Fan speed on X10SL7-F

[trumee]

Hello,

I have a E5-1231 v3 CPU using a stock heat sink connected to the Fan1 connector of the Supermicro X10SL7-F. I loaded the server to increase cpu temperature however the FAN speed only went from 900 to 1000 RPM. How can i tune the fans to get better cooling or is the stock heatsink not sufficient?

Code:

#sysctl -a | grep -i temper
hw.acpi.thermal.tz1.temperature: 29.8C
hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.temperature: 27.8C
dev.cpu.7.temperature: 81.0C
dev.cpu.6.temperature: 80.0C
dev.cpu.5.temperature: 81.0C
dev.cpu.4.temperature: 81.0C
dev.cpu.3.temperature: 86.0C
dev.cpu.2.temperature: 86.0C
dev.cpu.1.temperature: 86.0C
dev.cpu.0.temperature: 86.0C

# ipmitool sensor
CPU Temp  | 86.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 100.000  
System Temp  | 50.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
Peripheral Temp  | 45.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
PCH Temp  | 62.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -11.000  | -8.000  | -5.000  | 90.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  
VRM Temp  | 63.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 105.000  
DIMMA1 Temp  | 52.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
DIMMA2 Temp  | 51.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
DIMMB1 Temp  | 48.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
DIMMB2 Temp  | 47.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000  
FAN1  | 1000.000  | RPM  | ok  | 300.000  | 500.000  | 700.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FAN2  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  
FAN3  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  
FAN4  | 300.000  | RPM  | cr  | 200.000  | 300.000  | 400.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FANA  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  
Vcpu  | 1.800  | Volts  | ok  | 1.242  | 1.260  | 1.395  | 1.899  | 2.088  | 2.106  
VDIMM  | 1.327  | Volts  | ok  | 1.096  | 1.124  | 1.201  | 1.642  | 1.719  | 1.747  
12V  | 12.051  | Volts  | ok  | 10.164  | 10.521  | 10.776  | 12.918  | 13.224  | 13.224  
5VCC  | 5.000  | Volts  | ok  | 4.225  | 4.380  | 4.473  | 5.372  | 5.527  | 5.589  
3.3VCC  | 3.329  | Volts  | ok  | 2.804  | 2.894  | 2.969  | 3.554  | 3.659  | 3.689  
VBAT  | 3.075  | Volts  | ok  | 2.400  | 2.490  | 2.595  | 3.495  | 3.600  | 3.690  
AVCC  | 3.329  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689  
VSB  | 3.269  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689  
Chassis Intru  | 0x1  | discrete  | 0x0100| na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  

 

[hugovsky]

Have you checked here? It might be helpful.

 

[trumee]

I modified the FAN profile in the BIOS to 'full speed' and power cycled the server. Previously it was set to 'Heavy IO'.

Now, I get the same FAN1 speed of ~2000 RPM under both at idle and high load conditions. The good news is that the peak CPU temperature has fallen from 90C to 66C.

Idle conditions

Code:

#sysctl -a | grep -i temper
hw.acpi.thermal.tz1.temperature: 29.8C
hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.temperature: 27.8C
dev.cpu.7.temperature: 38.0C
dev.cpu.6.temperature: 38.0C
dev.cpu.5.temperature: 37.0C
dev.cpu.4.temperature: 37.0C
dev.cpu.3.temperature: 34.0C
dev.cpu.2.temperature: 34.0C
dev.cpu.1.temperature: 44.0C
dev.cpu.0.temperature: 44.0C

# ipmitool sensor
CPU Temp  | 43.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 100.000 
System Temp  | 43.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
Peripheral Temp  | 43.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
PCH Temp  | 55.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -11.000  | -8.000  | -5.000  | 90.000  | 95.000  | 100.000 
VRM Temp  | 42.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 105.000 
DIMMA1 Temp  | 36.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMA2 Temp  | 37.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMB1 Temp  | 37.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMB2 Temp  | 36.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
FAN1  | 2000.000  | RPM  | ok  | 300.000  | 500.000  | 700.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FAN2  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
FAN3  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
FAN4  | 1900.000  | RPM  | ok  | 200.000  | 300.000  | 400.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FANA  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
Vcpu  | 1.809  | Volts  | ok  | 1.242  | 1.260  | 1.395  | 1.899  | 2.088  | 2.106 
VDIMM  | 1.327  | Volts  | ok  | 1.096  | 1.124  | 1.201  | 1.642  | 1.719  | 1.747 
12V  | 12.051  | Volts  | ok  | 10.164  | 10.521  | 10.776  | 12.918  | 13.224  | 13.224 
5VCC  | 5.000  | Volts  | ok  | 4.225  | 4.380  | 4.473  | 5.372  | 5.527  | 5.589 
3.3VCC  | 3.344  | Volts  | ok  | 2.804  | 2.894  | 2.969  | 3.554  | 3.659  | 3.689 
VBAT  | 3.075  | Volts  | ok  | 2.400  | 2.490  | 2.595  | 3.495  | 3.600  | 3.690 
AVCC  | 3.329  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689 
VSB  | 3.284  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689 
Chassis Intru  | 0x1  | discrete  | 0x0100| na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na

