Serious Heat Problem! Help?

Recently, I made a semi-build. I just took the Inspiron 531 and replaced all the parts except the Motherboard.

I've been trying so damn hard the past 3 days to lower my temps, but I'm just driving myself NUTS!

Here's my specs before I go any further:
EVGA 800GT
Corsair 450VX 450W PSU
AMD 6400+ 3.2GHz
4GB G.skill Memory

So, when I first made the build it stayed around 45, but recently, after constant use, it began SKY ROCKETING! I was getting an average of 62c to 71c!

I went out, bought two fans. One on each side of my graphics card blowing AT it from both sides. One goes in 2 PCI slots, and the other is actually hanging lose on the opposite side, but I have it attached with wire.

Also, I put a liberal amount of Belkin thermal heatsink gunk on the chasis area for my processor.

I put the PC on with the side of the case off and it was read at around 45c-53c. I figured that would be pushing it, but still useable, right? I put the side-case back on, and now it's averaging 52c-60c.

As I open up my two temp programs (Speedfan & Nvida Monitor), it states GPU: 52c & Core: 58c.

I'm lost... how do I drop it to a safe temp? I seriously almost want to give up. What do I have to do? PLEASE help me.

PS: I think most of the heat is the 8800GT because it seriously almost... ALMOST felt like it was burning, but I got that somewhat under control now with the two fans, but still toasty. I have a total now of 5 fans in my case. One in my PSU, one in the 8800GT, two blowing air on each side of the 8800GT, one over my processor, and that's it.

For images of the inside of my PC, click below.
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e177/secludedly/IMG00125.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e177/secludedly/IMG00126.jpg
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e177/secludedly/PCSpecs.jpg

 

What heatsink is that?

I hate to say something like this but sometimes heatsinks aren't as flat as they should be...they are actually concave and need to be lapped (annoying process of sanding it) in order to make it so they sit on the cpu nicely.

You also said you put a liberal amount of thermal paste on...you really only need a small line of it. Googling should bring up some results about how much to apply.

Because I'm not sure which direction your fans are blowing, make sure you have the air moving in one direction (usually intake on the front/side, and outtake on the back (and top))

 

I'm not sure of the type of heatsink it is. It just came with the PC. It actually is very flat, too.

A small line? Really? The back of the box itself said to apply a large drop in the center and rub it along going both directions with the card that came with it. I will google it also and look into that, and either way try it out anyway with just a thin line coating.

As for the fans, I have two blowing at the 8800GT Video Card from both sides, one in the back blowing the air out, and another blowing the air down on the processor. I also have one in my PSU but I'm not sure, nor can I tell where it's blowing. I think it's blowing inside it? Hmm, I just can't tell honestly.

Thanks a lot for taking your time and commenting. It may have helped me once I try out using less thermal paste. Thanks.

 

I'm actually gonna try that right away, but is it safe to ask why use less, and what benefit it has?

Thanks.

 

Okay, so I added a lot less, but unfortunately, the temps are the same as they were. I'm reading at 53c.

 

Seems having less didn't help. I really just don't know what to do. I'm at 53c right now. Maybe I need a new open-ventilated case? Blah.

Thanks for helping me though.

 

try using arctic silver 5 instead of the thermal paste you're using. also, when removing the old paste, use isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol to remove the paste from the cpu and heatsink.

when applying as5, you just need a small drop smack dab in the middle of the cpu; should be the size of a BB (amd uses the BB size, intel uses the thin line). once done, just seat the heatsink into place.

 

Like the above poster said make sure you use isopropyl alcohol to remove any old paste before applying new paste. As for applying it in a line, it really depends on the CPU. I have a Q6600 in mine and doing the line makes it so it goes across all of the cores nicely.

Your dot method works too...just have to make sure it's not too much. The reason for not putting a lot on is that you are just putting it down as a thing conductivity layer between the heatsink and cpu. Neither are perfectly flat, so the paste gets in little nooks and crannies and helps with heat transfer, where as putting too much would actually decrease heat transfer.

If that is the heatsink that came with your processor then that could be the problem too. Third party heatsinks can lower temps a LOT depending on how bad yours is and how good the one is you get. Might knock 10 degrees off.

 

So according to my issues, do you agree with everyone else that it's my processor/heatsink? I really thought it was my 8800, but then again this is my first attempt at learning to build so I don't know as much as I should.

So a new hestsink could be an answer? I'm gonna have to look in to that then. I'm starting to feel so defeated right now it's sickening because I just spent 600 dollars and feel like I want to just return everything and keep my PC as shitty as it was. I also don't want to spend more money just to feel as though I failed again. This PC runs and looks so beautiful now I really REALLY wanna save it.

I left my PC on tonight and went to bed. The PC created SO much heat it was like my room was on fire and I couldn't even breath.

Let me ask you though... what is a really great heatsink? I'm desperate and guess I'll just spend whatever I can and make this the last attempt, unless another culprit could be determined.

I was wondering also... do you think it could be my PSU? I was thinking maybe it could be too low at 450W... or maybe it's my Motherboard? Are those possibilities?

Thanks so much for any help. I desperately needed it and am gonna look in to that.

 

Nope. It's just a flat silver surface. I also didn't see anything colored like that anywhere else on the heatsink. It's all black and silver.

 

Forgot to add to this. I did actually use Isopropyl Alcohol. I used those little medical cloth ones and wiped it clean, and got rid of all the paste that may of gotten stuck in the outside crevases and even wiped the processor itself clean. I then added a straight line across and wiped it across 4 times with a card up and down until it was nice and flat.

 

The BIOS unfortunately is locked out for the most part. Doesn't even allow overclocking. There are only few options at my disposal. Motherboard that came with the Dell is kind of crappy. According to the stats also, it doesn't seem to be overclocked accidently either.

Thanks for helping me, but i personally don't think I'm going anywhere with this after all. Someone suggested a new third party heatsink, so maybe that might do me some good. I'm just nervous about wasting more money.

 

The heatsink came by default with my Inspiron 531 and was plated over an AMD 4000+ 2.1GHz and now I have the AMD 6400+ 3.2GHz, so that's a massive leap in my eyes. Could it be the heatsink isn't designed for this new processor?

 

definately the heatsink is the problem. since you're using a factory heatsink from the 4000+, the 6400+ is producing much more heat the heatsink can take.

upgrading the heatsink to a copper core or all copper unit is best. but be warned, most aftermarket heatsinks are big, so you will need to have room inside the case. you'll have to remove the spot fan.

arctic cooling freezer 64 pro or a zalman unit is what you should look into. zalmans are on the pricey side, but they are well designed.


also, your 8800GT will always run on the hot side, due to the single slot design. i had the same evga 8800GT, and i had to keep the fan at 65%, with nVidia ntune, to stay at 49*c idle. i traded the 8800GT for a diamond HD3870, and it's been idling at 49*c idle without tweaking the fan.

 

Okay. Will do ASAP. But is the heatsink really that vital that it could get my temp down so drastically that it would be okay? I honestly looked in to as much as I can about precautions and neccessities when adding new more powerful hardware inside, and honestly, for some strange reason, didn't even think about the heatsink, as I thought they wouldn't make too much of a difference. I guess I'm insanely wrong, huh?

With a powerful new heatsink, you think I am expecting at least a safe drop? I'm idling at 54-58. Also, what would be considered safe for a temp?