Hi,
I've got a p4 1.6a running at 2.2ghz on an Asus p4s333fx mobo. I've been using the standard heatsink/fan and idle temps have been just below 40 C with max load about 50.
I just installed a Volcano 7+ and idle temps are in the mid 40s with max temp 58 which is causing crashes. I've had to bring back my cpu speed. I've made sure the heatsink is seated properly, even bent up one of the metal brackets and it's definately sitting nicely on the cpu. I didn't use too much thermal paste. Could the fan be blowing the wrong way or something? It looks like it could go in either way but it was like that from the factory, which way is the air supposed to blow/suck?

Cheers,
Matt

its supposed to blow to the cpu

Ok then it's the right way around. Seems to be a bit better today but I haven't touched anything, still nowhere near as cool as I thought it would be.

Matt

im running a volcan7+ on 1.8a @ 2.4 with fan on low @ 28c idle 31c load. check that it is mounted properly & use artic silver or similar thermal past. also check that the fan speed selector & fan is working properly by using a standard 3pin to molex connector on the HSF.

Cooling of P4s is nowhere near as critical as cooling of AMD CPUs...that's because P4s have built in thermal protection.

Here's a clip:

"With P4 CPUs, the CPU will turn its speed down automatically when it overheats. No damage to the CPU is possible, but the system will get slower while it's hot (which, in some cases, users might not even notice)."

Another clip from same webpage:

"Intel Pentium 4 (Willamette/Northwood)
Max. temperature depends much on model and clockspeed, but no clear pattern is visible. Consult Intel's tech specs for information on your particular model.
(Lowest: P4 Northwood ("A") 1.5GHz with 66°C, highest: P4 Willamette 1.8GHz with 78°C.

Here's the page:

http://www.heatsink-guide.com/maxtemp.htm

Admittedly I'm not an Intel guy so I could be talking out my A** (& it wouldn't be the 1st time)...but it would appear to me that you temps are fine & that if you're experiencing crashes, they are probably not CPU heat related. I'd take a look at other things...possibly RAM?

Thanks for the responses. I just trimmed the bottom brackets on the heatsink and now there is no way it's not sitting nice and tightly on the CPU. It's still getting up to just under 50C but that's it. It wasn't crashing before I installed this heatsink. I'm using the proper connector (ie it doesn't get power from the motherboard but from the power supply).