Lenovo m81 case modification

logo897 · 21 Feb 2017

my CPU usage is moving around a lot, so I would imagine that is why my temps are, right?

It goes from 35c to 40c as of right now.

ThrashZone · 21 Feb 2017

Hi,
Yep :)
Best thing I ever did was to relocate my old acer mother board in a new case :)
I ended up with this cooler though started with an evo

Code:

Noctua NH-D14 CPU cooler

Modifing old desktop machine in new case

johnhoh · 21 Feb 2017

heatsinks are installed with pressure against the cpu and that pressure is always there, so over time your paste will get thinner and thinner, resulting in better heat transfer between your cpu and cooler. So its good to give it a couple weeks before declaring the new paste better or worse than the old paste.

Its also possible the reason your temps are a tad higher now is that the ambient temperature in the room is higher.

logo897 · 21 Feb 2017

johnhoh said:

heatsinks are installed with pressure against the cpu and that pressure is always there, so over time your paste will get thinner and thinner, resulting in better heat transfer between your cpu and cooler. So its good to give it a couple weeks before declaring the new paste better or worse than the old paste.

Its also possible the reason your temps are a tad higher now is that the ambient temperature in the room is higher.

That makes sense. Should I leave my computer on for those couple of weeks or does it not really matter?

Mellon Head · 21 Feb 2017

It doesn't really matter if you leave it on or not. The paste will "cure" at room temperature. It's not the heat that does it, though it does help, it's the pressure from the heatsink spreading out the paste on the chip and making it thinner.

I think you'll find in a couple of weeks that your temps are a few degrees cooler than they are today. As well, ambient temperature has a big effect on the temperature of your CPU, and your system in general. I forgot to ask, what are you using for case cooling? Intake and output fans? Do you have any intake fans? They will really help bring your temps down.

logo897 · 22 Feb 2017

I don't have any intake fans, instead I have one CPU fan and one fan on the back of the case that came with the computer.

Mellon Head · 22 Feb 2017

If you have a place in your case to put one, an intake fan will lower your temps significantly.

logo897 · 22 Feb 2017

I don't, sadly. Unless I try to remove the front cover and such. Should I try that and attempt to install a fan in the front?

logo897 · 22 Feb 2017

That might not be a good idea though

johnhoh · 22 Feb 2017

For now just remove the front cover and side panel and see what affect it has on your temps. An open case will produce lower temps than just having extra case fans. If your temps do not go down by say, 5C or more, there really is nothing to be gained here as you are in no danger.

Have you tried running the free program hardwareinfo? It will show you your temps in real time and the "distance" you are from your maximum allowable temp. When you get too close, the fonts will turn red.

HWiNFO - Download

Temps are reported by motherboard sensors and sometimes those sensors are near the cpu, or on the cpu, or they're measuring within the cpu die, and in all three cases are prone to fluctuations. If I had to guess, I'd say 99.9% of user concerns (among non-overclockers) of cpu temps are unfounded. If you run hardwareinfo and do not get any red fonts appearing, you are good to go.