CPU Overheating at Idle - Out of Ideas

[dt_]

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Short:

Problem: My CPU gets way to hot. This happens even at idle. Cannot figure out why. I have tried a lot of things with no luck. I fear the end.

 

 

Long:

 

I have been running an intel i7-3930k paired with a corsair H100i aio since the year that the 3930k was released. The chip still runs outstanding for its age (until now). For at least half of the chip's life it has ran a modest overclock. It ran at 4.0Ghz stable for over 4 years without any issues. Temps at a max would hit 80C under 100% load. This type of load was rare, as I rarely did any encoding/rendering/etc. Mostly just games and servers.

 

The CPU started acting up a few days ago when it started to take a few minutes to boot up. It would then prompt windows to log off and shutdown right after startup for no known reason. This is when I found out my CPU temps would reach over 90C just from startup. It will get just as hot in the BIOS. If windows takes too long to boot up the pc will tjmax and cut power instantly. This obviously leaves the pc as useless. The issue is clearly the heat from the CPU, I just cannot narrow down why.

 

I have been building computers for around 8 years now and have yet to have a CPU go bad on me. I have ran out of idea's to try and fix this problem. It may be the case that the CPU is actually done. I have tried many different methods to get the heat down but had no luck.

 

**Room temp: 72deg F.

**CPU overheats at idle.

 

Things I have tried:

 

- Started by clearing cmos to factory settings to set my cpu and ram to stock speeds.

- Unmounted the H100i and applied a new quality thermal paste (Arctic Silver or something like that).

- Re-seated the CPU.

- Ensured all fans and airflow are working and optimal.

- Ensured the pump on the H100i is actually pumping.

- Changed the liquid in the H100i (The old liquid had mold in the loop when I drained it. I was concerned that the mold might be clogging the loop, but you can feel the flow through the rubber tubes). **You can feel the liquid get hot in the tube when the system is running.

- Cleaned the mold out of the cooling fins inside the head of the H100i. (The backside of the copper contact with the IHS).

- Undervolting the CPU in the bios. - Temps ran the same at 90C until shutdown and was surprised that windows would launch by taking .15v away from stock voltage. (Stock: aorund 1.25v... undervolted to: 1.1v) When this didn't work I reset this back to stock.

- Disconnecting extra BS that is not essential to the machine running.

- Ensured that dust is not an issue (In case/fans/radiator/etc.)

- Ensured that the BIOS is up to date (Not that this should matter as it is running the same version that the pc ran fine on for years).

- I am sure I have tried more, this is all I can think off the top of my head..

 

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* When I let the CPU cool down to room temperature then start running the system. It takes less than 1 minute for the CPU to reach 90C in the bios before I pull the plug. 

* Delidding is not an option as I believe the i7-3930k is soldered.

* Everything works the way it should. Windows and Linux will boot and run. All devices work. The temps (and consequently system shutdowns) are the only problem.

* No error codes

* Temps on GPU / HDD / SSD are fine.

 

 

 

Anyone have any ideas? Or is the chip doomed?

I appreciate your time.

 

Full Specs:

intel i7-3930k

Corsair H100i AIO

16gb ddr3 g.skill ripjaws xmp

EVGA X79 classified motherboard

Asus GTX1080 strix

Samsung SSD 850 evo

EVGA Supernova P2 1000W 80+ plat

A huge case. Rosewill thor or something.

Windows 10 x64

Manjaro Linux

 

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[Overl0rd]

To me this does still sound like an issue with your H100i.

Do you have another cooler to try?

[dt_]

Unfortunately I do not have one that fits this socket.

That is why I have gone to such lengths of making sure the H100i is working properly.

 

I pulled the CPU out of the motherboard and ran power to just H100i unattached so that I could feel the copper block itself as it ran and certainly feels as if the aio is doing its job.

[GoldenLag]

sounds like a dead AIO to me. 

 

get a good Aircooler instead. 

[191x7]

How old is the H100i? AIO-s have a life-span of about 3 years.

[dt_]

This AIO is old. As old as the CPU coming in around 6-7 years old.

 

Most AIO's die as a result of the pump failing, or in rare instances the liquid evaporating off.

 

Although old, this H100i definitely has a working pump and I changed the liquid just a day ago.

When the system is running you can feel the liquid pumping through the tubes and you can feel the tubes getting warm as a result of the CPU heat being pumped around.

 

 

[Stormseeker9]

8 minutes ago, GoldenLag said:

sounds like a dead AIO to me. 

 

get a good Aircooler instead. 

Agree with this. Probably a dead pump 

[GoldenLag]

Just now, Stormseeker9 said:

Agree with this. Probably a dead pump 

or clogged fins in the radiator or many other reasons. 

[dt_]

The CPU can overheat in under 1 minute. Surely that is not near enough time for clogged fins / restricted flow to play an issue. I can say with 100% confidence that the pump is functional. I can also say with 100% confidence that liquid is flowing.

[GoldenLag]

Just now, dt_ said:

The CPU can overheat in under 1 minute. Surely that is not near enough time for clogged fins / restricted flow to play an issue. I can say with 100% confidence that the pump is functional. I can also say with 100% confidence that liquid is flowing.

that is enough time for it to overheat. 

 

have you tried just having a metal cup filled with water, thermal paste it to the CPU and check temps?

 

that is one way of checking. because its most likely a dead AIO

[dt_]

Interesting, I will look for a metal cup and give it a try. Thanks for the suggestion. Ill report with my findings

[dt_]

 

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Metal cup with thermal paste. Added iced water so it was very cold. Still hits 90C.

 

I believe the AIO is fine

 

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[Stormseeker9]

1 hour ago, dt_ said:

 

 

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Metal cup with thermal paste. Added iced water so it was very cold. Still hits 90C.

 

I believe the AIO is fine

 

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That’s the same temp as with aio correct? Sounds to me your pump is dead. (As it is 8 years old, and sometimes after 4-5 years aio’s can fail.

[dt_]

It is the same temp, however it was a cup of iced water. The cup was still very cold by the time the CPU was hitting max temp. I believe the problem is with the chip as this would be way colder than any cooling solution outside of liquid nitrogen.

[DanBlo]

2 years later, did you find the problem ?

I seem to have the same problem.  Voltage issue ? mother board prob ?  etc.  ?

[David_11]

On 5/29/2019 at 12:21 PM, dt_ said:

It is the same temp, however it was a cup of iced water. The cup was still very cold by the time the CPU was hitting max temp. I believe the problem is with the chip as this would be way colder than any cooling solution outside of liquid nitrogen.

Did you find the culprit as to why your cpu is overheating? Because I too is having the same problem even though my pc is only 9 months old. 

 

I'll try getting an aircooler and look see if it changed.