H100 - Indigo Xtreme Results?

EDIT: PAGE 2 has pictures of the IX on my CPU/H100 Waterblock with results and conclusions so skip ahead if you'd like.

 

Okay so I got my IX today and I went ahead and did everything. I removed the old stock TIM and put the IX on and then screwed the H100 heat sink into place tightly.

 

I started my computer with stock volts & frequency (without the pump plugged in or the fans running) and instantly my CPU temp was near 80C. I ran the recommened 8 CPU Burn-in's and the temps were steadily at 99c-100c for about 2-3 mins.... then I got a BLUE SCREEN before the temps ever started to drop.

 

Question: Was Speed Step supposed to be disabled or enabled? I had it disabled.

 

My computer restarted without the pump plugged in and the temps never went down. It was constantly at 99c-100c for about 6 minutues. I finally got tired of waiting for the temps to drop (the directions, or YouTube videos, never mentioned what to do when IF your CPU reached its max temp and the computer shuts off).

 

I then plugged in the pump and the temp started to drop instantly down to my normal temps on stock frequency, 36-37c. Here is a pic I took of SpeedFan and RealTemp showing what it look liked after I plugged the pump back in and let it sit for a couple minutes.

 

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/Diditwork.png

 

Basically, I don't know if it worked properly because my computer shut off before the temps started to decline like it shows in the directions. This is a problem because if I remove the heat sink to look the IX is also removed and I have to use the second, and last, application that came in the package.

 

Also, I have all my pics of the before Temps. Right now in San Diego it is really really hot (68 degrees at 9PM) and to make matters worse it is really really hot in my computer room (Don't know the exact temp but I'm guessing its high 70s in the room). It's really difficult to tell what went wrong and if the IX actually "reflowed" properly.

 

What do you think? I am wondering why the temps got so high and why my computer shut off. Isn't IX designed specifically so that doesn't happen?

am I understanding you correctly that after you plugged the pump in your temps fell to normal?

Yeah, but they are not any better than before with the stock TIM.

 

The problem is I don't know if it was completed correctly because my computer Blue Screened because the temp became too much for my CPU to handle apparently. I don't think that's normal.

 

Right now my CPU is overclocked from 2.67GHz to 3.2GHz. My Idle temp is 37C and the Prime95 temp was 59C. Those are the same temps that the stock TIM achieved. So it's either the same results or my computer shutting off in the very middle of the REFLOW process is causing it not to preform as expected. And as you can see, for some odd reason, the SpeedFan program is only reading 4 cores and no threads. CPU-Z shows 4 cores and 8 threads. Windows task manager also shows that I have 8 cores. Maybe it's a glitch with SpeedFan or something?

 

I can't be sure unless I completely remove the heat sink block.

Question: Was Speed Step supposed to be disabled or enabled? I had it disabled.

I believe it was supposed to be enabled. That way your CPU would have throttled down before you got the blue screen. It says to load set up defaults. And that would have speedstep enabled. The instructions say that the CPU's will throttle down before any damage. I also dont think that you needed to go for 3 mins.

the SpeedFan program is only reading 4 cores and no threads.

Thats normal.

 

EDIT

Sixxshooter im going to have Wired merge this back with the original thread.RG was kind enough to let us keep that thread going so i think it's only right to keep it to that original post.

Okay well I'm probably going to redo it tonight. I'll enable speed step this time. You're right, I should've posted this in the thermal paste thread. Can an admin please move it, thank you.

He beat me to it.

 

Speed Step should be enabled to prevent that exact issue from happening. As to the product properly being applied.... no clue. If you are going to re-do it, no big deal (expensive mistake though) however I am sure you could always email IX to see what they have to say about it.

Nah, it's fine. It was my bad. I actually had it enabled right before I freaked out and disabled it lol. The thing that I don't understand is why do you need so many Burn-ins. Seems to me that one or two Burn-in instances without a CPU fan/pump is more than enough to reach 90c. My CPU was idle at 70c-80c with no cooling. I made an 8 dollar mistake but hopefully my CPU can survive another round tonight. Should be interesting to see if the reflow occurred, and if it did, the temps are the same. But if it didn't reflow correctly that would mean I was getting the same temps without it even being done correctly, that would be impressive.

I am assuming they need to ensure that the reflow process is complete. IIRC they said something about the reflow process for water cooled blocks being a LOT longer than that set for air cooled heatsinks.

Well I don't know what the difference is as long as the CPU is 90c+. I'm actually thinking of using Prime95 this time rather than 8 CPU Burn-ins.

http://www.indigo-xtreme.com/docs/IX%20ECO2%20&%20H60%20Application%20Note110501.pdf

 

http://www.indigo-xtreme.com/docs/indigoxtremeinstallation-1155-1156xtremeclean.pdf

 

"7. Follow the average core temperature profile (with

the temperature monitoring program) illustrated in the

graphics below for your specific thermal solution:

Heat Sink or Waterblock. Larger heat sinks and all

copper waterblocks will require longer reflow times."

 

Also see the graphs located on page 3 of the above link.

Yeah, the notes say to open a CPU Burn-in one at a time while watching the Speed Fan graph closely. I guess I'll try that instead of just opening up all 8 at once. I'll make sure to post pics of what the IX looks like when I take off the water block.

It would be the same for prime. You would need 8 instances open. 4 cores and 4 threads. That way all cores get required heat

 

It also does not say anything about lenght of time to complete. Just to watch the graph. If anything looking at the instructions wterblocks look to be quicker than a heatsink

 

[EDIT} NVM, i found that too. It DOES say all large heatsinks and copper waterblocks will require longer reflow times.

