Column #1 is current status. Column #2 is the minimum or lowest ever (since starting the program). Column #3 is the maximum or highest ever (meaning maximum load). I got this image while trying to monitor my CPU while playing Hawken. While I hate to put this in the PS2 forums as well, I know I'm likely to get a faster reply here. In addition, this is likely what my CPU is doing (if not worse) when I play PS2. If I am understanding the information the monitor has given me correctly, my CPU is effectively trying to melt right off of my motherboard and for whatever reason I haven't ever seen a BSOD to stop this from happening. Which means I am either grossly overestimating how much temperature my particular CPU can handle, the program I used is very inaccurate, or my computer is in very very poor condition already. If it is the case that I should get some serious cooling before running any more CPU intensive games, then I'm going to consider accelerating my plans for an upgrade and immediatey get a new motherboard (since my current CPU is the best my motherboard can support) and then get a CPU that doesn't try to self destruct. **edit** The program I used to monitor this was HWinfo (which allowed me to monitor my GPU as well. If anyone cares, my GPU is rather happy and not bursting into flames).
Despite the fact that you know more than me about this I'm inclined to agree that it would appear something is trying to kill itself with fire.
Please keep in mind while I type this that my only experience with CPU temperatures is that of my own (an i7 2600k). I also have a Noctua NH-D14 cooler (a jet engine, basically). But my first question is, are you overclocking? I think my CPU came stock at 1.2V. 1.4 puts out some serious amounts of heat. That being said, those look like fairly respectable temperatures, considering the voltage of your CPU.
I don't know about the AMD K8 chips, but I reckon that's a safe temperature, both average and peak. It's a good idea to try and prevent that from being routine, as in, 24/7 - and even for temporary game stints, to do what you can to bring it down to, say, below 65ºC for peak and below 45ºC for average 24/7 usage (with 65 consistent during gaming, if that wasn't clear).. But ultimately, all that really means is the CPU is likely to survive (in the current state) for, oh let's say 5 years of regular use, instead of 8, 9, 10, etc. Honestly, even at peaks in the 70s, it might still get 8 years. Maybe 10. Or maybe two. As I said, I can't speak for that specific CPU, but unless you prefer upgrades to happen once a decade, you shouldn't really worry about temps at all until you see averages in the 70s and peaks in the upper 80s. Even then, it'll run, and probably do so for a few years. For reference, most CPUs can handle temps in the low 90 centigrade region. Most times, when it is sustained at that temp, something, if not the CPU throttling/forcing a shutdown on its own, some other part of the system is going to cause a BSOD due to various issues/reasons. I know I reached mid 90s during some testing of overclocks on my Intel i7 2600K. Unless something has changed (I stop monitoring once I have a stable system and don't notice any symptoms of instability or excessive heat), my i7 will reach mid to upper 70s during intense use (insane use, like stressing the CPU to the max with different bench software, may see low 80s - no game stresses a CPU like a few stress-test utilities out there). My overclocked Core2Duo saw temps in the 70s as well, if I recall correctly, and survived the four or five or so years before I built my current system (never saw anything hinting at degradation either) In short - it should be perfectly acceptable. Until you suffer BSODs or smell something burning, things should be fine. How long you want a chip to realistically survive may come into play, but imho those temps should see you a typical console generation at worst. Ultimately, it is never a bad idea to invest in better cooling or dropping overclocks until you reach a temperature YOU feel comfortable at. Search for information at a place like overclock.net to see acceptable temps for that specific CPU. I reckon you should be just fine as is, and if you want to drop the temperatures that's not a bad idea, but I wouldn't go to any extreme measures to do so.
Well as I stated my motherboard needs an upgrade as my current CPU is the best it can handle, and I doubt I'll go for decades on the same CPU. I suppose it mostly bothers me because my CPU is not overclocked at all. As I found out, my particular model is a boiler even at factory settings, and stock cooling (usually) doesn't cut it.