On 5-Jan-2004, Rob wrote:

The heat sink, in direct contact with the core

Thanks Rob for that further explanation ...while I did not
initially clearly understand this explanation .... that explanation,
combined with having watched the reported socket and diode temps in
motherboard monitor the past two days ... and I realized, that
it has been functioning exactly how you described, so now I know WHY!

Thanks alot, again ....

For Broedie: as much as I may like to 'blame' Alienware for this
snafu ... I can't, as they replaced the motherboard shortly after I
received this computer, and thus the cpu/heatsink was NOT
the way they shipped it, but was redone by an 'onsite' tech.
And for your comment: "maybe when you installed the new heasink
you did it right..;.." that gave me a chuckle, ME do something right
on this computer? LOL (well, I suppose I do turn it on in the morning,
the right way)
Thanks for your input