Top CPU temperature

I'd say you're at the limit.
The bios will tell you nothing because running apps like zommplayer and ffdshow at the same time, will push the temp up another 10 degrees.
I found a free app called speedfan that will tell you temps of the CPU and harddrives while running your apps at the same time, as well as % of CPU load.
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/fil...scription.html
Get a copper fan from Zalman. They're quiet and do a good job at cooling.

what cooling setup are you using? what case? you're looking at one part of the equation when you look at overclocking. if you improve your cooling setup, you'll get cooler temps (and possibly lower noise if that's important to you). those cooler temps may allow you to overclock even more.

also, using the bios hardware monitor gives wildly varying results. in my abit ab9 pro, the bios cpu temperature usually is lower than the cpu's temperature if you use a program like coretemp. the bios might say the cpu temp is 46 but it is really 55 for example. i haven't got coretemp to work invista, but speedfan does work. but speedfan doesn't work with all mobos. inmy case, it works fine with an nfm2-nview but not the abit ab9 pro.

anyway, if possible find a tool to get the actual cpu temperature. try coretemp or speedfan. if running xp, coretemp should definitely work.

anyway, for a reference point as to how different cooling setups can impact the same processor with the same mobo, in a P180 case, my stock E6600 idles at 30 and peaks at 50 under load -- and i'm passively cooling it with a scythe ninja heatsink. my ambient temp is about 22.

in my htpc case (antec take 4 rackmount), a different E6600 at stock idles at 36 and peaks at 55 under load, using a zalman 9500. i'm going to switch up the cooling approach there because the zalman is too noisy for my taste and isn't doing a great job.

basically i think the best strategy is probably optimizing your cooling setup, then worrying about how far you can push the chip.

I just recently got the same combo actually. I love the setup and it works really well... but the one thing i noticed is that my temps are pretty much like yours.

The one thing i noticed is that the capacitors (or whatever they are) right next to the socket kinda get in the way of attaching the heat sink so that one side does not make complete contact. I am going to mess around with mine and see if i can get it to attach better tomorrow. Hopefully it will bring my temps down!!

And for reference I have the Antec P150 with the tricool set to low. I also have a ninja and 120mm fan for the CPU. THe CPU fan is running at about 1300rpm.

According to Intel, C2D should be running bellow 61C and at 85C they will shut down from overheating. There are few programs that show core temperature at full load and I would speculate that if you run 46C at idle you'll be running 60-65C minimum at full load and keep in mind it is Winter now, in the summer your ambient temperature could be higher and you'll be pushing thermal limits soon, especially with some added dust lowering efficiency. I put the least expensive water cooling system I could find and I'm running 33C idle,45-50C at full click and mine is also overclocked to 3GHz. I could go higher, at least 3.6 GHz but then I need to increase the Vcore and temperatures go up very quick from there. Did you try to lower Vcore on yours? Up until 2.8 GHz my CPU will run at the minimum 1.2V BIOS will allow, 1.16V actual (same mobo, E6400) and 3GHz requires only 0.375v more. Your CPU could even do better and it's the voltage that affects CPU temp. the most.

This is the heat sink i have. If you take a look at this picture I use the middle bracket to attach the heat sink to the CPU. I noticed when i attached it that the capacitors on the side of the CPU kinda seem to be in the way. The rounded part of the bracket gets in the way and seems to hit the capacitors. The heat sink went down fine and I just wanted to get things together so i could start testing. From the reviews I have seen the temps for my CPU should not be that high.

I did not really have the equipment to take some of the bracket off but that is waht i am going to do sunday when i get home.

lots of people, including myself, have had troubles getting the ninja (the heatsink to which you refer) mounted well. it's 775 mounting mechanism isn't that good. one option is to purchase the scythe universal bracket kit froma place like frozencpu.com; you can then use the 478 adapter, which does work a little bit better. but in my experience dealing with the copper spacer is a major PIA.

what i'm going to try the next time i have a chance is removing the push pins from the ninja bracket and then using screws from the back side of the mobo into a nut on the where the top of the push pin currently is. i'm hoping i'll get a more secure seating of the heatsink that way.