WCG-TPU Cruncher's Hardware/Tech Support Discussion Thread

[Norton]

By popular demand.... OP under construction

Please use this thread for hardware related posts and assorted tech/support discussions related to crunching.

*Will expand this OP as the thread grows to link relevant info/important posts/etc...

 

[stinger608]

I for one think this is an excellent idea. More to the point than the "crunchers helping crunchers" thread.

 

[Norton]

@twilyth how did those new coolers work out for your 14c Xeon setup?

 

[theonedub]

Its all my fault Seriously though, this is a long time coming. Should be helpful although it make take some traffic away from the Team thread.

 

[manofthem]

Just for clarification: is this thread designed mainly for hardware assistance, or are all generic hardware discussions to be directed here as well?

For example, if someone wants to share that they added a new rig to their fleet with an epic build (just sharing/rig done), would it be better suited here or team thread?

 

[Norton]

Just for clarification: is this thread designed mainly for hardware assistance, or are all generic hardware discussions to be directed here as well?

For example, if someone wants to share that they added a new rig to their fleet with an epic build (just sharing/rig done), would it be better suited here or team thread?

Thinking we bring most hardware/tech discussions here which would include:
- assistance requests (hardware/software)
- general hardware discussions
- sharing that epic build, etc...

Crunchers Helping Crunchers we'll reserve for:
- "hey anyone got a couple of (insert name of item) that they're willing to part with?"
- "I have a (insert name of item)- anybody want it?"

Team thread
No real restrictions... general Team discussions/BS/etc...

Thoughts?

 

[manofthem]

Thinking we bring most hardware/tech discussions here which would include:
- assistance requests (hardware/software)
- general hardware discussions
- sharing that epic build, etc...

Crunchers Helping Crunchers we'll reserve for:
- "hey anyone got a couple of (insert name of item) that they're willing to part with?"
- "I have a (insert name of item)- anybody want it?"

Team thread
No real restrictions... general Team discussions/BS/etc...

Thoughts?

Yeah that's cool. I can dig it

 

[twilyth]

@twilyth how did those new coolers work out for your 14c Xeon setup?

I haven't tried them yet. I'm thinking I might save them for the next build. I haven't decided yet.

 

[Arjai]

Just for clarification: is this thread designed mainly for hardware assistance, or are all generic hardware discussions to be directed here as well?

For example, if someone wants to share that they added a new rig to their fleet with an epic build (just sharing/rig done), would it be better suited here or team thread?

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/threads/show-off-your-wcg-farm.109893/

 

[Arjai]

Team thread
No real restrictions... general Team discussions/BS/etc...

Thoughts?

Be careful with the BS!

 

[Heaven7]

Yeah that's cool. I can dig it

Me too.

 

[xvi]

Hmm. Should have posted here with my 3930k issues. I originally thought it was proc heat related, but it's locking up even at idle. I bought a Cooler Master Nepton 280L to cram in my little mATX case. The Scythe Mugen Max on it now does a pretty decent job (except for the hottest of summer days), but I suspect airflow over the motherboard is pretty minimal. I'm hoping the Nepton will keep that proc chilly while also providing some nice airflow over the motherboard.

Edit: Next suspicion is PSU.

 

[Norton]

I actually have an ole HAF 932 still in the original box. I will probably attempt to use that first.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

That should work just fine- a HAF 932 can even fit a 4P Opteron board with some modifications

 

[stinger608]

That should work just fine- a HAF 932 can even fit a 4P Opteron board with some modifications

I actually had a 4P Opteron system in that case a couple of years ago. It was a tight fit but it worked. Hopefully the mounting screw holes line up to the normal case design. Can't remember if it is the same now or not.

 

[xvi]

Hmm. Still seeing really high temps on the 3930k rig. Ambient temperatures around here today are ~75F. Load temps are 75-80c. CPU voltage doesn't appear to be going over 1.3v. CPU-World reports the T-max at 66.8c, which seems really low. It should be running completely stock right now with a Scythe Mugen Max (from Sneeky, so I would assume it's the exact same one used in his tests.)
From that TweakTown review, the Cooler Master Nepton 280L I recently picked up should only bring a 4c reduction in temps.

Ninja edit: I came home and the rig had rebooted. Not sure if it was heat related or if Win 10 Preview just decided it was going to do updates while I was out.

So, am I doing something wrong, or are these 6-core i7s actually this hard to keep cool?

 

[Norton]

@xvi maybe the voltage is a little too high?

 

[xvi]

@xvi maybe the voltage is a little too high?

Intel ARK lists stock voltage up to 1.35v, so that seems within spec, but it should be... wait a minute. That 3.8GHz boost clock is only for 1-2 cores. I bet that's my problem. Still, it seems a lot harder to keep cool than the 8-core FX rig. 4.8GHz and high voltage is easier to keep cool than a 6-core Intel at stock volts and near stock speeds?

