Help a newb out with a Fan/HSF question ... pretty please with sugar on top.

[billandopus]

Sorry, it's a bit of a newb question. I figure i'd ask the pros here at AT ....

I've got a AMD k6-3 Super Socket 7 cpu. The cpu fan makes a terrible noise most of the time and i'm pretty sure that the bearings, either one or many, are shot - probably disintegrating. Whirrrr!!! I've tried to lube it up but it looks like it's sealed so no go.

This fan is old, probably getting close to 4 years old by now so i'm wondering if any modern HSF or fan only will fit this cpu? I went into a local comp store and they said that they didn't have anything that would fit and recommended me to go to a used comp parts store and try my luck.

Well, I was thinking about that but being married with 2 kids I don't have time nor the ability to go shopping around that much so i'd rather order something and have it shipped if possible.

Secondary comment: the heat sink is "clipped" over the cpu and locked down on the mobo. It's also contacted by thermal paste onto the cpu it would seem. The fan is actually screwed in by 4 screws on top of the heat sink. I don't know if this is "normal" installation of a HSF on an AMD chip - or any chip for that matter - or if it was just the way the comp store techs did it. So, is this normal or what?

Thanks.

 

[mechBgon]

That's pretty normal and you can buy a new fan to screw on in place of the old one, piece of cake What are the measurements of the fan, from edge to edge and thickness?

 

[RustyNale]

Replacing the fan is a piece of cake. Just measure the fan across one side in "mm's" and go to a place like here to order a replacement fan. Just unscrew the fan (you can leave the hs in place) and screw in the new one.

 

[mechBgon]

You could also opt to pick up a brand-new cooler with a new fan, if you see a good buy. Here's a possibility: GC-68 for $5

 

[billandopus]

Thanks for the replies.

Yeah, I should have thought first and re-measured the fan and posted. In any case, off the top of my head it's like a 40-45-50mm by 10-15mm fan or something like that.

The other problem is that i'm currently residing in the Great White North and I don't usually have access to US sources, which really sucks. Darn all you guys who get great deals that aren't available to the rest of the world.

But i'll look into your suggestions and see if I can find them locally. Guess i'll actually have to pick up the phone ... thanks again.

Actually, I just realized something:

Do you have to select a HSF that is designed specifically for your CPU? Or can you pretty much select anything and adapt it to your CPU and mobo? I was looking at the link mechBgon provided and thought to myself "Will this fit?"

 

[RustyNale]

For your hs, yes, you need to get one for your type socket/chip, as for fans, with the appropriate adaptor you can put almost any size fan ontop of your current hs. I've even made adaptors using just 4 -- 1/2" X 1" thin sheet metal tabs with the holes drilled into the right spots to put bigger fans onto my hs.

And yes, the one that mechbgon selected would do the job...