CPU pads too big?

[SDOG34]

I just bought a barton 2500+ and took my sk-7 off my old proc and put it onto the new one. Fired the sucker up and saw that it was running at 68C! When I took the sk-7 off I noticed that only about 20% of the arctic silver on the dye contacted the heatsink. I have swapped back to my old chip and it makes full contact, even in the same new motherboard. The only conclusion I can make is that the pads on the CPU are too large and are preventing full contact with the heatsink. Can you guys think of any way to rectify this? My thoughts were to file down the pads and/or bend the clip on the sk-7. I am not terribly comfortable with either one of these options though.

 

[Detselom]

Are you talking about a thermal pad? It's kind of like a sticker on the bottom of your heatsink, take it off then reapply a drop of Artic silver on it and try again. It should lower your heat. You can take it off with something like a credit card then use something like goo-gone to clean up the sticky surface you are left with.

 

[cow123]

nah hes talking about those little rubber pads on the corners of the processor

 

[Elcs]

Since you are familiar with the heatsink already this may sound stupid but do you have it around the right way?

If you still have your old cpu, it might be worth taking a look at both cpu's and checking how tall the pads are on each cpu. It may just be the way you placed the heatsink on.

 

[SDOG34]

Originally posted by: Elcs
Since you are familiar with the heatsink already this may sound stupid but do you have it around the right way?

If you still have your old cpu, it might be worth taking a look at both cpu's and checking how tall the pads are on each cpu. It may just be the way you placed the heatsink on.

Thx for the suggestion Elcs, but unforunately I already tried that. Either way the heatsink goes on, the contact is pretty poor. I lapped it a little last night, but that didn't help any (the problem is obviously too great for lapping to overcome). Any other suggestions?

 

[cheetoden]

use the pads from the old cpu.

 

[Jhhnn]

Although I suspect you have it right, I'd be remiss if I didn't remind you that both the clip and sink are asymmetrical, there are more wrong ways than right ways to put them together on the processor. I'd try tweaking the clip, unless it seems very stout in the first place. After that, contact your vendor or remove the rubber feet, then be very careful with sink installation...

 

[mechBgon]

Besides the good advice already given, there's one more thing to know about Thermalright heatsinks: they can slide back and forth on their clips. When you're installing your SK-7, do this:

• Notice how the heatsink can slide back and forth on the clip
• Orient the heatsink so the stepped end of the base is matched with the raised, solid-plastic end of the CPU socket
• Engage the clip on the lugs at the non-raised end of the CPU socket
• Now slide the heatsink as far away from the raised end of the socket as the clip will permit
• Now fasten down the other end of the clip (I find it's quite easy to do with my bare hands, due to the width of the clip)

What has been happening to you is that the heatsink was too close to the raised solid-plastic end of the CPU socket, and it was getting jacked up at that end. Hope that helps! edit: Figure 14 of this PDF file illustrates the problem.

 

[SDOG34]

That did it mech Bgon! Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. There is always someone at anandtech to fix a problem brought on by my jackassery.

 

[human2k]

Originally posted by: mechBgon
Besides the good advice already given, there's one more thing to know about Thermalright heatsinks: they can slide back and forth on their clips. When you're installing your SK-7, do this:

• Notice how the heatsink can slide back and forth on the clip
• Orient the heatsink so the stepped end of the base is matched with the raised, solid-plastic end of the CPU socket
• Engage the clip on the lugs at the non-raised end of the CPU socket
• Now slide the heatsink as far away from the raised end of the socket as the clip will permit
• Now fasten down the other end of the clip (I find it's quite easy to do with my bare hands, due to the width of the clip)

What has been happening to you is that the heatsink was too close to the raised solid-plastic end of the CPU socket, and it was getting jacked up at that end. Hope that helps! edit: Figure 14 of this PDF file illustrates the problem.

Follow those directions and install it correctly.

 

[mechBgon]

Originally posted by: SDOG34
That did it mech Bgon! Sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one. There is always someone at anandtech to fix a problem brought on by my jackassery.

Well, guess how I learned this issue & fix... yep, firsthand goof-up on my own system!