Either a hot CPU or inaccurate sensor

For those who might be inclined (warning: my initial post is almost as
long as Moby ***!), there is a thread I started last September that is
probably relevant to what is going on now:

http://groups.google.com/group/alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt/browse_frm/thread/1fa3347e014f688b/653fc44c01ee4836

(You might want to read that last, if at all!)

There were many BSODs back then. I was never able to definitively
determine the cause. I think we can rule out the power supply because I
replaced the original one with no change in outcome. What seemed to work
for me was to disconnect my USB exrernal hard drive when I wasn't using
it. (Not a perfect solution, but it worked.)

My PC:

- Abit IX38 Quad GT motherboard

- Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 CPU

- Crucial Ballistix PC8500 DDR2 RAM (2 x 1GB)

- 250 GB Seagate ES.2 SATA2 hard drive (this is the one that has Windows
XP, SP2)

- 500 GB Seagate 7200.11 SATA2 hard drive (for storage)

- Lite-On 20x DL DVD +/- RW drive

- A-922 case

- Antec EA 430 power supply (which replaced the 600 watt Tiger power
supply)

- MSI 512MB HD3870 OC PCI-E graphics card

Another component(s) I had suspected was the memory. There are
apparently many unhappy campers who purchased what I did.

Although I never get BSODs anymore, the new problem (which may very well
be related to the old problem) is the PC will just shut itself off.
Nothing in Event Viewer is recorded. I opened up the case. There was
hardly any dust at all, I blew what little dust there was away. But the
new symptom (which would explain the shutoffs) was a reading (from the
BIOS and from Sandra and from SpeedFan) of 90 degrees Celsius for the
CPU.

Now, no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to cause this to happen.
Running Prime95 can get it only as hot as 78 degrees. What I have is an
intermittent problem (then again, 78 seems way too high also -- but
there is no shutting down).

I have done a lot of research, looking into the motherboard, CPU, and
memory and it looks like there have been many complaints for all three!
Apparently the E8400 has its problems with heat. Or perhaps the sensor
is reporting the wrong temperature and the motherboard is just doing its
job thinking there is a CPU that's too hot (even though it really
isn't). There have been other complaints by people who have what I have
(the board and CPU). Some have reported success with upgrading (or
downgrading!) their BIOS version (mine is 12). Others just wound up
getting a different CPU.

Realistically, what are my best options at this point? The CPU fan works
just fine. I felt the air blowing out and it wasn't even really that
warm in my opinion. Is there a definitive way to measure the actual temp
of the CPU? Are there BIOS settings I'm overlooking? I am not
overclocking, BTW.

I am not taxing the system right now (just IE7 and OE6). SpeedFan is
reporting 36 degrees C right now for the CPU. Vcore value is 1.25V. When
I run Sandra, it gives me Warning 236: "Vcore higher rated than maximum.
Check Vcore setting!" I wouldn't begin to know what this means or hot to
address it.

Thanks in advance for helping me solve this mystery.

P.S. more reading material that may be relevent:

http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/post/489169.aspx

http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=46112


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