Out-of-alignment strip of video (x264 colour issues)

[jagabo]

Go to the BIOS and check for CPU fan settings. Check the fan speed. Make sure any "target" temperature isn't set too high. Can you hear the CPU (and other) fans spin faster as the system heats up?

[ackboo]

Okay, glad to hear that, my next advice would have been to investigate the "intel precision cooling technology". Your motherboard is actively monitoring and adjusting the fan speeds. This involves a trip in the bios and mistakes can be made.

Your motherboard manual mentions an optional fan for the IOH chipset, page 37. If you have the fan and brackets I would recommend that you install it. 65°C is a bit high for a motherboard and can lead to stability issues. If you don't have it, adding the front fans should help anyway.

Arctic silver 5 needs some time to cure but that would never lead to a 20°C drop in temps. So, it's still suspicious, I guess the heatsink wasn't completely seated. Keep monitoring your temps for a while.

[koberulz]

It's down 20 from before I applied the Arctic Silver, not down 20 from when I booted up. I'm guessing the initial drop was a combination of the AS curing and the computer calming down after startup.

I don't believe I have any spare fans.

[ackboo]

Go to the BIOS and check for CPU fan settings. Check the fan speed. Make sure any "target" temperature isn't set too high. Can you hear the CPU (and other) fans spin faster as the system heats up?

There is only one fan connected to the motherboard, the other one is connected directly to the power supply
I checked the bios for his motherboard, the option is in advanced/boot configuration/cpu fan control enable/disable
He could maybe take a look at advanced/hardware monitoring

http://www.motherboards.org/imageview.html?i=/images/reviews/motherboards/1845_p5_9.jpg

[koberulz]

I'm not going to go into the BIOS until this encode either finishes or BSODs; I need to get this done.

It just ticked straight over from the first pass to the second with no problem, which it wasn't doing before, but that's also bumped core temps up to the mid-high 80s. Core Voltage has hit 1.207.

Worth noting, before starting the encode I set Threads back to 0 after having it set at 1 after the earlier BSOD.

[ackboo]

I have a feeling your cpu heatsink is undersized and that it is warming the air for all the components around it. But that will be the last thing to try.

Have you modified bios settings in the past? Do you know how to reset the bios using jumpers in case there is a problem?

If you know what you are doing I would recommend to check the cpu settings in the bios, check that everything is set to auto or default.

You can also try do disable the cpu fan control. That should have it run at full speed all the time.

Edit: did you install windows yourself? Are all the drivers up to date?

[koberulz]

Have you modified bios settings in the past?

Not relating to fans, AFAIK.

Do you know how to reset the bios using jumpers in case there is a problem?

*blank look*

Edit: did you install windows yourself? Are all the drivers up to date?

I've done a clean reinstall at some point. Not sure about the drivers, or how to check.

[ackboo]

ok, I try to be careful because I don't want you to be locked out of your own machine or worse.

What have you modified in the bios and why? Could you redo it easily?

Learn about the hard reset procedure, it's always good to know, page 55 of your motherboard manual.

If you've done a clean reinstall without installing all the necessary drivers we might have found another big part of the problem.

You will find everything here, do not install anything related to the bios. You already have the latest version.
Check the prerequisites before installing anything.
http://ark.intel.com/products/36888/Intel-Desktop-Board-DX58SO#@downloads

When your encode is done try this first :
Chipset: Intel® Chipset Device Software for Intel® Desktop Boards with 5 Series Chipset

Then in HWmonitor see if the motherboard temp is down

Edit: are there any warnings in Device Manager ?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/open-device-manager#1TC=windows-vista

[koberulz]

What have you modified in the bios and why? Could you redo it easily?

I've got the C: drive from an old computer plugged in as an external, and it's still got XP on it. The machine kept booting XP, so I had to change the boot order. Pretty sure I also had to change the boot order to get it to boot a bootable USB at one point. That's all I can recall. I vaguely recall going in there for something else at one point, but that may have just been to check a setting rather than change it.

Edit: are there any warnings in Device Manager ?
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/open-device-manager#1TC=windows-vista

There's a Multimedia Controller with no drivers installed. I have no idea what it is.

Encode is holding steady at mid-high 80s, which is a ten-degree drop from previous, so we've at least achieved something. Looks like it'll take about six hours total, which is way down on the 24 it was previously taking, too. It's definitely noisier now than it was during the first pass, which was about ten degrees lower than this.

[ackboo]

Ok, you know how to enter the bios, modify and save settings, no specific setting that needs to be preserved.
I would recommend to load the default configuration. That way you can be sure that there is no mistake anywhere.
Enter the bios, hit F9, save and exit.
Re enter the bios and restore boot order if applicable.

