Windows 7 i7 cpu usage 100% overheating?

[Diablo3]

Hi guys my i7 idles around 40's? it has always been like this CPU: 43 Core 0 42 Core:1 41 Core 2: 42 core 3 41 ( my aux is 128 ) but people have told me speed fan gives a false reading for that considering its been stuck at just 128 and nothing on my mobo is that hot... also considering that is above boiling temp.. anyways my point i'm getting to is that when i run rsbot ( runescape bot ) my cpu usage hit 100% and when i move my mouse everything starts to slow up exteremly terrible almost at the point where i can control anything and my cpu temp gets up 73+ cores are like 90's + but see when i play minecraft , or world of warcraft or diablo cpu stays around high 40's to 50's and core temps are around mids 60's i've tried everything to get it down and the problem i have is i used to be able to run rsbot compelety fine... i mean i could even run rsbot and play minecraft at the same time... the other day i relized my computer was being extremly laggy i thought it was my mouse because i just got a new one and i looked at the cpu temps ( this was just idle ) and they were 90's... i freaked out and took my computer apart and scrapped off the old thermal applied new and now its back to 40's but it seems to lag a bit at time.... now and it doesn't feel the same i applied theremal paste this is probally the 3rd time i applied it in the last 3 months... i don't get it i'm puting 2 rice grains sizes maybe not even that much i'm making sure it covers the whole cpu.. everything.. it only hits 100% when using rsbot and it didn't do that before any of you guys maybe able to help me out its much appreiciated!

 

[Digerati]

You risk damaging your CPU by continually replacing the TIM (thermal interface material). TIM does not go bad or wear out. The only time it needs to be replaced is if the cured bond between the mating surfaces is broken - such as when the computer is bounced off the floor, or the heatsink is removed for some reason. Then, you only use as small amount of TIM as necessary (try 1 grain size next time) to give complete coverage. Any excess is in the way and counterproductive. The TIM is there to fill in (push out the air) of the microscopic pits and valleys of the mating surfaces only.

It is your case's responsibility to provide ample front-to-back flow through the case to extract any heat the CPU's heatsink fan tossed up into the flow.

Speedfan is good, but like most hardware monitors, it often has a hard time putting the correct label to sensor. Or often, if there is no sensor on that particular board, it tosses up a value that makes no sense - like 128°C. I generally recommend using the hardware monitor that came with your motherboard (see utilities disk or board's web/download page). Or, I like CoreTemp - though it only does the CPU, not other motherboard devices.

Tell us about your hardware and OS. All we know is W7 and i7.

 

[Mike]

As Digerati hinted, continuing to apply the thermal compound to resolve the problem may only "compound" the issue. With Arctic Silver, all it would take is some of the compound to bleed off the CPU or heatsink surface plateau and into the small square surface that surrounds it or onto the motherboard to completely destroy your processor. The process of applying thermal compound correctly and not damaging the processor is so sensitive, that once applied, you literally, almost never want to have to do it again. It is very easy to absolutely destroy the processor in this manner. I have seen Intel processors survive a bad thermal compound application, and even after being completely cleansed of all residue and re-seated properly, they ultimately lose the ability to operate under the TJMax at the normal clock speed. Even one drop of thermal compound onto the pins where the CPU sits or onto the actual processor die will eliminate your investment completely. You will, seriously, be wiped out.

You should be using a tiny, miniscule layer of good compound, squared evenly around the top of the processor with a match book cover or razor blade. It should be a single coating that is thin and consistently distributed. If the CPU temps got into the 90s it is very possible some of the thermal compound hit areas it shouldn't have. If you used an enormous amount of compound (where it was literally dripping all over the place..) this would explain the CPU in its 90s. If this is the case, be happy you are at 40C and run prime95 to stress test the processor. See how hot it gets and if it clocks down. I have QuadCore Intel Core i7 Extreme 975, 3.33ghz (26 x 133) idling at 41-45C. Also, never, ever buy an Extreme Edition processor It is a waste of money.

 

[Digerati]

All that, but I was also referring to just the process of removing the HSF, cleaning the mating surfaces, reapplying TIM, then securing the HSF. Each step presents excellent opportunities to zap something with ESD, bend a pin, scratch a motherboard circuit trace, crimp a wire, pull a wire, and more.

The typical difference between the default TIM (thermal pads used by the OEM makers) and high-end TIM is no more than 5°C. If 5° matters that much to CPU stability, you have other cooling issues - like not enough case fans.

 

[capez]

My advice, leave the sink and fan in place, DL CPUID HW monitor and see if you get similar values. Also check the CPU-Z from CPUID and make sure you arn't over volting that i7 mine is running 1.2v Vcore @ 4Ghz and At 100% load I'm only reaching 68c. Keep in mind the TJ max of the chip os 101c (Thermal Junction Maximum) stuff starts to melt at that temp so if your getting a 128c reading you should have a pile of molten metal sitting in your case.