Installing CPU

[auggybendoggy]

if you use a CC to spread the silver compound how thin should you spread it?

 

I've used that silver and it did short it out till i wiped it up with a napkin and then used ceramic...then it worked.

 

I used about a half a dime spot and then put on the fan. I think it was too much

 

auggy

[Sid]

Any tips on installing a new cpu for someone who has never done it / doesn't do much work on his P.C. himself in general.

[shep48]

dont drop it, get a business card and use it as a trowel to smooth out thermal compound, dont get any on pins or anything else. make sure the arrow in corner matches up, it should fall right in

[Preacher]

make sure to touch the side of the case prior to touching anything inside the PC or the components. do this every time you move your feet. Inspect the bottom of the CPU to make sure there are no bent pins, if they are bent you can bend them back if you are gentle with a credit card. (be very careful) If the pins look ok then just line up the arrow from the cpu with the proper corner of the MB slot. DO NOT FORCE IT. It should drop in with no help at all. Place the thermal compound on the cpu core AFTER you place it in the motherboard to avoid getting it where it don't belong. do not overuse the thermal compound, just a small dot smoothed out with a credit card or a business card. Then place the heatsink lightly onto the top of the CPU being careful not to tilt the heatsink KEEP IT FLAT. Then use your fingers to secure one side of the Heat Sink clips, then take a small screwdriver and, being very careful to avoid slipping off the bracket, push the other side down until it connects to the clip. Last thing is to make sure and connect the CPU fan to the motherboard.

 

My suggestion is to use an anti-static wrist strap, but if you follow the directions above you won't have any problems.

 

Hope this helps

[Cranky Bullfrog]

Excellent advice there from the guys. The only thing I would add is if you buy one of the silver impregnated heat compounds, be very careful where you put it or how much you use. If you get it on the ICT spots (the little gold circles on top of the CPU), you will short something out because the silver heat transfer compounds are conductive to electricity as well as heat.

 

I prefer the silver impregnated heat transfer compounds because their heat transfer coefficients are way better than regular heat transfer grease. You just gott remember to keep it on the core and nowhere else.

 

The business card spreader is a great idea - that way you don't put it on too thick and have it squirt onto other parts of the chip when you attach the heat sink.

 

If you do happen to get heat transfer compound where you didn't want it, you can remove it and clean up the chip with a Q-tip dipped lightly in denatured alcohol. Just don't power the processor (or motherboard) until you have the heat sink properly attached and the fan on the heat sink plugged in and ready to go.

 

Always turn off the power immediately (pull out the power cord) if when you apply power, the heat sink fan for the CPU doesn't spin up immediately. Then correct the problem and try again.

 

Good luck!

 

Cranky

[Cranky Bullfrog]

One last tip. If you are installing an AMD 64 into an AMD 64 compatible motherboard, watch out for odd spacing of the first two memory banks you install. A week ago we helped a friend get his AMD 64 going. The motherboard had four slots. Normally you would think you could put the memory in the first two slots (1 & 2) sequentially. However, on this board, (an ASUS), you have to install two banks of memory in slots 1 & 3. It turned out that it was indicated by the color of the memory sockets (blue for slots 1 & 3 and black for slots 2 & 4) but if you weren't observant (or if you don't read manuals), you might not realize that. So, in this type of motherboard, if you put the memory in slots 1 & 2, it doesn't boot up.

 

Also, note - for AMD 64 installations, the motherboards use that 4 wire power cable that comes from the power supply in addition to the ATX power connector. Most people think the four wire connector is only for Pentiums but really, its for any high power consumption processor and the AMD 64 qualifies. So, if you don't hook that cable up too, the board won't boot. You should see a connector on the MB for it too.

 

Best regards,

 

Cranky

[Acid-Flux]

dont forget to clean the socket out with a little water first!!!

 

 

 

J/K! Dont do it

[Sid]

Hey guys thank you so much for all the good tips. I'll be sure to let you know how everything works out. Also one more question. How do I get the stupid old one off. I don't want to break anything attempting to get the old heatsink/cpu out. Also i bought the cpu in a retail box so does that come with the heatsink/compound???

[Acid-Flux]

to get the old one off

1) Ground yourself

 

2)Depending on the modle of the heatsink

look at the heatsink, on one side there is going to be a place where a flat tipped screwdriver can be placed in and pressed down to release a latch.

 

**|------------|

|_|CPU/fan |

 

ps. i had to use teh *'s as spacers

 

see on the left, that is where you will put the screwdriver, press down and slightly move. It will pop off

 

3)then remove the heatsink and fan carefully, be sure to remove the power cable to the fan

 

4)look around the cpu, there will be a small lever which you lift up to release the hold of the cpu

 

5)after lever is in the upright position, carefully remove the cpu. Making sure to life straight up. Lifting otherwise might cause CPU pins to become bent.

Edited April 17, 2005 by Acid-Flux

[Sid]

lol diagrams and everything. Thanks man you roxor!!!

[SiX]

most retail cpu fans and processors come with instructions, I do it all the time. dont worry about to much pressure, they take a lot....

 

 

six has spoken

[Sid]

thanks guy

[Preacher]

Also this would be better if done while not scuba diving or water skiing