Hi FolksI

In Speedfan and assuming it is the latest version... CPU is tCASE which can be 10-15c LOWER than the REL CORE diode.. or CORE0the important value is CORE0 which is the real temp of the coreUsing software such as CoreTemp you can see the same CORE0-CORE3 temp and it should show the value known as tJ MAXYou can use CoreTemp to VERIFY speedfans reading of CORE0 at idle and under a load to be sure its right.That tJ MAX value tells you where the CPU meets its maker and not what the chip can do in normal operation.So, in example... if tJ MAX is 100c then you want CORE0-CORE3 to NEVER go over 75c in a full load test. Rule of thumb is try to keep it 25c less than tJ MAX and that is known as the tJUNCTION where thermal shutdown begins. Now, you wont kill the processor if you hit 85c but it will start shutting the proc down. You can only kill the proc if it hits tJ MAX for x seconds and the proc has a thermal shutdown system to protect it automatically to try and keep that from happeningA load test such as OCCT will full load check all cores at once. Running that stress test will pound the CPU with more heat than FSX ever will so if you can run OCCT for 1 hour (or more) and not exceed the 75-80c limits imposed by a 100c tJunction.. your good to goWARNING: vCORE should NEVER exceed 1.55v for a 65nm CPU and 1.4v for a 45nm CPU even if the temps are COOL. Also,. VTT (AKA FSB Termination Voltage) should NEVER exceed 1.55v for 65nm CPU and 1.3v for a 45nm CPU even if temps are cool. Usually VTT is left on AUTO in the BIOS unless unstable with 2x2GB of memory and then that is adjusted with CPU and NB GTL+ and SKEWSo the name of the game is: Highest stable CPU/MemSPEED at the lowest vCORE possible and all remain 25c under tJunction as the max benchmark temp. (a touch more such as 78c is ok too)Remember.. those temps are only for testing with stress software such as OCCT... you will NEVER see that temp with FSX or other apps running ao that is why we use stress software.. to find our max stable point and when using our application you will find it will probably run 10-15c lower if not more in some cases.

One other thing... and since I do not use dual cores I forgot about this oneSome dual core Core2 procs are known for being a bit off in reporting temps... there can be an offset. Quads tend to be strait forward and do not exhibit this behavior as much but the influence has to do with the hardware on the motherboard and the BIOS itself too.Here is a decent write-up on temps and Intel procshttp://www.tomshardware.com/forum/221745-2...mperature-guideIt

Well, I couldn't have asked for more than that - thanks Nick.Lots to keep me going there. I'm enormously grateful for the amount of time and effort you put into all our forums. God only knows how you do it.I do hope you have time to sleep;) Very many thanks