I just finished my first PC build. It powers on and displays the POST/BIOS information, but it shuts off after a few seconds. The CPU temperature reaches about 95°C before shutdown. I realized I installed the Ryzen 7 5700X without a CPU cooler. Is the missing cooler definitely causing this, and do I need a complete air or liquid cooler, or is thermal paste by itself enough?
My parts are an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, MSI B550M PRO-VDH WiFi motherboard, MSI MAG A850GL 850W power supply, Acer Arc B570 Nitro OC graphics card, and PCZZOI P4 case.
2 Answers
Do not run the computer again until a cooler is installed. The processor can hit its thermal limit within seconds without one. Install an AM4-compatible heatsink and fan—or a compatible liquid cooler—then verify that it is making solid contact with the CPU and that the CPU fan is connected. Thermal paste transfers heat to the cooler, but it cannot cool the CPU on its own.
Yes, the missing cooler is the problem. The Ryzen 7 5700X does not include a stock cooler, so you need a proper CPU cooler—thermal paste alone is not enough. A basic AM4-compatible tower air cooler will work well; a Thermalright Peerless Assassin is one popular option, though many similar coolers are suitable. Apply the paste to the CPU or use the paste that comes with the cooler, mount the cooler firmly, remove any protective plastic from its contact plate, and connect its fan to the motherboard's CPU_FAN header. The system is shutting down to protect the processor from overheating.
Thanks, that clears it up. I wasn't sure whether I needed to buy paste separately or an entire cooler.
Got it—I'll get a complete cooler and make sure the fan is plugged into CPU_FAN before trying again.