One Of Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Processor Cores Lower Than Rest, WHY?

Hello. I have a question. I need to know the reason why one of my cores (Core 2) is running about 3-4 degrees below the temperatures of the other 3 cores on my Intel Core 2 Q9550 Quad processor. My processor is Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 Yorkfield 2.83GHz 12MB L2 Cache LGA 775 Quad-Core Processor.
Restarting and rebooting seems not to help, it is always the same core with the lower temperature. Is there something wrong with that particular core or something overly defective with the processor itself??? It rarely ever fluctuates and stays at 33 degrees Celsius. The other core temperatures are around 36-38 degrees at rest/idle and do frequently go up when an action is performed on the computer. I began this temperature check a few days ago, and now for the last few days it is at 33 degrees.

Please let me know what is going on with this consistent lower core 2 temperature and please provide me with a reason why this is happening. Is it something that is beginning to die with this processor? Is there anything that can be done about it to get all four (4) core temperatures in balance.

Thank you!

 

I have a theory on this: Not all programs use all 4 cores. In other words, not all 4 cores are worked equally. This would lead to uneven temperatures.

The more important issue is if your core is defective. My favorite test is this:
http://majorgeeks.com/Passmark_BurnInTest_Standard_d4234.html
It will run a stress test of your system to attempt to uncover any hardware problems.

 

May I ask what monitoring program you are using?

Most quad core processors have the cores so close together a temperature differential of more than half a degree should be impossible. Thus I suspect you have a dodgy temperature interpreting program.

 

I couldn't disagree greater with that comment!

Quad Cores will have cores that will do different levels of activity during differing states of load. I have had 3-4C variation since my Quad Core (Q6600) was new and was at first concerned but then realised this is the "nature of the beast".

Here is mine on idle and we can see temp range from 38-47 (9C variation in the high reading in Core/Real temp) but during the load we can see the variation is 63-68 (5c variation in the high reading in Core Temp.

Look around at any Quad cores and you will find "very similar results", googling "Quad Core temp variation" and we find hit after hit after hit:

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=123740

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=433&pgno=3

http://omgili.com/jmp/jHIAmI4hxg_X0...awgzxxalFUV8tzf7o7EktwFJtkhfNNgBDwO9Im9R7nw--

Moreover you will notice that this is occurring across all Quad Cores (Q6600 up to latest I7's).

Frankly you very misinformed "collins" and are making the guy feel even more anxious because of "baseless" comments.

Some of the reasons that core variation can occur is potential slight imperfections (not a flush and flat surface) in the CPU IHS, base of HS, evenness of TIM layer, etc. etc. etc.

Bottom line is you are not seeing anything unusual and if you were only getting variation of 1 degree between all 4 cores I would be very suspicious that something was wrong and stripping the system down.

 

If you want a really intellectual "white paper" discussion on some of this variation to satisfy yourself:

http://delivery.acm.org/10.1145/164...&coll=&dl=GUIDE&CFID=15151515&CFTOKEN=6184618

Another source of variation is the ability for Windows or the application itself to affectively run "multi-tasking" programs so that each core is being equally utilised and represented "simultaneously", it just doesn't happen at this current point in time.

I have only just touched on some of the parameters that will contribute to overall variation that you are noting in the temps of the 4 different cores. You can note for yourself with taskmanager open and when using Word that only Core0 and maybe Core1 are showing signs of activity as an example.

I hope you feel further assured that you are seeing nothing unusual and there is nothing wrong with your system with those current temp ranges.

 

As you have every right to do.

I stand corrected.

I apologise profusely for my lack of understanding of the topic.

Thank you for the insight.

 

Nothing personal just didn't want the poor bloke getting anxious.

 

Another possibility is a defective thermal sensor in one of the cores. Core 1 in my Athlon X2 reads 45c no matter how hot or cold it actually is. This isn't any thing to worry about either. From my experience it is fairly common for temp sensors to be defective or be dead from the factory. As long as there is no defect in the cpu or heatsink interface no single core can overheat independently from the rest of the cpu. There's really nothing to worry about either way as long as global CPU temps are safe.

 

Hi,

The main core (processor) is running all the time and is sending jobs to the secondary as needed. As the main is working the hardest it probably would be running a little hotter. Maybe?

Jim

 

Hello. Thanks my friends for your input!!!

I have done some homework and some testing of my own. I think it depends on the utility or program that is running. Reason is that I notice when I use the popular RealTemp program, I get what I am reporting here. I used some other programs and I notice the same results. When I use a program called HWM BlackBox, it seems show my temps for all 4 cores the same or close to it -- a degree off for a second or two then all the same temp. I like this one! It is modern and the graphical interface and design of the Windows Vista/7 looks. Feature loaded and very logical and organized properly. Maybe some of the older programs lack the more modern method of analyzing the temps on Core 2 Quads? Just a thought. Give it a try. It is free and malware free as well.

 

Hmm, why the sales pitch?:confused I'll give it a shot.

 

Agree that's what it sounds like. I'm not going near it....

 

Tried the HWM BlackBox, it's OK though it shows my Q6600 which has all 4 cores pinned folding giving a 10C difference between cores 1 and 4 where all cores are being used to the max. It has to be the sensors and not the program. Try again.