Windows 7: Sheesh, could it just be my chip? (Temperature)

Yep Erick might be a wise move mate - I don't know how far nroth you are but if you are south of the Canadian border I don't know how hot it gets there in the US apart fro the southern states.

That is a nice cooler and the one that I was going to get for my Ivy Bridge was this DEEPCOOL - GAMER STORM - ASSASSIN - Design what put me off was it's sheer size and that it overhung the RAM sticks so I went LC.

Plus I needed a good one as the ambient temps around us here in the Central West of NSW during spring summer and autumn we often average 35C and a lot of days 40C or above so it has to be efficient.

I've tried a lot of coolers in my time, but the NH-D14 is the best in my book for air coolers. Mine even beat the Corsair H100. And it gets about as hot here as where you are John. This is Florida. people fly in from all over the would to get slow roasted here. I stay inside in the AC. But, you'll need a big enough case for it. It will fit yours John.

Hey mate come here and get spit roasted in under 30 minutes LOL!!

I advise when the ambient temps go very high back off the over clock no matter what cooler you use.

reckon one would to be foolhardy or plain daft not to.

Well this sorted out my little problem and not knowing where to post it I thought it might be handy here at least now I know why my HW is showing those diodes.
C2D and Quad Temp guide by Computronix

That has some good info John, but it is 5 year old info, before Sandy Bridge. Their specs have changed now. the article only mentions 65nm and 45nm CPUs, Sandy and Ivy are 32nm and 22nm, respectively.

Yes mate I am still searching for the up to date stuff.

I am as you know not overly blessed with understanding a lot of computer issues but I think that some understanding of how transistors and there just so many different types - work and for example react or function given certain parameters - in particular situations involving heat. That also follows for other electronic components not just transistors.

We all take it for granted that running the CPU (or anything that utilises energy) creates heat and I think myself as I do in my professional life consider it necessary to know what is normal at the very basic levels before one can go diagnosing what is abnormal at those very basic levels and then the structure as a whole, and not just taking on board the readings we are routinely given via sensors. For me that means knowing what is going on within those very small structures as in the case of how a transistor for example functions at different temperatures.