Processor heatsink fell off...

[tom66]

It's an NVIDIA Zalman heatsink+fan assembly.

It came mounted on the motherboard I got from my brother.

It looks like the metal clips just broke. I've looked it up and it has happened to a few other people before me too. The heatsink is really heavy and rests on just some small metal clips.

Luckily I didn't power it on, I noticed before...

So... is it fixable? I have a heatsink+fan assy from a broken Gigabyte motherboard, but I'm not sure if it will fix.

[Koda]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Why don't you just try another heatsink? Salvage a x-clamp from another mobo...
P.S. I would kill for a sweet PNY 8800 like that one Is it single slot?

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Why don't you just try another heatsink? Salvage a x-clamp from another mobo...
P.S. I would kill for a sweet PNY 8800 like that one Is it single slot?

It's 9800 GT actually . Single PCI-E x16... another freebie from the brother who gives me all his old (~2-3 years) computer hardware.

I will see what I can do about using the Gigabyte heatsink. I don't think a particularly powerful heatsink is needed to keep an AMD Athlon FX64 cool.

[mockingbird]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

That can't be 939 it's an AM2 or 754 system... Just get a newer retention bracket that's made out of better plastic...

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

That can't be 939 it's an AM2 or 754 system... Just get a newer retention bracket that's made out of better plastic...

Abit KN9 Ultra motherboard, does that help? Processor has AMD Athlon FX64 engraved on it. It's dual core 2.8 GHz and will overclock to 2.9GHz before crashing... I know very little about computers (I just know it's a very fast processor for me), engineering is more my thing... The motherboard is full of Rubycons.

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Hmm, looking at this heatsink+fan as a replacement (is it a stock heatsink/fan?) I am using the processor to rated specifications (2.8 GHz, default BIOS...), as noise is not a concern (it has 6 fans + CPU fan!)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-AMD-CP...item46014e3322

The metal clip is completely broken, I don't think I can use that old Zalman thing, but it seems like overkill anyway.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Yes that looks like a stock AMD cooler. Will do the job but keep it clean.

[mockingbird]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Oh, I thought the retention bracket's clip broke...

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Oh, I thought the retention bracket's clip broke...

The metal part for clamping the heatsink to the processor is what broke. Sheared right in half. The motherboard is okay...

[RJARRRPCGP]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

It's dual core 2.8 GHz and will overclock to 2.9GHz before crashing... I know very little about computers (I just know it's a very fast processor for me)

I would check the DRAM clock and maybe lower it to get past 2.9.

You should be able to get at least a + 200 Mhz OC.

Failing with a + 200 Mhz OC, which is tiny for today's standards, reminds me of my T-Bird 900, where it will crash at 1050, with "STOP:0x0000000A IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"
(But that was with the dreaded Deer DR-250ATX)

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

I would check the DRAM clock and maybe lower it to get past 2.9.

You should be able to get at least a + 200 Mhz OC.

Failing with a + 200 Mhz OC, which is tiny for today's standards, reminds me of my T-Bird 900, where it will crash at 1050, with "STOP:0x0000000A IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL"
(But that was with the dreaded Deer DR-250ATX)

Heh, I have no need to overclock it. It is already extremely fast for me and should suit me for years to come. I have a similar processor in my media PC, but it is the single core variant (friend's old PC.) It is underclocked to 2 GHz to keep fan speed low and temperature low, and it still performs extremely well... I was able to drop the clock to around 1 GHz before it couldn't play 1080p...

[momaka]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Processor has AMD Athlon FX64 engraved on it. It's dual core 2.8 GHz and will overclock to 2.9GHz before crashing...

I think that would be an Athlon 64 FX-62, not FX64. Double check. If yes, those are rated for 125W TDP - so no, that heat sink is not overkill at all.

The metal part for clamping the heatsink to the processor is what broke. Sheared right in half. The motherboard is okay...

Doesn't sound like something that zip ties or thick steel wire won't fix . I've done it with many other heat sinks. Works better than the original most of the time.

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

I think that would be an Athlon 64 FX-62, not FX64. Double check. If yes, those are rated for 125W TDP - so no, that heat sink is not overkill at all.

Yep... you're correct. Would I really use 125W with both cores maxed?

Doesn't sound like something that zip ties or thick steel wire won't fix . I've done it with many other heat sinks. Works better than the original most of the time.

I wish I could, but there aren't many holes around the motherboard which would support such an arrangement.

[c_hegge]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

I wouldn't use that fleabay stock heat sink with a 125W CPU. I'd go with a coolermaster hyper TX3. They are cheap, but surprisingly quiet and effective.

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

I wouldn't use that fleabay stock heat sink with a 125W CPU. I'd go with a coolermaster hyper TX3. They are cheap, but surprisingly quiet and effective.

I found someone selling it for £4, so I'm going to give it a shot. In the worst case I will wait before I start using this PC to play games. I just finished Crysis for the third time before the heatsink fell off. I will see how well it performs. If it gets too hot, I will upgrade it. The media PC (with single core variant) uses a stock cooler and it runs at less than 40°C most times.

I really, really wished that manufacturers of processor heatsinks would specify a thermal resistance of their heatsink. However, this would allow proper comparison and then it would no longer be based on looks! A good processor heatsink (IMO) would have a thermal resistance of below 0.3°C/W C-A (case to ambient, with 90% rated speed fan cooling.) Add in thermal paste of 0.1°C/W and this allows 125W dissipation at 40°C ambient, reaching a maximum die temperature of 90°C.

[momaka]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Would I really use 125W with both cores maxed?

Yes, maybe even a bit over. TDP is like a high-average for what your processor will use. At idle, it will be well below the TDP and at 100% load, it can peak above it.

[tom66]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Okay, so the heatsink/fan assembly arrived today. It looks like it has a thermal interface material fitted to it already. I do have thermal paste if I need it, but do I need it if it's got this already?

[Amraks]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

strip that away you need fresh stuff always.

So I will avoid that brand heat sink lol.

[Th3_uN1Qu3]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

That's the typical thermal adhesive that ships with all AMD stock heatsinks. It's pretty good (and also a PITA to remove). Snap it on and that's all, no paste needed.

[Amraks]

Re: Processor heatsink fell off...

Wouldn't he need to move the gell on his processor before applying the fan with the thermal adhesive