing the CPU Core voltage at values between 1.19 - 1.25, nothing seems to make it stable. I've ran all of the Intel tests and they all pass, so not faulty chip?

If I leave everything as stock, I.E reset CMOS settings, then Intel XTU shows the insane limits as everyone else is seeing (I've "played" with these and they make little to no difference). The only thing that I've found to affect the voltage is the CPU VRIN. If leave this as AUTO in the BIOS it boots at 1.8v. Booting into windows and running a stress test gives me TDP of about 110w and temps from 32(idle) - ~85oC (load). If I then set the VRIN to 1.7 (using Gigabyte EZTune) the TDP drops (dramatically) to ~54w under full load. If I then reset this to 1.8, the TDP remains 54w. What?! This to me suggests a problem with the BIOS setup (as its the same even if I set it to 1.8v in BIOS). Can anyone else replicate this issue?

I've ran memory tests and these are (apparently) clear.

Again thanks to everyone who has contributed so far, I'd have been (almost) completely lost.

[TLock2]

this is an issue with gigabyte and asus boards, I have swapped to an MSI and asrock with no issues afterwards.

[SPark48]

Ummmmmm.... Not sure if you've been paying attention to nearly 40 pages of posts, but it is NOT an issue with Gigabyte/ASUS. MANY MSI and ASRock owners are having the same problem. It is widespread to all motherboard companies.

[NIaco]

Hi!

After reading the whole thread, trying everything i could, i decided to share my situation. Like many of you, i bought a very expensive piece of kit, expecting it to work out-of-the-box... well that didnt happen.

Btw, this is my rig:

i7-4970k Processor (no OC and stock Cooler)

Asrock H97 Pro4 MoBo (btw, does anyone have this MB? how do i turn off XMP?)

Gainward GTX 970 Phantom 4G GPU

16 GB 1600MHz DDR3

120 GB SSD with Windows

2TB SSHD(Seagate)

650W Gold Power Source

After fresh windows install, first thing was to stress test CPU. (some random stress test, that doesnt matter). Pressed the putton, BAM! 100C in 2 seconds. I started reading this thread and tried every suggestion: update BIOS, reset CMOS, install XTU and set ken's parameters... nothing

Also, the stock cooler fan is always at 1600+ rpm, even on idle.... is that normal? on my other rig (i5 4440 stock cooler) the fan stays at under 1000 on idle.

I'm at a loss... tomorrow i'll get some thermal paste (arctic cooling MX-2 is decent i hear) and a Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO is on the way, will arrive on friday.

I'll post an update tomorrow after removing the stock heatsink and examine the stock thermal paste, then re-apply.

Here is a screenshot of XTU settings and stress test.