FX-55 Overheating Problems

[Lucky_Penguin]

Hello Hello
Well ive had my setup now since December 2004 which is in
my sig, and I have recently had some problems with my AMD FX-55 chip overheating. The other day I was just getting dust out of the interior of my case and I took out both of my memory sticks for a second with the PC unplugged of course just so I get to some hard to reach places. Anyhow I do this like once every two weeks. Anyhow after I put my memory sticks back in and booted up I got a message saying the my CMOS has been reset and that it is running the in the Default Fail-Safe mode and that I need to go into my bios to change it to the optimized mode. Anyhow so i go into windows and play some Battlefield 2 and everything is fine, then a few days later I restart the system and get the same message and decide to go into the Bios and change it to Optimized. I do, then i restart my system and my overheating warning beeping comes from my computer, and I go into windows and its still going off. Anyhow I restart and go into my bios to check my Temperatures and my CPU Amd FX-55 is running at like 70-72 degrees C while just idleing in the Bios. And the beeper was set to go off when it got to 70 degrees. Also my PWM whatever that is, was at like 80 - 82 degress and was set to beep when it reached 80 degrees.
I have had no overheating problems the whole time ive had the system. I checked the voltage and the CPU voltage is at 1.55 volts.
I let the system sit turned off for like 10 hours and I come back and the temperature in the Bios will start out at like 45 - 50 degrees and race up to 70 degrees in about 10 mins. Same thing with the PWM racing from like 60 degrees to 80 degrees I dont really know whats going on, the chip has worked great so far. Im not sure if one of the default settings in my BIOS is messing it up or what. If anyone knows anything I can do please let me know, I dont know what the heck is going on! Please give me some help and Ill buy ya a Beer if I ever see ya out and about. By the way the CPU is not overclocked and there is no liquid cooling or nuttin.
P.S - I downloaded a program called SpeedFan to check out my CPU temps while im in windows and it says the CPU stays around 60c degrees so it says and the PWM stays around 70C degrees. Im not sure how accurate the program is though. Of course the CPU was jumping to 65c - 68c when i opened up 3D studio max.

 

[uzi9mm]

well to get an accurate reading, try putting your hand on the HSF to see if it is even close to 72c.

 

[Trifid]

Here is your problem: ABIT AV8 Motherboard

The only good way around that is spending a day flashing the BIOS until you get a realistic reading.

I found that BIOS 19 was good for me (I have the 3rd eye motherboard) http://www.abit-usa.com/downloads/bios/bios_revision.php?categories=1&model=175 But I can't overclock at all with the PCI lock on, and with it off my HDD becomes corrupt.

I had my previous BIOS screw up when I installed a new heatsink (It said my CPU was at 12*C when room temperature is around 22*C, but now with my new one it idles at a realistic low 30's)

If you don't want to flash the BIOS try feeling the heatsink as soon as you turn the PC off (remember to discharge any static electricity) If it isn't melting your finger than turn off automatic shutdown.

 

[Lucky_Penguin]

Thanks for the responses guys.
Well I dont really like updating BIOS , ive actually only done
it twice to other computers and 1 of those times the
BIOS loaded wrong and I had to order a new bios chip
from ASUS. But I might give the bios thing a try.
Well earlyer I was testing things and loaded up battlefield 2
and I had my case open and while bf2 was running I was
feeling up on my heat sink and it was warm, but i could leave
my hand there all night and it would not have melted it haha.
So if it is actually getting to the 70 - 80 degrees like the BIOS
states then it should be like touching a hot stove?
What is the PWM in the bios, that temp was lookin high too.
Is that my power supply temp or something?
Also I had never had the warning beeps before, do you think
i had an up to date bios version on there that had the correct
temps, but when the bios reset it loaded an older version
that had the wrong temps? Anyhow I did turn off the auto
shutdown and the beeping, but I have that PC off right now
just incase. Im still kinda scared to even use it since this problem
started last night, i dont wanna fry my damn FX-55. Ya know?
Is there a good windows program i can download to get accurate temperature readings? Like i said that speedfan prog had my
CPU at 60 most of the time and jumping to 70 when it was
at full use.

 

[Trifid]

You can downlaod the uGURU stuff which your motherbpard will support, but that gets the information from the BIOS - there should be a uguru chip next to your BIOS chip.

The PWM is (if I can remember proberly) the power modules capacitor things next to the CPU.

Basically if you do screw up, you can get a BIOS chip from Abit for free, as after several emails my friend recieved a new BIOS chip for free. Just say you got a winchester/venice CPU and your mobo doesn't reconise it.

When my motherboard said that my CPU idles at 12*C it happened randomly, after I installed a new heatsink. The BIOS became corrupt after a couple of days later. So I had to download a new BIOS.

 

[LoTeX]

Well I dont really like updating BIOS

Yep it used to be quite a hassle, but with that uGuru's bios updating system it's pretty simple, it can be done in windows with a few mouse clicks. I liked it.