System temp rises to 80-90°C when starting or idle in BIOS
System temp rises to 80-90°C when starting or idle in BIOS
Hello, I’m experiencing what seems to be a typical overheating problem. When the system starts up, it reports an error indicating excessive heat on the post screen. To proceed with Windows installation, I had to disable the CPU temperature monitor in BIOS. After that, I installed Open Hardware Monitor to monitor temperatures, which shows my CPU core #6 reaching 90 degrees or higher continuously. I’m unsure how to interpret this data but have attached a screenshot from Task Manager. I’ve also applied new thermal paste and cleaned all fans—both the case fans and the AIO radiator/fan. The BIOS was mostly reset to default settings. My setup includes an i5-8600K processor, an Asus Z370 motherboard with 16GB RAM at 2133MHz, a Coolermaster lite 120 AOI fan, a 650W bronze PSU, and a borrowed Gigabyte RTX 3050 graphics card. I’m concerned about this issue beyond just reformatting the PC. My system is four years old. Can anyone suggest solutions other than reformatting?
Use a cooler with lower temperatures. For even cooler performance, remove the CPU or upgrade your cooling solution.
I've already tried that. Before swapping the thermal paste, it showed up at 80+ degrees in the bios. Even after replacement, the problem persisted and I couldn't boot into Windows unless I adjusted the monitor CPU temperature in bios. I haven’t attempted to defrost because I lack the right tools and the specific compound. I think it would be best to bring my machine to a local shop for testing since I've already done some basic troubleshooting.
Consider changing the thermal paste and test another cooler for safety. If not covered by warranty, you might need to remove the case and apply liquid metal instead.
Sure. I'll attempt to use another cooler for testing. If the problem continues, I'll have to desolder and swap it out with liquid metal because it's past warranty. I think the CPU or sensor might be faulty—only one temperature reading at 90 degrees, others normal. Thanks!
Ignore the Nuvoton chip readings. Focus on data from the CPU sensors instead. The information indicates all cores exceed 70°C despite low activity. Address your cooling system—replace the heatsink if needed. Check the thermal paste and application method. Ensure the heatsink is securely attached to the CPU; it should not move. Your Intel Turbo Boost is off, so the CPU runs at its base speed of 3.60 GHz, which is significantly slower than intended. For better tracking, use HWiNFO—its frequent updates make it a reliable choice over Open Hardware Monitor.
It was really helpful, thank you. I’ll definitely get a new cooler to fix this. Right now I’ve re-applied the Arctic MX-4 thermal paste and placed five dots on the processor—two in the middle and four near each corner. The heatsink is also firmly secured. Should I always turn on turbo boost or just activate it when I play games or run demanding software?
Ensure your cooling system is sufficient and keep turbo boost active. If your heatsink fits tightly and you applied thermal paste, your cooler might be faulty. Check HWiNFO to verify core temps stay above 70°C during idle use—this strongly indicates a defective cooler requiring replacement. For reference, a 10-core 20-thread 10850K with all cores at 5000 MHz runs smoothly at 30°C or less when using minimal tabs in Chrome.