New comp build: Overheating

[Halliday]

(Crossposted at pbr too)

I took parts out of my old computer and built myself a new one. The new one has a problem with overheating. If I run the processor at full speed I can only work on it for about 10 min before it shuts down.

Specs:
BioStar m7ncg 400 MB
1 Gig Mushkin DDR RAM
Sempron 3300 with fan
XP Pro

I don't understand all the BIOS settings and what they do.
I figured out that if I run the FSB freq at 133, my processor shows up as a 1.47ghz, with a temp of about 47c. If I make that fsb higher, shutdown.

CPU thermal throttling is set at 50%. Setting that at 75% and the FSB at 166 shut it down pretty quick. Disable thermal throttling?

What does the cpu ratio do?
What about the memory freq?

Thanks for reading this. The BioStar mb manual is less than helpful.

[Crighton]

For traditional processors, including the Socket A Semprons, the multiplier is the value multiplied to the speed of the FSB to get the clock speed of the processor. Socket 754 and 939 processors have a memory controller integrated on the CPU die, replacing the traditional concept of FSB. The memory controller runs at the same frequency as the CPU itself, and is able to run the system memory at 200 MHz (using PC-3200 memory sticks) or at lower speeds (when using slower PC-1600, PC-2100 or PC-2700 RAM). Between CPU and chipset, HyperTransport is used, running at 800 MHz for Semprons. The multipliers here apply to the 200 MHz system clock frequency, not the HyperTransport speed.

So for you it's 200mhzx10=2.0ghz

What I don't get is the BioStar m7ncg 400 is a socket A board aren't the sempron 3300+ (Palermo, Georgetown, and Sonora) all socket 754?

[Halliday]

This is a socket A processor.

So set the FSB to 200mhz
and the ratio to 10
and I should be ready to roll?

I don't think the current ratio is 10, so that may explain the overheating. Kind of like accidental overclocking?

Edit: 200FSb and a ratio 10 didn't work. Almost instant shutdown. I kept the ratio of 10 and now my RAM shows up as 1 gig

[Banshee23]

Are you sure you have a Sempron 3300+? I'm pretty sure that AMD never made a 3300+ in Socket A. You should be running with a 11x multiplier and a 166FSB which puts you at 1.83 - a Sempron 2600+. The MB detects what the default multiplier should be from the CPU so 11 is right. Thermal throttling doesn't affect what you're doing now, it's for scaling back the speed when you're in power saving mode. Since you're overheating already and you not even running at the speeds you should be at I'd say you either need a new heatsink/fan or you need to try remounting your heatsink. Where did the heatsink come from and did you remember to use any thermal paste between it & the CPU?

[Halliday]

Yes it is a Sempron 3300.
I tried a FSB of 166 and ratio of 10. That worked for a while

Thermal paste: I did use it but might have messed up. This was my first time build and it took some work to get the processor fan on.

[MicroMiniMe]

Well your other side of the coin is keep your setting where they are at and just cool your whole system better. If you are running a full load and its stable for 10 minutes you should be able to keep the heat in check with better/optimum cooling.
Does it shut down during standard windoze operation or only heat up from graphics intensive operations. I guess I'm asking what your graphics card is and if you get artifacts from that just before a shutdown occurs.
With this solution you'd want to start with ditching the factory heat sink/fan sitting on the processor right away. Fit any Zalman brand fan in there and you should see a difference. They are both big and heavy I'll warn you, or go with a Thermaltake volcano (I think) or other nice HS/F. Then make sure your case is properly venting and pulling cool air in. Pull cool from the bottom and push out from the top, drafting over your processor and memory as best as possible with multiple fans if needed. Your in Iowa right? Maybe move the system to a cooler basement room rather than an upstairs room if possible.

Lastly the Sempron might just be normally a bit on the hot side.

[Banshee23]

Just curious, where did you buy the 3300+? I can't for the life of me find a 3300 for socket A for sale anywhere, the only one I see is for socket 754. The socket A semprons all had a 166mHz bus, which with your 11x multi makes it a 2600+ Anyway, when you mount the HS/F first spread a thin layer of thermal grease on the CPU core. Use a credit card or something to spread it on. Then mount the heatsink again & see if your temps get better. The stock heatsink should have no trouble cooling the CPU at stock speeds. If you do get a new heatsink you're pretty limited to what you can find nowadays, Thermalright makes the best ones but their socket A heatsinks are not for sale anymore. Here's a Zalman one that'll be more than enough for you: http://www.svc.com/cnps7000b-alcu-75.html Or for a much cheaper but still better that stock option http://www.svc.com/ac-coptc.html

[Halliday]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

I bought that parts in a package deal from TigerDirect. I got it last week and now it's not showing up on their site

This fan: http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...p?Sku=ULT31402
I'm a bit concerned about it because some places says it'll handle a 3300 other not.

I did reseat the fan, cleaned off the old paste and put a bit more on. Not a glob but more than before.

Fanwise, I have the cpu fan, a side fan blowing out and this http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...p?Sku=ULT30984


No front or back fans. I think I might buy some.
I'm also using the fat ribbon cables. Might switch to braided for better air flow.

It seems to be running FSB 133/ ratio "optimal" fine. I'll go tweak some settings.

[Banshee23]

Ummm that's definately a big part of your problem! You need some front & rear case fans The front fan blows in, the side fan blows in, & the rear fan blows out. I've never seen that heatsink but it looks ok for normal use, I wouldn't try overclocking or anything but you're nowhere near that right now You still stuck in underclocking mode. Eventually you should end up at 166 x 11. And you definately don't have a 3300+, Tiger is very good at mislabeling things... The only 3300+ they ever made ran at 200 x 10 and was on the 754 platform. The socket A semprons never ran at 200, only 166 Here's an example pic that shows you where the rating is listed on the cpu
In the red circled area it should say xxx2600xxxxx or xxx3000xxxxx or whatever depenting on what the rating is. Take a look when you get a chance.

[Crighton]

I was fairly sure they never made a 3300+ in socket A the highest they ever got in that socket was 2800+

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Sempron_microprocessors

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/ProductInformation/0,,30_118_11599_11604,00.html

[MicroMiniMe]

Tiger is very good at mislabeling things...

How come no one steered him to buy from Newegg is my question.

Gutted my system for under $1000 last year including LCD monitor through Newegg.

[Halliday]

Got it fixed. It was the lack of thermal paste. I cleaned off the old stuff and applied a slightly more liberal amount.
She's purring now
2.19 ghz, 1 gig of ram, 128mb vid card sweetness.

And it is a Sempron 3300+ cpu. That's what the label on the package says and now my comp says it too.

[Banshee23]

Good to hear it's working. Don't forget to add those fans eventually! I finally found a Sempron 3300+ socket A for sale somewhere else, apparently these were only made for use over in Asia and as such carry no warranty from AMD since it was never an "officially released" processor. Not that it's going to die anytime soon anyway, just explains why AMD doesn't list it on their site anywhere. 11 x 200 with 512mb cache, not too shabby