A8N-SLI Deluxe northbridge question

[Nocturnal]

There is this paper like thing that covers the northbridge and also this white paste. I'm guessing this is some type of thermal paste that ASUS puts on prior to putting on the heatsink and fan.

What I want to know is, does this paper need to come off prior to cleaning the northbridge? Or can I live it on?

Thank you.

Ok there is a piece of paper or layer covering the bottom of the original heatsink and there is also one ontop of the area where the northbridge is. I can lift up the little sheet and below it is all of the mechanical aspects of the northbridge. I'm wondering if I have to remove this piece of paper like thing before installing the Zalman NB47J?

 

[gixxer]

i just got done doing the same thing today. I left on the "gasket" and just whiped up the thermal compound.

I reinstalled a new heatsink and fan, and so far so good.

 

[Nocturnal]

What heatsink and fan did you go with?

 

[sxr7171]

Yes remove it. It's part of the thermal pad they used. It comes off with 90% isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Nocturnal]

ttt

 

[Nocturnal]

ttt

 

[gixxer]

I thought the paper was to help seperate the heatsink from the mechanical pieces of the chip and just let the heatsink only sit on the actaual N-Force 4 chip. But that is just my opinion.

I used the same Zalman NB47J heatsink. But i also added a 40mm cooler master cooler that i took from another northbridge cooler. (there is a picture in the larger heatsink thread http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...&STARTPAGE=3&FTVAR_FORUMVIEWTMP=Linear it is the seveth post on this page. Here is the link to their picture: http://cossacks.in4.pl/klan/zalman.jpg

However, i thought the heatsink fit/looked better rotated 90 degrees (so the two rows of shorter blades faced the primary PCIe slot). this then allowed me to fit the fan square to the heatsink with one screw that didn't bend the blades at all when i screwed it in. (I will post pictures as soon as i can. i have been sent out of town for a week for work. )