Cooling/testing questions

[MasterBlaster76]

Hi guys.

I've opened this thread because my questions were taking the GTA IV PC thread miles off topic!!

Anyway, how long do you have to run Prime95 for to see if your system is stable? Some people have mentioned 24hrs or more! Is that really necessary?

I'm looking at getting a LED display for my system - one that shows temperatures, fan speeds etc. Are these things accurate and are they easy to install? Any links would be great!

I am looking at overclocking my CPU to 3ghz (hopefully), so will need better cooling. This is what I'm looking at:

Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 Pro CPU Cooler (Socket LGA775)

Lots of people seem to recommend it. Are these third party coolers usually as easy to fit as the Intel ones? Also, PC Gamer says that most of them come with a 'thermal paste pad' already applied. Is that the case with this one and if so, when applying fresh paste, can you use ordinary paste, or do you have to get special thermal paste pads?

Finally, if I do go to 3ghz with my current CPU, how long would that hold off a complete CPU upgrade for and would my CPU oc'ed to 3ghz run GTA IV well?

I've decided to learn about all this stuff and how to install it as well - I'm sick of paying shops extra for installing components.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

When getting components like this online, which sites would you guys recommend? Are there any sites you've ever had problems with, or sites that are not as secure as they should be? Which are the most secure online retailers for this sort of thing?

I looked for the Arctic Cooler at play.com, but they only have the extreme version, which is about ?8 more. Plus, I haven't read if that fits my socket yet.

 

[The_gas]

Yes, Gamer did mention that. Have you seen my new thread? That's where I've posted other questions pertaining to this, as this thread has gone miles off topic!!! :laugh

One last question in this thread: I was able to remove and replace the Intel cooler without any problems. When installing the Arctic Freezer, is it just a case of 'old cooler out, thermal paste on CPU, install new cooler'? And are the coolers that come with thermal paste already applied better than those that don't? (OK, two last questions.)

http://www.planetcricket.org/forums/technology/cooling-testing-questions-56976.html

I've answered most of those questions already man, so I'm quoting what you posted in the gta thread.

Yes, its as simple as that. Remove older cooler, clean heat sink on cpu with nail polish remover. Apply new paste to cpu heatseak, clean off paste on the arctic freezer with nail polish remover (it will come pre-applied with some cheap paste), apply cooler, make sure it is fitted correctly before turning on pc.

The_gas added 0 Minutes and 33 Seconds later...

When getting components like this online, which sites would you guys recommend? Are there any sites you've ever had problems with, or sites that are not as secure as they should be? Which are the most secure online retailers for this sort of thing?

I looked for the Arctic Cooler at play.com, but they only have the extreme version, which is about ?8 more. Plus, I haven't read if that fits my socket yet.

Overclockers is a good place to buy from.

The_gas added 1 Minutes and 24 Seconds later...

Lots of people seem to recommend it. Are these third party coolers usually as easy to fit as the Intel ones? Also, PC Gamer says that most of them come with a 'thermal paste pad' already applied. Is that the case with this one and if so, when applying fresh paste, can you use ordinary paste, or do you have to get special thermal paste pads?

Finally, if I do go to 3ghz with my current CPU, how long would that hold off a complete CPU upgrade for and would my CPU oc'ed to 3ghz run GTA IV well?

Yes it comes with pre-applied paste (compound). Remove it and replace with arctic silver.

It should hold you over for a few years, and will definitley help in GTA IV, which at highest settings my system can just about run, although sometimes fps drop to 21-23. Because of CPU, GTA IV is a hog, and really benefits from quad core, but this is the only game that does.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Thanks for your help.

This is the Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro

I don't know if it's the angle of the picture, but the setup of the fasteners looks odd - it makes it look as though the fan is on the side of the block rather than the top, compared with this one, which looks more like my Intel cooler:

Is this one any good? It's a lot cheaper.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HS-026-AR&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=1395

Edit: This overclocking lark seems very complicated, or maybe it's just how this article makes it look:

http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=17612922

 

[The_gas]

Thanks for your help.

This is the Arctic Cooling Freezer Pro

I don't know if it's the angle of the picture, but the setup of the fasteners looks odd - it makes it look as though the fan is on the side of the block rather than the top, compared with this one, which looks more like my Intel cooler:

Yeah its a weird design, but surprisingly effective for such a cheap product.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

As I said before, my CPU is a bit on the warm side (40/37 at idle), so what sort of temperatures should I be looking for with the new cooler?

