Hi there, havent posted here in a long while.. but i got a problem.

Ive had an AMD64 3200 Socket 939 for a few years now, but it recently started rebooting all the time.

So I checked out the temps and found:

CPU: 38 at idle, seems to tail off towards 50 under load
MB: 30 at idle, seems to stabilise at 35
CHIP: 30 at idle, hits 75 just before reboot under load

This 'CHIP' temp always used to be around 15-17 degrees whenever i checked it in the past... so im wondering whether its the temperature difference between the CPU core and the integrated heat spreader (where the 'CPU' sensor maybe is)... so the CPU might have detached partially from the spreader???
if so, then i guess i should try removing the spreader? could destroy the chip, but ive got nothing to lose...

or does anyone know what this 'CHIP' temp is??

I have a reasonably large CPU cooler, which doesnt seem to warm up as much as in the past.

Ive done some more research and most people regard this 'CHIP' sensor as the ambient (case) temperature.

But my case is currently lying open on the floor AND has a 120mm fan in the front, so is my motherboard duff???

btw: Mobo is MSI K8N Neo4F Platinum

Remove the CPUs heatsink. Clean off the old thermal paste. Apply a small amount of new paste and reassemble the Heatsink to the CPU

-I had already tried that, and done the same with the chipset., but no difference.

Ive underclocked the system now by 10% which seems to keep it stable, so ill just run it like this until i upgrade in a few months or so (hopefully!)

i think the fact is that its a duff sensor, that unfortunately causes the MB to shut off if it reads too high...

Thanks anyway!!