Same motherboard, different temperatures? :s

[Phrantic]

Before I RMA'ed my Asus P5B-E, I got two weeks of enjoyable life out of it. My CPU ran at 28-30 degrees idle, and 35 stressed. Then I overclocked it and it ran about 35 idle and 45 stressed.

Because the motherboard died pretty quickly, I got mine replaced yesterday (FINALLY...) installed it all today and I'm back, but I've seen that my cpu temperature is now 40-44 degrees idle, without overclock.

The setup has not changed. My graphics card still runs around the same temps as far as I know (35 idle) and the motherboard is 32 degrees. Do you think this is a sensor issue? I know that I applied a bit more thermal grease on this one than before (Scythe Ninja by the way), so that could also be something to look at, but I doubt that would cause a temperature rise of 12-ish degrees.

What do you think?

 

[bmxfreakrider]

are you running any type of thermal transfer compound, like a thermal pad, or some paste? usually when there is none it can raise temps, or if the HSF is not resting evenly on the cpu.

 

[Phrantic]

Like I said, I've got thermal grease; Arctic Silver 5.

 

[bmxfreakrider]

where are you getting the temps at? in the bios or windows, or both?

might be a bad sensor, i doubt it tho. can you verify the temps? (like with ur finger on the hsf, or a thermomitor, something like that)

 

[Phrantic]

I'm using Asus PC Probe to check the temps. I'm guessing that, since it's Asus software, it uses the same information from the sensor the BIOS does. But I haven't checked the BIOS temps yet.

The heatsink feels very cool, almost as cool as when it's off, that's why I'm having doubts about the sensor. But I want certainty before I start overclocking now.

EDIT: The BIOS shows similar temperatures. My idle temp has now risen to 45-50 since I moved the pc to my room. I've activated performance mode on the fans in the BIOS rather than auto... but that doesn't help either.