Removing Heatspreader--Specific's, and Help Plz.

[Holst]

Thats a good point xgman.

All the heatsinks I have used have only one clip, not two. Or screws that you can tighten up evenly.

I think that XG is right that the heatsink you have is dangerous for a chip without IHS.
Better get another heatsink before you go this route.

That said no IHS has some distinct advantages.

1-lower temps (duh... obviously)
2- no proken pins when the CPU gets stuck to the bottom of your heatsink.

I think that once the IHS is off, and you have the right heatsink its probably safer than with it on. I had my CPU ripped out of the socket several times when I was running a retail chip with heatspreader. Several people have bent or broken pins when doing this.
This was never a problem with the mobile chip as the core's smaller surface area didnt create the same suction force. So the heatsink/waterbock just lifted off like it did on socket A.

Only an advantage if your swapping chips and coolers all the time... but I tend to do that quite a bit.

[NickS]

i COULD use teh stock cooler, but...

that'd be kinda stupid.

[mongoled]

Hello there,

Ive got an XP90 on a bare winny, there is something you NEED to know which I havnt seen mentioned. By removing the IHS you wont be able to mount the XP90 without modifying either the heatsink or the actual 939 socket.

The reason for this is that the clearence which the IHS gives is just enuff to allow the heatsink to clear the socket. If u remove the IHS and try to attach the XP90 you will NOT make full contact with the core because the heatsink will be lob-sided against the socket.

So you have two choices, either sand down the edge of the bracket arnd 2-3mm or sand down the heatsink i.e. will look like the socket-a heatsinks which had a 'ledge'

Hope you understand my explanation of the problem

mong

[NickS]

well ya know the screws that hold the clips on the heatsink itself? i was thinking of putting a washer in between the screw and the clip to make it go on tighter on each side. see what i mean?

also how do u go about mounting it?

[NickS]

im so close to rippin the mofo off you wouldnt know, lol.

[G H Z]

Do it but re-read mongo's post as you missed what he was saying.

[NickS]

OOOOOOOO.
I cld like snip off a bit of the bracket with a pair of scissors, but what part? Cld someone cirlce it in an XP-90 image?

[IvanAndreevich]

My friend has done this.

You need to take the plastic bracket that comes with the XP-90 and shorten the plastic that lifts it off the mobo.

Just think about the constructions of the mounting bracket and how to make it closer to the mobo. You'll see on the bottom the plastic part that sticks out which regulates the pressure. Sand it off (dremel is faster) and you are good to go.

However, you can crush the core so beware.

[NickS]

I colour coded it the best i can. What part (name the colour plz)

also, im just thinking now...
why not remove the ihs, put some arctic silver ceramique under there, and put it back on!

the stock thermal paste is junk.

[Gogar]

I still don't think he gets it, the heatsink will sit on the socket, not the core.. because a part of the socket is slightly higher .. like the end of it that says "Socket 939".

[THunDA]

Thats what they are talking about..

[NickS]

Okay. Then the plan is (cuz i dont wanna mod my heatsink). Take IHS off, apply Arctic Silver Ceramique to the core. Set the IHS back on and press a little, place CPU in socket, apply Arctic Silver Ceramique on the IHS itself, and mount XP-90.

I shld get instant, lower temps. Especially because I firmly believe my IHS isnt contacting my core well, as like i said, my temps barely dropped a few @ max ºC when i went from stock to XP-90 & Zalman fan.

[THunDA]

I would think you'd want to expoxy or silicon it back on ..

[NickS]

No I've read many ppl who have done the same on this forum

[uwackme]

You cant just put the IHS on and be done. If you dont use a dab of SiliconRTV at the corners, the IHS could with soime vibration "shift" and short out one of the cap arrays ontop of the A64 substrate, or even slip down and hit the core. Just a dab of silicon glue on the corners, and remember to then on a flat surface put the heatsink on and let it sit till the glue dries. THEN you are gold.

[NickS]

okie dokie

i like the idea of the corners only, i wld like some air to get under there

where can i get some silicon glue? do u mean silicone

also, does "silicon" glue, if any, come in just like a elmers-type thingy?

[mongoled]

Hey NickS,

u getting alot of good advice from alot of seasoned peeps,

I think you should re-read the whole post again and then ask yourself this question.

'Why did you want to remove the IHS in the first place?'

Im sure you will have seen tht the removal of the IHS is just a small part of getting the job you want doing done. U need to be sure tht you wont regret wht you are doing, because things CAN go wrong.

Reapplying the IHS again isnt a simple thing, if you do it wrong then you may not be making proper contact with the core and end up burning up your CPU.

Silicon can be found at any decent DIY store. When you place silicon on the CPU you MUST make sure tht you are applying pressure to the top of the IHS
while it is drying otherwise the silicon may lift the IHS away from the core. Depending on your mounting method you are going to use there may be not enuff pressure to push the IHS back down once the silicon has set.