The cpu temp is under control, but it's still high. Could improve with better ventilation in the future.

Your encodes should indeed be faster now that the cpu doesn't need to throttle down.

The stray multimedia controller indicates missing drivers, did you install any intel drivers for the motherboard after the windows clean install ?
If yes, do update the chipset drivers anyway.

[koberulz]

The fresh install was years ago, I can't remember what I did and didn't do drivers-wise. Could the Multimedia Controller be the TV capture card? I might not have ever bothered to install that after reinstalling Windows; I haven't used it in years.

I generated around 150GB of files while waiting to sort this thermal compound thing, so my encode ran out of space and failed. Having cleared said space, I'm going to take another shot at it now while I've still got MeGUI running and set up and what have you, so it'll be a while before I can get into the BIOS.

[jagabo]

Could the Multimedia Controller be the TV capture card?

If you don't see the capture card elsewhere in Device Manager that's probably it.

[ackboo]

I haven't used it in years.

If it's useless now, consider removing it, it's blocking airflow for the graphics card.

Not much else to add, the thermal paste problem is fixed (and you are now the resident expert in australia), the airflow problem soon to be fixed and that should improve the situation for the motherboard.

Regarding the positive pressure thing, the case fan at the back has a switch to set the RPM speed. If you don't achieve positive pressure at first after installing 2 front fans try to lower the speed at the back. Monitor your temps while doing so.

Considering your use case, I would recommend to get a better heatsink next time, it's cheap and you will make good use of it.

[koberulz]

Regarding the positive pressure thing, the case fan at the back has a switch to set the RPM speed. If you don't achieve positive pressure at first after installing 2 front fans try to lower the speed at the back. Monitor your temps while doing so.

It's currently set to "L". The other options are "M" and "H". So Either it's as low as it gets, or it's using some really weird system of ranking speeds, which frankly given how things have been working out for me lately is not unlikely.

Considering your use case, I would recommend to get a better heatsink next time, it's cheap and you will make good use of it.

I wasn't aware 'better heatsink' was even a thing. "Use case"?

[jagabo]

I wasn't aware 'better heatsink' was even a thing.

There are tons of different CPU coolers that are much more effective than stock, air and liquid:
http://www.newegg.com/CPU-Fans-Heatsinks/SubCategory/ID-574
http://www.newegg.com/Water-Liquid-Cooling/SubCategory/ID-575

[ackboo]

Use case, popular term in IT
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Use_case

When you buy a CPU you can buy a kit with CPU and heatsink or only the CPU.
Currently the market is huge, from the most ridiculous passive cooling behemoth to the cheapest option.
You need to make sure it's adequate for your CPU socket type, TDP (heat production) and for the most extreme case that your motherboard can handle the weight though. See here :
http://www.frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=2273

[ackboo]

I found some numbers for your Core i7 920 and a stock cooler, surprisingly you are now within specifications.
http://www.overclockersclub.com/reviews/cm_hyper212_evo/4.htm
The difference in temps can be explained by the ambient air temp in australia.

The problem with these more efficient coolers is that you will have to remove the motherboard to install them.

[koberulz]

Uh...yeah, removing the motherboard doesn't sound like a good idea. It took me fifteen minutes just to get the heatsink back on.

Here's that BIOS screenshot you mentioned earlier:



Didn't see anything about a target temperature anywhere, just a binary on/off for control of the CPU fan.

Do you still think I should install that chipset thing, knowing now that temps are in range?

This thread has been a bit all over the place...which fans and air filters do I need to buy, and where do they need to go?

[ackboo]

There is a reading for the rear fan, from the picture you provided earlier I thought it was connected to a power supply plug. Is it connected to the bottom left 4 pins connector?

Your chipset desperately needs better cooling, but if you don't have the fan and bracket it might be difficult to find a stock replacement. I think that adding fans to the case will fix it though.
I would go with 2 120mm fans at the front
http://www.newegg.com/global/au/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608004
They are silent and come with an adapter that will let you plug them directly to the power supply cables.

If this doesn't fix the high chipset temp you could take one of them and put it on the side of the case. That should improve airflow dramatically. But you will need a 120 mm air filter, otherwise you will be blowing dust directly on the motherboard.

For the fan filters there is this, one on the side, one on top, use screws if possible.
http://www.newegg.com/global/au/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811999299

You should find the parts at austin, don't forget the screws for the filters, I don't think they come with it.

edit: see here for how to install the fans.
http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/antec-three-hundred-case-review/4/

edit2: if you were talking about the chipset driver, yes you should install it. If it is already installed nothing will happen.

[ackboo]

Did you fix your encoding problems after all?

[koberulz]

I've managed to get the three games I was sitting on encoded, although it's still not automatically doing the second pass even when set to 'automated 2 pass', I have to manually go in, set it to '2 pass - 2nd pass' and run it again.