Also, is that other cooler I linked to any good? And how safe are Overclockers UK to buy from?

I hope you're not feeling too bad, don't bother with my stupid little questions until you feel better mate!!

 

[The_gas]

As I said before, my CPU is a bit on the warm side (40/37 at idle), so what sort of temperatures should I be looking for with the new cooler?

Also, is that other cooler I linked to any good? And how safe are Overclockers UK to buy from?

I hope you're not feeling too bad, don't bother with my stupid little questions until you feel better mate!!

That's alright man, I'm drinking wine just to ease the pain.

My idle temps are 30-35, with full load around 48-54. As long as your full load temp is below 60c after some prime testing, your fine. Nothing else is important. If temp shoot up during prime testing to 60 or above, just stop the test and come back.

Avoid that other cooler like swine flu (pun intended) its the same as the intel stock cooler.

Overclockers are fine, bought from them before.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

That's alright man, I'm drinking wine just to ease the pain.

My idle temps are 30-35, with full load around 48-54. As long as your full load temp is below 60c after some prime testing, your fine. Nothing else is important. If temp shoot up during prime testing to 60 or above, just stop the test and come back.

Avoid that other cooler like swine flu (pun intended) its the same as the intel stock cooler.

Overclockers are fine, bought from them before.

Thanks!

Really quick question about swine flu - does it feel like normal flu, or far worse? Sorry if that was a daft question.

By the way:

Streetfighter IV is so violent!

















I love it!!!

Zangief's moves are even more backbreakingly destructive than ever before!

 

[The_gas]

Thanks!

Really quick question about swine flu - does it feel like normal flu, or far worse? Sorry if that was a daft question.

By the way:

Streetfighter IV is so violent!


I love it!!!

Zangief's moves are even more backbreakingly destructive than ever before!

Well, its not confirmed i have swine flu, but i have flu, so im presuming it is.

Yeah zangief is a top tier character, along with sagat blanka dn ryu. Don't like any of them myself, i like Dan, Ken and Seth.

 

[Kev]

Face it Matt, its just Man Flu!

I'm not big on overclocking anymore (personally I don't see the point these days, just buy a faster processor, they are so cheap these days). I haven't tried that cooler above and didn't know they existed for PC's, but the machines I have been working on for a living have used a similar design for cooling components for years and it's a very efficient way too cool, so I expect it'll do the job really nicely.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

Face it Matt, its just Man Flu!

I'm not big on overclocking anymore (personally I don't see the point these days, just buy a faster processor, they are so cheap these days). I haven't tried that cooler above and didn't know they existed for PC's, but the machines I have been working on for a living have used a similar design for cooling components for years and it's a very efficient way too cool, so I expect it'll do the job really nicely.

Which one: the Arctic Cooler (the top image), or the other one?

 

[Kev]

The Arctic Cooler.

In fact I'm thinking of getting one now, I've been thinking of upgrading my processor and oner of those will be going on it. I hate the traditional design for cooling processors, sticking a big arse cheap fan on top of a mahoosive heatsink. They work but I get fed up with the fans going noisy. I really hate how cheap fans are used. I've changed the fan 3 times in my powersupply since I built this PC as they just get too noisy. Most definitely will be buying an Arctic cooler for my next processor and I haven't even bother to look at the price.

 

[MasterBlaster76]

The Arctic Cooler.

In fact I'm thinking of getting one now, I've been thinking of upgrading my processor and oner of those will be going on it. I hate the traditional design for cooling processors, sticking a big arse cheap fan on top of a mahoosive heatsink. They work but I get fed up with the fans going noisy. I really hate how cheap fans are used. I've changed the fan 3 times in my powersupply since I built this PC as they just get too noisy. Most definitely will be buying an Arctic cooler for my next processor and I haven't even bother to look at the price.

So you'd say that the sidefan cooler is a better design? Thanks for clearing that up. So these coolers are quieter as well then, that's good.

 

[Kev]

So you'd say that the sidefan cooler is a better design? Thanks for clearing that up. So these coolers are quieter as well then, that's good.

The design of that fan is a basic heat exchanger which is used in most forms of cooling. Much better than sticking a cheap arse fan on top of a big arse heatsink!

 

[MasterBlaster76]

So, taking into account that I only have a stock Intel cooler right now, what sort of temperatures should I be getting for idle and load?