Also, I just noticed that it's supposed to be 3.8GHz boost clock, not 4.0GHz so it's technically not at stock speeds, but close enough.

 

[twilyth]

Temps from 71 to 79C seem like a pretty broad range. Is there an even coat of TIM on the IHS and did you bolt the HSF down evenly? You need to tighten each screw a quarter turn and go around several times to make sure you have even pressure.

 

[xvi]

Temps from 71 to 79C seem like a pretty broad range. Is there an even coat of TIM on the IHS and did you bolt the HSF down evenly? You need to tighten each screw a quarter turn and go around several times to make sure you have even pressure.

Yeah, for just about everything, I tighten in a cross pattern and then retighten at least once all around. For the Scythe Mugen Max, there's only two bolts (see here for mounting mechanism) and they were both tightened down as far as they'd go (they have a stop built-in). I've actually just finished swapping the Mugen for the Nepton 280L (which was a pain to get in the little mATX case especially since the 140mm holes didn't line up very well). Attached is the TIM spread from the Mugen. I had a hard time tracking down a photo of the 3930k's die, but I think it's a very, very large square that occupies a healthy majority of the IHS. I think coverage may have been minimal and only the center seems to have had good contact. Spread around the edge of the bubble seems thick.

For the Nepton, I went with the "X Method" for applying TIM just to try to promote a large spread. It's considerably later in the day and ambient temps have dropped a bit, but we're at 60c now and temps seem more even. Going from 70-80c down to 60-65c, that Scythe may not have been playing well with the 3930k. =/

Ninja Edit: Attached screenshot showing before and after load temps on graph.

 

[twilyth]

Those are much better temps but still big difference between lowest and highest.

Do you spread the TIM out with your finger or just put it down in a pattern? Because the pattern method doesn't insure even coverage.

I normally put down 4 or 5 small dots about the size of a lower case 'o'. Then I spread it out with my finger. You have to get it so that you can just barely see the metal of the IHS. I gauge this by touching the surface of the chip with my finger tip. If it raises a visible print, I know there's enough in that area. If it doesn't, I know I need more. If pressing with your finger makes some TIM squish out and leaves a dimple, you've got too much.

I probably didn't explain that well. It's something you just get a sense for after a while.

 

[t_ski]

Yeah, for just about everything, I tighten in a cross pattern and then retighten at least once all around. For the Scythe Mugen Max, there's only two bolts (see here for mounting mechanism) and they were both tightened down as far as they'd go (they have a stop built-in). I've actually just finished swapping the Mugen for the Nepton 280L (which was a pain to get in the little mATX case especially since the 140mm holes didn't line up very well). Attached is the TIM spread from the Mugen. I had a hard time tracking down a photo of the 3930k's die, but I think it's a very, very large square that occupies a healthy majority of the IHS. I think coverage may have been minimal and only the center seems to have had good contact. Spread around the edge of the bubble seems thick.

For the Nepton, I went with the "X Method" for applying TIM just to try to promote a large spread. It's considerably later in the day and ambient temps have dropped a bit, but we're at 60c now and temps seem more even. Going from 70-80c down to 60-65c, that Scythe may not have been playing well with the 3930k. =/

View attachment 67250 View attachment 67252

Ninja Edit: Attached screenshot showing before and after load temps on graph.

Going by the attached pics of the heatsink and TIM spread, I would have rotated the heatsink 90 degrees. It looks like the outer two heatpipes weren't being utilized.

Those are much better temps but still big difference between lowest and highest.

Do you spread the TIM out with your finger or just put it down in a pattern? Because the pattern method doesn't insure even coverage.

I normally put down 4 or 5 small dots about the size of a lower case 'o'. Then I spread it out with my finger. You have to get it so that you can just barely see the metal of the IHS. I gauge this by touching the surface of the chip with my finger tip. If it raises a visible print, I know there's enough in that area. If it doesn't, I know I need more. If pressing with your finger makes some TIM squish out and leaves a dimple, you've got too much.

I probably didn't explain that well. It's something you just get a sense for after a while.

This goes against everything we ever learned from Arctic Silver

 

[thebluebumblebee]

@stinger608 , Lian LiPC-T80 XL-ATX/ATX/Micro-ATX/Mini-ITX Test Bench (Black)?

 

[xvi]

I used to spread my TIM, but stopped out of fear for air bubbles. Spread method is still valid?

 

[t_ski]

I'm still using a "dot" or "line" of paste, depending on the CPU die

 

[xvi]

So, here's something weird. I'm seeing throttling now. Temps are tens of degrees lower than they used to be, but despite that, it's throttling until I ramp up fan speed. Throttling happens on all cores at once. Nothing (measurable) is getting hot! o.0