Am I going to fry my north bridge?

[MWink]

I've finally upgraded to a 64 bit system (though I'm still running all 32 bit apps) and I'm wondering if my new motherboard can survive with a passive cooler on the NB? It's an Abit NV8 and it comes with a small active HSF which seems to get pretty hot itself.

I would like to use one of those blue Zalman chipset coolers but I'm not sure if it will keep the NB cool enough. I put it on and it got quite hot. I tested it with the temp probe on my DMM and near the center of the base it got over 130 degrees (F). Is that too hot for it? I know some chips (GPU's, CPU's, etc.) can handle far more but I don't know about the chipset.

I also have one of these but I'm not sure how much better it would be and it has a fan (though it is pretty quiet). Any help or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[HO]

My mobo (Tyan K8E) came with a passive cooler on the NB chip, one of the reasons I chose it. I guess if mine can survive so can yours.

 

[MWink]

Originally posted by: HO
My mobo (Tyan K8E) came with a passive cooler on the NB chip, one of the reasons I chose it. I guess if mine can survive so can yours.

Yeah that was a feature I wanted but this was the best looking mother board I could find and it came with a fan. Also I'm not sure yours has the same chipset as mine. That looks like a socket 940 board and mine is a socket 754. BTW how hot does your heatsink seem to get?

 

[Nocturnal]

No you will not. I have an ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe with a Zalman NB47J passive heatsink on the northbridge and I have not had any problems. I've owned this system I believe for almost one year.

 

[chilled]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
No you will not. I have an ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe with a Zalman NB47J passive heatsink on the northbridge and I have not had any problems. I've owned this system I believe for almost one year.

Ditto with the MSI K8N Diamond, which also uses a nForce4 SLI chipset.

 

[w00t]

Zalman NB47J should be good enough.

 

[EndGame]

Here's just the thing......

Northbridge Solution.....

 

[MDE]

My Epox 9NPA+ Ultra is doing just fine passively cooled.

 

[Bozo Galora]

130F = 54.4C = no prob

 

[MWink]

Thanks for all the input. I'll try to make myself stop worrying.

 

[lytalbayre]

I have a zalman and it get's really hot. I haven't had any stability issues with my system, but an external sensor indicates the passive heatsink fins get up in the mid to high 60c range!!! Wow!! I can barely touch that thing for a few seconds before I have to remove my hand. I assume it is making good contact with the chipset for the fins to get so hot....

Conversely, the MOB sensor in the bios reports chipset temps in the 30c range.... maybe all the heat leaves the chipset and goes into the heatsink... ha ha.

It should be no problem. Be cautious if OCn with high FSB/HTT.