 

and this...

6. Exercise the CPU with a “burn” program (such as

Prime 95™) to generate adequate heat for reflow. Multicore

CPUs require one copy of the burn program for

each core to be running simultaneously.

So all BIOS settings should be set back to default? That would mean Turbo Boost, etc, would all be enabled along with Speed Step. Peanut I think I'm going to open up 4 at first and then check the temps and how many cores/threads are fully active.

Why don't you just follow the directions as is?

Lol because it's a little scary. When it's 90 outside and your CPU is at 100C, I just don't want to fry my CPU from too many Burns.

 

Also, the notes posted in the above links said that it may reflow before all 8 are open. Maybe I'm being overly cautious but it's a little freaky once you're doing it.

I will give you tha . It is a little freaky. But with speedstep enabled it will throttle down. I would make sure you have all 8 instances open. It may not get up to temp the way it supposed to. It's your call though....and your 20 bucks:D:

Okay well I'll try it again with all 8 & Speed Step, hopefully it'll work properly. Remember, it might have reflowed the first time. I'm still getting the same temps as I did with the stock TIM. I'll post an update later with a pic of the IX

If it reflowed properly, you should have a nice even spread of the IX over the entire surface of the CPU die.

http://www.indigo-xtreme.com/docs/IX%20ECO2%20&%20H60%20Application%20Note110501.pdf

 

According to that link you posted Mister you're not supposed to tighten down the thumb screws on the water block head until after the procedure is finished? When I did it I had securely tightened the screws down before I started the Burns.

It just says to re-tighten them afterwards. Which is basically normal for any heatsink. after a good heat-up they can loosen some due to expansion and contraction of the metal surfaces.

 

You were good the first time around as far as that goes Six!

Yikes, just got a random blue screen and my computer restarted. My temps were at 35C. That hasn't happened before. Hope I didn't damage my CPU during my first attempt.

Are your clocks/voltages still at stock?

Yeah Mister I was at stock everything. I was preparing for the re-do. Soooo nervous right now lol

 

It just happened again. Ohhh Jesus. It could have been because I forgot to put my memory profile on XMP and that my 1600MHz was manually changed to that speed? (my board is stock 1333MHz).

 

In other news I see that the i7 960 is only $199 at Micro Center stores :)

Okay I just re-did it WITH SpeedStep enabled and stock everything (I loaded BIOS defaults) and I still got a Blue Screen (reason cited: CPU Temp too high). So... Let me first just say....Use Indigo Xtreme (IX) at your own risk guys.

 

In other news, the first reflow attempt that I did basically worked..even though I thought I messed it up. The pictures below show what it looked liked after I took the waterblock off my CPU. As you can see from the pictures the reflow was flat and even. The chunks missing from the IX application were clearly ripped off, and still attached to, the waterblock head.

 

Waterblock with some IX still attached.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IMG_0569.jpg

 

This picture is of the IX still attached to my CPU and socket.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IMG_0570.jpg

 

Here are pictures of the IX removed from the CPU, both sides. On one side you can clearly make out the Intel writing from the CPU.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IMG_0577.jpg

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IMG_0578.jpg

 

I haven't finished running my temp comparisons yet but right now my CPU, on stock settings (i7 920), is at 31-32C. That's only 1c less than the stock H100 TIM. This process seems dangerous. This last time my computer was only running the recommended 8 CPU Burn-ins for less than 1 minute before my computer flat-lined.

 

When the reflow occured it must have happened so quickly that the graphs on SpeedFan couldn't even catch it. I don't know if this is normal so I will wait to see other people's results are with using IX and the H100. For now, I'd be very cautious though if you plan on doing this.

 

I will have all my temp comparisons posted very shortly so you can see the differences. I tested the stock H100 TIM at 3 different idle/OC levels (3.2GHz, 3.5GHz, and 4.0GHz). I also left the H100 on its Medium (Balanced) setting only because that will most likely be the most popular choice among consumers. Right now I would say that Corsairs choice in TIM for the H100 and its stock application on the Waterblock seems to be very very good. From my experience I can't recommend, based on the money and risk, that IX doesn't seem to be worth it in my opinion.

 

UPDATE: Here are pictures of temperature comparisions between the H100 using its stock TIM on IDLE and then using Prime95's maximum heat test (Pictures A & B ) and the H100 using the IX (Pictures C & D). As you see, the temps are almost identical at an overclock of 3.2GHz when idle and under full load. The Indigo Xtreme performed only slighly better with my setup and rig. I have the H100 in a Push/Pull config on medium settings using the stock Corsair fans as the pull and two Cooljag Everflow 120mm x 25mm 9-Blade PWM Fans as the push. For my full specs please select the drop down arrow near my name.

 

A) IDLE i7 920 @ 3.2GHz with stock Corsair TIM

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/i792032GHzIDLE.png

 

B) Prime95 i7 920 @ 3.2GHz with stock Corsair TIM

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/i792032GHzPrime95Temps.png

 

C) IDLE i7 920 @ 3.2GHz with Indigo Xtreme

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IX320GHzIDLE.png

 

D) Prime95 i7 920 @ 3.2GHz with Indigo Xtreme

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l288/TurkishSTB/IX320GHzPrime95.png

I gotta ask...How hard was it to remover the waterblobk compared to regular TIM?

 

BTW, now you got me nervous to try it. I hope i have time today to mess with it!