System temp change following update to ADM 3.0.0?

[SPOinNS]

My AS 204-TE is averaging 72c post ADM 3 update according to System Information. The 'auto' fan setting doesn't begin to ramp up RPM until the temperature hits 71-72c.

I could swear the average temp prior to the upgrade was around 68c. Still too warm but I know that the Atom chip runs hot.

Disk temp seems to run around 37-39c with disks idle. These are 4 x WD 4gb Reds in one RAID 5 volume.

I wonder if the temp increase is due to the chip running harder after ADM 3 or if ADM 3 is reporting temperature more accurately than previous versions. With Asustor you just never know because they don't document much.

Ambient temp is 20c and, following the update to 3.0 I gave the machine a cover off cleaning and cleared all the hard drive caddy vent slots from accumulated cruft. It didn't make any difference to the running temps but it made me feel better.

The NAS was built in early 2015 according to the production tag and it's been in constant use with me since March of that year.

My normal 'go to' action with a hot computer is a thorough cleaning and, if it's been awhile, replace the TIM. While I had the cover off the NAS I did a little reconnoiter and saw the simple aluminum fin heat sink. I'm thinking any CPU that runs that hot has baked it's TIM to cement by now. Has anyone refreshed the TIM on an AS2 series NAS? Any tips and tricks your could share? Disassembly looks fussy and man oh man are those screws soft. If it's a pointless exercise I'd be happy to put it off but I'll do it if consensus says the results are worth the effort.

Comments appreciated...

[Antonios]

Well, ADM 3.0 is about 30% larger file than previous (non-beta) version. That is if you download these files manually to check size and such.

Presumably, most or all of this added size could be extra code being executed and it would likely be something like 30% slower or 30% harder (and hotter) running or a combination thereof. This is a very rough estimation average, surely, but still...

Wonder if ADM 3.0 actually does 30% more (useful) stuff than previous version though.

Just my 2c.