If you do end up taking the IHS off, the best method for getting the lowest temps (tht is wht u wanted in the first place right??) is mounting straight onto the core.

Like other peeps have said, after removing IHS you need to:

- Prep the core. I.e. place spongy material (like tht found on old socket-a CPUs) close to each corner of the core to protect from core crush.

- Either sand down the 939-socket (in the place where their is writing, the writing is part of the plastic mould i.e. not a sticker. This is the method i have chosen).

- Sand down the heatsink. I actually believe this to be the most preferable method if you have the tools.

- Then CHECK to see heatsink is actually making contact with the WHOLE core. If not sand down socket/heatsink more.

- Finally when seating the heatsink be VERY careful NOT to have the heatsink tilted too far. You dont want to be applying any sort of pressure to one edge of the core. Even with spongy material you will be asking for trouble.

Thts the best I can do, good luck in wht ever you choose to try

mong

[NickS]

Jeeze.

I guess I shld just sit tight then, 'eh.

Thanks for your help.

[xgman]

Do NOT take the IHS off and think that if you put it back on it will make good contact no matter what it will never be like it was. If you do take it off, in your case I think you better get a scew down sink like the Swiftech I suggested earlier, other wise you are right in just leaving well enough alone.

[Gogeta]

A lot of good advice in this thread for anyone considering the removal of their IHS.

Nick, have you tried re-mounting your XP-90 to see if you can get better temps on the chance that it is currently making bad contact? You might consider this if you haven't already done so before you leap out of the trenches without your helmet. This could be the reason you didn't see a larger drop in temps when you made the switch from stock cooling. And just to cover all the bases (not implying you're a noob or something childish like that), when applying the Ceramique to the core/IHS during the mounting process for your XP-90, experiment with using different amounts of the compound each time you re-mount until you get a good idea of the "optimum" amount. Too much or too little can effect temps by a few degrees. IMO, AS5 is easier to use because it spreads evenly under pressure...but Ceramique is a close second.

[mad mikee]

First do a seach here for keyword IHS and user mad mikee
/Edit also look for lapping (or just me I know I have some stuff out here somewhere )

Other stuff
1. Get 220 Grit Silicon carbide Sandpaper and wetsand the bottom of the bracket (back and forth 5 times, then rotate, do 4 times to get all sides) to lower the bracket, then the clip will work better.

2. Just Get the cooling that I got for my wife's puter, will be safer and works better. (XP120 = chipped core + 50c on a given chip, Hyper6 = no chippage (EVER) and 35-38c on same chip). Still got to sand teh bracket, but not all that hard)

3. Use straightedge or razor blade and look @ light w/ it resting on core (both long and short dimension). I think you will see that the chip is NOT FLAT. This is why good contact is impossible/painful. (please check this and respond back since I can always use more data on this )

4. While you're @ it, if you have steady hand, lap the chip (I do all mine, see teh search above ) and the worst temp I have on my wife's says 38c after all night on prime95 or OCCT.

5. For the UT IIRC the airflow for the hyper6 will go right out the back and you will also have room now to get better mem cooling in there.

6. If you are really stuck w/ XP-90, get some 1/16" AL barstock (need 1" so get about 12", smallest you can get, cut a piece to go between the heatsink and the spring itself (gotta remove the spring first of course and drill a hole in the piece of AL stock, then screw it back together )) Washers will not give enough support, that is why you must do it this way (I tried all this stuff b4 getting the HYPER6, then saw new temps and got rid of the XP120 ) This will at least a bit more pressure on the chip (which won't really help if not flat but...) Also get a cheap 25mm thick fan to match whatever you have on there now and gut it, then use as a spacer. Better cooling (no dead spot) and also quieter.

[Holst]

Seems to me like the XP90 is the cuae of all your problems..

just swap it for another cooler..

Appart from that I think you have everything covered.

[MUCHO]

Thats easy.

Put a washer between the chip and the heatsink, this will lift the clip up, increasing tension.

I think a 1mm washer (on each side) will be plenty.

Make sure the washers are exactly the same thickness.

Help me out here - I'm looking at this and trying to make sense out of it. I don't want to remove my IHS but I think my XP-120 could have better tension. If I put washers in there - it raises up the heatsink right? How does that help increase pressure? I mean - it will increase tension on the clips but why would that increase the pressure on the heatsink towards the CPU?

[amrgb]

Definitely the mounting system of the XP 120/90 coolers make their use with naked cpus very risky.

I've done the best I could to avoid damages to the core, unscrewing the springs as much as I could, and even though I cracked a corner of the core (it's still alive and kicking). This was with a winchester. The same should apply to other cores.

[xgman]

I don't get that either Mucho.