There is a reading for the rear fan, from the picture you provided earlier I thought it was connected to a power supply plug. Is it connected to the bottom left 4 pins connector?

No, looks like it's plugged into the power supply to me.

What sort of screws would I need? I could also do with some more screws for the internal hard drives, while we're at it, but I'm not sure what those are either.

[ackboo]

So the tearing problem was due to overheating.

You could buy a pack of these
http://www.newegg.com/global/au/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811998139&cm_re=drive_...-139-_-Product
and these
http://www.newegg.com/global/au/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811998099&cm_re=screws...-099-_-Product

But if the guys at austin have any sense of business they should just give you some. Alternatively the fan I linked to comes with a set of rubber mounts and screws, you could use the rubber mounts for the fans if there is enough space in your case and use the screws for the filters. Or the other way around.

Anyway you are on razor thin margins, did you try loading the bios defaults and installing the chipset driver ?

[koberulz]

I have no idea what the tearing problem was. Even before we tried any heating solutions, back when it was rebooting and BSODing during encodes, the tearing never recurred. Also never occurred on any of my encodes before that, of which there have been plenty.

Given I've got things functioning alright at the moment, and the last time I went to Austin I got told not to bother with the isopropyl, I'd rather just order things straight off NewEgg, TBH. That way I know I'm getting exactly what you guys recommend, rather than whatever cheap knockoff they send me home with. They tried to sell me "Cooler Master" thermal compound at first, too, which is exactly the same white stuff that I used last time.

That's also the place I took my computer to last time it was overheating, and they proceeded to diagnose it as perfectly fine.

[ackboo]

Ok, no need to give your money to these people. The parts I linked to should do the job. But you will end up with a lot of spares screws ^^.
Also whoever built that pc tied the power supply cables to the hdd cable. To improve airflow I would just place the spare cables at the bottom of the case. Tie them up so it doesn't make a mess.

I didn't notice at first but there is a cable connected to the fan connector above the ram. Does it lead to a second fan ?

Also, look up page 54 of your motherboard manual, are all cables connected as shown on figure 30 ?

[jagabo]

Uh...yeah, removing the motherboard doesn't sound like a good idea. It took me fifteen minutes just to get the heatsink back on.

Unfortunately, a better CPU cooler is the item that will make the biggest difference in your temperatures.

[ackboo]

If you feel adventurous or have someone that could do it for you there is this :
edit: too big and with a plastic backplate
Its main advantage is that it is compatible with your socket 1366 and if in the future you buy a new core i7 socket 1151 you will be able to keep this heatsink.
Also it is rated for 200W of heat, your cpu outputs 130W

It is big and heavy, check the dimensions. Also, physical cpu damage is likely if improperly installed.

edit: it also makes your pc more fragile when transporting it, due to weight concerns. Newer core i7 do not output as much heat so a stock cooler would do the job anyway.

[koberulz]

Also whoever built that pc tied the power supply cables to the hdd cable. To improve airflow I would just place the spare cables at the bottom of the case. Tie them up so it doesn't make a mess.

Eh?

I didn't notice at first but there is a cable connected to the fan connector above the ram. Does it lead to a second fan ?

That's the top fan.

Also, look up page 54 of your motherboard manual, are all cables connected as shown on figure 30 ?

It...looks like it? I don't really follow the diagram, and the cables are kind of a mess, but there are things plugged into the three points it says things should be plugged into, at least.

[ackboo]

That's the top fan

I assumed that there was one rear fan and the power supply blowing air out of the case. But with the 140 mm top fan installed that will change things a bit.

You only need one 120 mm air filter on the side of the case, and the fans I linked to won't be powerful enough to achieve positive pressure. It will improve things anyway though.

[ackboo]

I found a middle of the road option for an eventual cpu cooler replacement :
http://www.coolermaster.com/cooling/cpu-air-cooler/hyper-tx3-evo/

It can be installed without removing the motherboard and is compatible with your socket 1366 and socket 1151. It is not the best performer but this design won't blow hot air on your motherboard chipset. Also it was tested with your core i7 920.

This will improve things greatly, to achieve positive pressure you could disconnect the 120mm rear fan and keep the top one (testing required). I believe this would solve all your problems.

[koberulz]

That's the top fan

I assumed that there was one rear fan and the power supply blowing air out of the case. But with the 140 mm top fan installed that will change things a bit.

You only need one 120 mm air filter on the side of the case, and the fans I linked to won't be powerful enough to achieve positive pressure. It will improve things anyway though.

So I only need air filters where there aren't fans? What if I put a fan on the side?

How do you tell which fans are blowing in and which are blowing out?