New build but Northbridge is reading 73C at idle

soarwitheagles

Lookin' for higher ground
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Hi. I just began a new build with a AMD 945 in a Gigabyte 970A-D3. I had the basics together on the work bench for testing before slappin' everything in the case. Burned my finger on the North Bridge Heat Sink as I was uninstalling the GPU.

Next, I fired everything up again and this time used my trusty General Infra Red Heat Seeker Temperature gauge. Kinda shocked at the temperature reading....73C.

I rarely place my hands on any part of the MB when doing builds. This was kind of a fluke that I even discovered the hotter than usual temperature.

Ok, not sure where to go from here.

Here's my questions:

Is 73C degrees way over normal? If yes, how far is it above normal?
Does this high of a reading on the NB place the system at risk?
Is there anything else I can do to alleviate the problem? [I already removed the heat sink, removed the TIM, installed Arctic MX-4, and only see a 5 degree drop in temps].

I did read more reviews on the 970A-D3 after this experience and discovered several people also noticed hotter than usual temperatures on the NB.

Ok, please give me some good advice.

Thank you,

Soar
 

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First things first, that heatsink shouldn't be that hot. Modern processors don't have a "traditional" north bridge anymore. PCI-E lanes, IMC, ect all that is built into the CPU now. Technically, I'm not exactly sure what the 970 NB controls, but I can tell you it isn't supposed to be that hot.
 
First things first, that heatsink shouldn't be that hot. Modern processors don't have a "traditional" north bridge anymore. PCI-E lanes, IMC, ect all that is built into the CPU now. Technically, I'm not exactly sure what the 970 NB controls, but I can tell you it isn't supposed to be that hot.

Ok, well this is the first time I ever measured a NB's temperature. I never thought of it until I accidentally burned my finger on the NB heat sink when I was attempting to remove the GPU I used to test the MB. So that was my bad.

Here is what is weird: I decided to yank the new AMD 945 out of the Gigabyte MB is question and I installed the AMD 945 in a ASUS M5A97 EVO instead. I was shocked again when I touched the AMD 970 chip heat sink and the SB950 chip heat sink. The AMD 970 heat sink was 64C degrees and the SB950 was only 48C degrees. The CPU was 30C degrees.

Gosh, I am beginning to wonder if many of these AMD MB's run hot...

I was fully intending upon returning the Gigabyte MB back to Gigabyte [I already did the RMA paperwork], but now I am not sure what to do.

One thing for sure...I do not want to build a friggin' fire hazard...that is my biggest concern.

In the future, I will scan every MB for temperature checks before completing the build.

Soar
 

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After some Google, it appears AMD still holds the PCI-E lanes and a few other things in the NB. Gee AMD sure is lacking behind wtf man. Some Google also shows these chipsets run rather hot naturally. Guess it's the price you pay for getting AMD, and no I'm not trying to be an ass with that comment.
So in other words, this is normal apparently.
 
After some Google, it appears AMD still holds the PCI-E lanes and a few other things in the NB. Gee AMD sure is lacking behind wtf man. Some Google also shows these chipsets run rather hot naturally. Guess it's the price you pay for getting AMD, and no I'm not trying to be an ass with that comment.
So in other words, this is normal apparently.

Ok, then 63c on the ASUS and 73c on the Gigabyte AMD MB's are normal. Gosh, I will check the various spots on my Intel MB's next time I have em' apart. Probably nothing over 30c!

Thanks PPM!

ill be an ass...

your first mistake was going AMD...

HeeHaw!

So Sean, you are an Intel man now?

Never done the AMD scene before...or decided to jump ships?

Soar
 
Well on Intel, everything was placed in the CPU as of the first gen Core i CPUs. PCI-E lanes, IMC, QPI, and the only stuff left on the PCH is SATA and USB, as well as a few other very minor things (PCI lol). My P55 heatsink right now isn't even warm to the touch. My X79 on the other hand was slightly warm, but not in the 60s.

Sean had a 965 before he jumped ship. I think he is loving it.
 
yup screw that freaking phenom II 965BE...

i am currently in the works of upgrading to Ivy bridge, water cooling it and overclocking the snot out of it with a goal of 5-5.2ghz( i know it wont matter PP, before you get started :p )
 
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