CPU overheating

[MightyFarmer666]

GPU: GTX 970
CPU: i7 4790k
AIO: Corsair H100i

So I was wondering why my games are running like crap (PUBG and Halo Reach) and decided to download MSI Afterburner.

The temps were running pretty hot so I cleaned my PC inside, removing as much dust as possible.

 

First test after cleaning everything was fine, my GPU temps were topping at around 80C and CPU around 70ish.

Later in the evening, I started Halo Reach again and whilst my GPU topped at around 80C again, my CPU was at 98-100 across all cores...

So my questioning to you is, can it be an issue of the thermal paste since it hasn't been replaced since my system was put together (3-4 years ago)?

[DominicNikon]

8 minutes ago, MightyFarmer666 said:

can it be an issue of the thermal paste since it hasn't been replaced since my system was put together (3-4 years ago)?

A new thermal paste application can drop temperatures a few degrees but nothing major unless the first thermal paste application did not cover the whole chip. For the h100i are the fans and pump running properly because that would cause more of a spike in temperature then just old thermal paste. 

  

[Quadrum]

It’s probably old thermal paste for the cpu. Just clean it with some isopropyl alcohol and reapply

[Quadrum]

1 minute ago, DominicNikon said:

A new thermal paste application can drop temperatures a few degrees but nothing major unless the first thermal paste application did not cover the whole chip. For the h100i are the fans and pump running properly because that would cause more of a spike in temperature then just old thermal paste. 

  

Unless it dried out or was a bad application. It’s still good to give it a shot.

[Falcon1986]

12 minutes ago, MightyFarmer666 said:

So my questioning to you is, can it be an issue of the thermal paste since it hasn't been replaced since my system was put together (3-4 years ago)?

Could be. You could try cleaning off the old paste and reapplying new. Do you have a heatsink-fan that you can temporarily use to see if the cause is the H100i or the paste?

 

Also, if you're comfortable with it, you can look into CPU undervolting (using Intel XTU or ThrottleStop).

[DominicNikon]

2 minutes ago, Quadrum said:

Unless it dried out or was a bad application. It’s still good to give it a shot.

Yeah i agree. You should always apply new thermal paste first because it's a lot cheaper then say buying a new cooler  

[MightyFarmer666]

Ok, I have some thermal paste at home so will try that tomorrow.
I don't have a spare air cooler for CPU to check if its the AIO though.
Will report back tomorrow

[MightyFarmer666]

Ok I don't want to jinx it but it may have just worked.

I run pubg this morning and I could actually play the game, whereas before it was unplayable. The game did freeze at one point but I don't think it was due to CPU overheating as it was just under 80c.

 

As for the old thermal paste, it hardly covered the CPU and was really dry.