I have an X2 3800+ AM2 at 2.2GHz. Im thinking of un overclocking it because it runs at 40C idle, idk load. I put Arctic Silver on it and its still hot. I think the stock heatsink and fan might have something to do with it. Any ideas why its so hot. I want to hit 2.6+. If its the fan then i might buy liquid cooling. My only other guess is that the Arctic Silver might have ozed out onto the MB, which would suck, but idk if that does anything.

1) What motherboard do you have? I have an M2N-SLI Deluxe with the same CPU and AS5, and I idle around 55C. It's possible that the temperature sensor could be wrong.

2) How much Arctic Silver did you put on the CPU? Did you clean the stock compund off the HSF well?

Finally, if you're overclocked at in the 40's, you're fine. I have no stability problems with a 5% overclock idling in the 50's. And the temp sensor could be wrong, I've heard reports of that on the M2N-SLI.

Well run it at stock speed with the lowest stable voltage possible. That or get an aftermarket HSF.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813131022

Thats my motherboard, and where is the stock compound, is that that grey sticky square on bottom? I didnt touch it.

That's it. If you feel like a project, remove the HSF, use rubbing alcohol and some paper towel to remove the stock goop, and apply some Arctic Silver 5. You only need a little bit, about the size of half an uncooked grain of rice. More than that could be detrimental, by keeping heat in. Then put your HSF back on. After a burn-in cycle of about 200 hours, your temps should be lower.

Ok, so i messud up alot, I put on way too much Arctic Silver and Ill remove stock stuff. Thanks.

I just built a machine with an x2 3800 and i painted the entire surface with a thin coat of artic silver 5. my system is running at a cool 32' C. Did I put too much silver on there? will it hurt my rig?

thoughts....

It shouldn't. As long as none of the compound leaks out onto any of the other compnents, and your temperatures are good, you should be fine.

My friend's single core 3800+ idles below 30C, which is great.

My X2 3800+ idles around 50C, full load around 60, with just a dab of the Arctic Silver on it. I think it's too hot, but since I'm going off to college and need to make sure I don't break anything right before I have to go, I probably won't do anything about it until next year.

Since I'm going to get a new video card next year anyway, I might as well get a new CPU cooler, too.

Update the bios to the newest revision that usually helps most temperature sensing problems. I had a small asrock MATX board for my parents with a celeron 2.53 ghz that was idleing at 55 degrees, but I updated the bios and the idle is more like 38 degrees. If you are still using your shipping bios then that is most likely the problem.

Did that, no change. 0304 is the latest revision.