[PLUG] Newly assembled machine overheating

[Galen Seitz]

Richard C. Steffens <rsteff at comcast.net> wrote:

> It took a fairly long time to finally get around to booting, but
> eventually the SuSE 10.1 install CD booted. I entered the FTP site and
> waited another fairly long time for the process to begin. Just as it
> did, the alarm went off. I aborted the installation and rebooted. The
> processor chip temperature was 44deg C. I recall that the limit is 45,
> so I shut down the machine.

Assuming that the 45 degree temperature is at the chip, that's not
very hot at all.  For example, the max die temperature for the 
XP Processor Model 10 with 256K L2 Cache is 85 degrees C for the 2200+
model.  BTW, I can tell you from personal experience that an IC
package at 90 degrees C will burn your finger.

> The only unusual thing that occurred during assembly was that when I
> poked a little hole in the thermal grease packet I must have made two
> holes, one front and one back. I watched a small amount of grease come
> out the front hole, but didn't see about twice as much come out the
> back. The extra grease ran off the chip top and down onto the chip's
> carrier board. There are some little bumps of something that are next
> to the chip top. The grease got on and in between those. I used a
> q-tip to clean up most of it. I was sure to leave grease on the chip
> top, but I don't really know how much there should be.

The bumps are most likely decoupling capacitors.  I doubt you caused a
problem with the extra grease.  

> 
> Any recommendations on what to do next?

Double check your alarm settings.  45 degrees C is too low for a chip
overtemperature alarm.


galen