AMD San Diego heatsink issues

[sphfaros]

I just purchased an AMD San Diego 3700+ and am using the stock heatsink. I'm installing it on an ASUS mobo.

What happened is I had trouble getting the heatsink on correctly. For those of you that are familiar with this heatsink, it had two silver metal levers on each side (just like all heatsinks) to latch it into place. Then it has this black tube with a L-shaped piece on one end that is supposed to spin 180 degrees and click into place. Well I had a hell of a time twisting this piece so I called AMD and the guy told me to remove the heatsink and start over with him walking me through it.

I had to reapply some of the paste (scrbbing off heatsink and putting on gaps on processor) after removing it, although most of the paste stayed on the processor. I did the same method and pushed down the heatsink, this time by trial and error and a lot of force I managed to get that black twist piece where it was supposed to go. Now the black piece seems bent a bit too much and the silver latch that goes through most heatsinks is sitting flush against one side of the heatsink and quite hard (this piece goes through the center of the heatsink).

I hope everyone understands what I'm saying, but the heatsink is on there, but I feel as if it went on incorrectly and is sitting slightly funny. Am I just over reacting and should just calm down and cope with the fact that everything is fine (the AMD guy told me it should be without problems).

I'd like to hear firsthand if any of you had this trouble and should I just leave that heatsink on there or ask for an RMA or any other options?

Thanks for reading.

 

[Sixtyfour]

http://www.omnicast.net/~tmcfadden/guides/build/AMD64.html

 

[imported_Starman]

You're the second person I've heard from this week who's had trouble installing the stock A64 heatsink...no offense, but what the hell?! It's the easiest heatsink I've ever had to install. You just lay it on top and latch the lever - done. Did you ever go through Socket A pains? That was a nightmare at times, sitting there with a flathead screwdriver and pressing with all of your might...hoping that it doesn't slip off the heatsink latch and break off a capacitor.

 

[imported_whatever]

Originally posted by: Starman
You're the second person I've heard from this week who's had trouble installing the stock A64 heatsink...no offense, but what the hell?! It's the easiest heatsink I've ever had to install. You just lay it on top and latch the lever - done. Did you ever go through Socket A pains? That was a nightmare at times, sitting there with a flathead screwdriver and pressing with all of your might...hoping that it doesn't slip off the heatsink latch and break off a capacitor.

unless you had one that was designed well, like the Zalman HSFs that had a hole in the hold-down and a tool that fit in it.

 

[imported_Starman]

^

Showoff

 

[JavaMomma]

Originally posted by: Starman
You're the second person I've heard from this week who's had trouble installing the stock A64 heatsink...no offense, but what the hell?! It's the easiest heatsink I've ever had to install. You just lay it on top and latch the lever - done. Did you ever go through Socket A pains? That was a nightmare at times, sitting there with a flathead screwdriver and pressing with all of your might...hoping that it doesn't slip off the heatsink latch and break off a capacitor.

I just got a Athlon64 was soooo easy to install the Heatsink/Fan.

The AthlonXPs were a pain, I still have a scare on the side of my hand from a the screwdriver slipping (didnt wreck the board) over two years ago, so much blood.

 

[Demo24]

mine was real tight at first. Then it sorta loosened up and when I reinstalled it several weeks later it was much easier

 

[sphfaros]

I'm wondering if I should continue building this computer or just ask AMD for a replacement on the heatsink. I mean I had to use a crapload of force to get that black lever to rotate around. I first clipped the side with the black lever on it, then the other side with the place for a screwdriver hold. I then tried to rotate the black lever and every time I tried, the black piece would almost be in poistion, but the base of it did not move (it was pretty much just bending the plastic 90 degrees!).

Really this is the worst heatsink I've ever had to install. Should I just ask AMD to send me a new one and see if that one works better?

 

[Sixtyfour]

How changing it makes it any different ?

 

[sphfaros]

By the way, that link on the second post of this topic...my heat sink lever looks absolutely nothing like the one in the image or video. It's completely different.

 

[sphfaros]

I have no peace of mind with this thing right now. I've taken the heatsink off already and I tried putting these levers on and off about 5 times now.

 

[Sixtyfour]

Originally posted by: sphfaros
By the way, that link on the second post of this topic...my heat sink lever looks absolutely nothing like the one in the image or video. It's completely different.

How about you find a pic for us ?

 

[sphfaros]

It doesn't matter anymore, I'm so furious with this low grade heatsink that I just took it off and chucked it. I'm gonna buy a heatsink from newegg that is actually designed well. I just hope I don't find out that something got damaged from all this pressure I put on the processor and motherboard. I like the AMD chips, but Intel has always been superior for me as far as they way they make their stock heat sinks. Maybe I just got a model they stopped producing after a week cause you guys should see the engineering on this heatsink, it sucks; but I won't be taking any pics, cause I've had enough of this thing.

Sorry for the venting.

 

[Sixtyfour]

Originally posted by: sphfaros
Intel has always been superior for me as far as they way they make their stock heat sinks.

Does not apply when comparing todays AMD boxed coolers to Intel coolers.
AMD coolers are far easier to install.

Maybe I just got a model they stopped producing after a week cause you guys should see the engineering on this heatsink, it sucks; but I won't be taking any pics, cause I've had enough of this thing.

If it doesn't look like in those pics then it isn't AMD boxed cooler.

Hope you get better cooler.

 

[sphfaros]

Yea it doesn't look like that, it has this crappy black tube running through the center that is connected to the black lever. When the black lever is rotated that tube warps into an arc shape, it's terrible.

 

[imported_michaelpatrick33]

Originally posted by: DEMO24
mine was real tight at first. Then it sorta loosened up and when I reinstalled it several weeks later it was much easier

I don't whether to laugh hysterically at the hidden joke or scratch my head in befuddlement at the oddity of it.

 

[Lonyo]

I've found XP/Athlon heatsinks fine to install.
After the first time or so it gets really easy. They even have little strips of protection on the mobo in case the screwdriver slips.

 

[sphfaros]

Yea I called AMD and told them the situation again and they said they are sending me a replacement of a newly engineered heatsink for the socket 939 that is being shipped just recently so since mine was dated from March, this one should solve my problems.

Patience...

 

[imported_Starman]

Originally posted by: sphfaros
Yea I called AMD and told them the situation again and they said they are sending me a replacement of a newly engineered heatsink for the socket 939 that is being shipped just recently so since mine was dated from March, this one should solve my problems.

Patience...

A "newly engineered" S939 heatsink? WTF? I've never heard of any such development and I'd be curious to know what's different in this latest revision.

 

[Geomagick]

I found the stock A64 heatsink very easy to install.

Once upon a time I had a Swiftech 462 one that had four sprung loaded bolts. Couple that to the exposed core on my Athlon XP. Accident waiting to happen.

As it is I only used my stock heatsink for a week.