High load

Code:

# stress --cpu 8
stress: info: [6073] dispatching hogs: 8 cpu, 0 io, 0 vm, 0 hdd

#sysctl -a | grep -i temper
hw.acpi.thermal.tz1.temperature: 29.8C
hw.acpi.thermal.tz0.temperature: 27.8C
dev.cpu.7.temperature: 63.0C
dev.cpu.6.temperature: 63.0C
dev.cpu.5.temperature: 62.0C
dev.cpu.4.temperature: 62.0C
dev.cpu.3.temperature: 65.0C
dev.cpu.2.temperature: 65.0C
dev.cpu.1.temperature: 66.0C
dev.cpu.0.temperature: 66.0C

# ipmitool sensor
CPU Temp  | 66.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 0.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 100.000 
System Temp  | 45.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
Peripheral Temp  | 44.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
PCH Temp  | 58.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -11.000  | -8.000  | -5.000  | 90.000  | 95.000  | 100.000 
VRM Temp  | 50.000  | degrees C  | ok  | -9.000  | -7.000  | -5.000  | 95.000  | 100.000  | 105.000 
DIMMA1 Temp  | 39.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMA2 Temp  | 38.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMB1 Temp  | 38.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
DIMMB2 Temp  | 37.000  | degrees C  | ok  | 1.000  | 2.000  | 4.000  | 80.000  | 85.000  | 90.000 
FAN1  | 2100.000  | RPM  | ok  | 300.000  | 500.000  | 700.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FAN2  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
FAN3  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
FAN4  | 2000.000  | RPM  | ok  | 200.000  | 300.000  | 400.000  | 25300.000 | 25400.000 | 25500.000
FANA  | na  |  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na 
Vcpu  | 1.791  | Volts  | ok  | 1.242  | 1.260  | 1.395  | 1.899  | 2.088  | 2.106 
VDIMM  | 1.320  | Volts  | ok  | 1.096  | 1.124  | 1.201  | 1.642  | 1.719  | 1.747 
12V  | 12.051  | Volts  | ok  | 10.164  | 10.521  | 10.776  | 12.918  | 13.224  | 13.224 
5VCC  | 5.000  | Volts  | ok  | 4.225  | 4.380  | 4.473  | 5.372  | 5.527  | 5.589 
3.3VCC  | 3.329  | Volts  | ok  | 2.804  | 2.894  | 2.969  | 3.554  | 3.659  | 3.689 
VBAT  | 3.075  | Volts  | ok  | 2.400  | 2.490  | 2.595  | 3.495  | 3.600  | 3.690 
AVCC  | 3.329  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689 
VSB  | 3.284  | Volts  | ok  | 2.399  | 2.489  | 2.594  | 3.494  | 3.599  | 3.689 
Chassis Intru  | 0x1  | discrete  | 0x0100| na  | na  | na  | na  | na  | na

 

[hugovsky]

What is your room temp? I have 1231 v3 and x10sl7 and never went above 55-56 ºC.

 

[trumee]

What is your room temp? I have 1231 v3 and x10sl7 and never went above 55-56 ºC.

25C. I think the Fan Profile of 'Heavy IO' is unsuitable for FAN1 control.

 

[hugovsky]

You should check that your heat sink is well placed. 80ºC+ is very high.

 

[TXAG26]

I've never been impressed with the stock heatsinks. I've been happy with the Noctua brand heatsinks. Even with 50-60% cpu utilization, I rarely see temperatures above 36-40c. Room temp is about 75F. The Noctua NH-U9S fits well on your board and uses 92mm fans.

 

[depasseg]

Heat sink and heat transfer paste might not be installed properly.

 

[trumee]

I've never been impressed with the stock heatsinks. I've been happy with the Noctua brand heatsinks. Even with 50-60% cpu utilization, I rarely see temperatures above 36-40c. Room temp is about 75F. The Noctua NH-U9S fits well on your board and uses 92mm fans.

What peak temperature do you get with this cooler on X10SL7-F with 100% CPU?

 

[TXAG26]

What peak temperature do you get with this cooler on X10SL7-F with 100% CPU?

I don't recall, but I have a E3-1245 v3 with the same Noctua heatsink also on a Supermicro X10 board that is being used as a workstation. I'll try to fire up an instance of CPU burn this evening to see how high it gets. In the interim, do a search for reviews for the Noctua NH-U9S or NH-U9B (they're the same heatsink) compared against the stock heatsink. I do recall the paste that Intel used to include on the boxed heatsinks was not the best. You could probably get things down a few more degrees by scraping that stuff off and applying a high quality compound like AS5 or similar.

 

[Ericloewe]

The only major problem with the stock heatsink is that the installation process does not give good feedback as to whether it is securely in place or not.

I do recall the paste that Intel used to include on the boxed heatsinks was not the best.

Actually, it was very good, in part because it was applied just right for best results.