Are these temps normal on i7-3970X?

I probably won't have time to redo the paste until this weekend, but I've got a feeling that should do it... I know I did a crappy job the first time, and I've never used the X method, so I probably did it wrong too. Should the grain of rice be horizontal or vertical?

The block is an EK Supreme HF CU, and I'm using the X-Adaptor which came with the board and allows you to use cooling blocks from 1366 boards. The mounting device uses thumb screws and springs... any rule of thumb on how tight they should go? What is the best method to make sure that the screws are tightened evenly, since there isn't an automatic stop point like on normal screws?

The voltage on in the BIOS was set at 1.24V... is that considered average?
 
Good block, good voltage. Hmm I will ask my review manager how much hotter the 3970x runs as he has one and I have the 3960x.

I would tighten them to the point to where you can't move the block anymore. You can feel the pressure on it. Also, to make sure it's even you can look at your board flat (out of the case) to make sure all the screws are even.

Doesn't matter on the paste. Just a small grain of rice sized which should be just a small squeeze and ball of goop in the center.
 
Something I hadn't considered until now... on my previous configuration, I had a water block for the motherboard, CPU, and GPU. On this setup, I don't have one for the motherboard. Do you think the motherboard is giving off enough heat that it could make the case temperature substantially higher than it would normally be?
 
When you measure your idle temps, are you talking about the temps in the BIOS, or the temps once you get up and going in Windows? If you're going off of BIOS, then I'll feel a lot better, as in the BIOS, it shows (depending on the ambient temperature) around 32 to 34 degrees. Once I'm in Windows, depending on the core, and running Real Temp GT, they are between 28 to 39. The way they are laid out in that program, the two cores in the center usually run pretty cool, and the one just to the right of it usually runs the hottest. Maybe it's just the way windows is using the different cores.
 
When you measure your idle temps, are you talking about the temps in the BIOS, or the temps once you get up and going in Windows? If you're going off of BIOS, then I'll feel a lot better, as in the BIOS, it shows (depending on the ambient temperature) around 32 to 34 degrees. Once I'm in Windows, depending on the core, and running Real Temp GT, they are between 28 to 39. The way they are laid out in that program, the two cores in the center usually run pretty cool, and the one just to the right of it usually runs the hottest. Maybe it's just the way windows is using the different cores.
I use Coretemp in Windows always. My bios was trying to say I was idling at 55c and I know that isn't true when my CPU was stock. That was when I first fired up my machine. After I installed Windows it was saying I was idling at around 35c.

This is my current temps. 1.325v and 1.3v VTT for 2133 RAM. Ambient is 73F right now and Noctua fans on low via resistor.

temp.jpg


Edit: Totally forgot the load temps. Sorry.

temp340.jpg
 
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I'm getting similar temperatures, but this is on the stock 3.5GHz settings. I'm convinced the water block is clogged... there was loose particulate matter in the water that I drained when I switched things over. I probably won't have time to clean it out for a few weeks, as I'm knee deep in school right now, so I don't feel like spending half a day breaking things down and putting them back up.
 
If you are getting these on stock then I would leave it alone for now. I'm not saying you don't need to flush the loop, I'm just saying it's perfectly fine to game/whatever on with these temps and clocks.
 
For now, I agree that things are fine. But once this quarter is over, and I have a couple of weeks off, I want to overclock this, as it's currently slower than my old setup, which was overclocked to 4.2GHz.
 
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