How do I connect the heatsink to a retail P3?

[mulder]

Sorry for the stupid question, but I just got a Retail P3 1GHz FC-PGA. It is not going to be used in an overclocked machine, that's why I got the retail version. I thought the fan/hs would have been attached, but it was not. I have an idea on how to attach it, but I want to make sure I do anything.

On the bottom of the Intel heatsink is a small white patch. The patch ins't very think, but it looks like the size of the middle part of the cpu. Forgive my technical terms, but the cpu is made up of some green pcb board I guess and there is a bluish/purple center part that is a raised above the green part. From the looks of the heatsink that bluish part will be the only part touching the heatsink. Is this correct? Do I need to get some heatsink compound to use on the white patch?

Thanks for the help.

 

[bonkers325]

uh i recommend u read the manual that comes with the retail chip

thats a start or else goto a local shop and let them do it for u

 

[KR]

Better to ask than chance damaging your new cpu by installing it incorrectly.

The "white" area on the heatsink is the thermal pad that Intel supplies. It probably has a piece of waxed paper covering it to protect the surface that will be in contact with your chip when it's installed. BEFORE you install the heatsink, remove the protective waxed cover paper.

Release the retaining latch on the side of the CPU socket and lift it 'til it's 90 degrees rotated from the original latched position. Orient the CPU so that the pins match the holes in the socket, gently lower the CPU so that the pins enter the socket. It's called a ZIF socket because it takes essentially ZERO FORCE to insert the CPU. After the CPU is in place, lower the latching arm to the latched position to retain the CPU in the socket.

Now -

Remove the protective paper from the thermal pad.

Orient the heatsink so that the thermal pad is oriented to match the raised CORE of your processor. Place the clip without the screwdriver slot over its' tab on the CPU socket. Now, while holding the heatsink in place on your CPU with one hand, use a small screwdriver to carefully lower the other clip tab onto its' tab on the CPU socket. A third hand is often helpful here so don't be too shy to ask for assistance.

The main caution here is to be careful not to let the screwdriver you are using to install the second clip side slip out of the clip and gouge the motherboard. I try to keep the screwdriver parallel to the board surface, that way if it does slip it's the side and not the sharp end that would contact the board - so far I've not had a slip... but it can happen.

The Thermal pad is a phase change material which changes its properties the first time the CPU heats up to operating temperature and provides a good thermal mating between the CPU and Heatsink/Fan assy. If you're planning to be removing the heatsink often, it's recommended that you remove the thermal pad (nail polish remover works well), clean the CPU and heatsink with alcohol to remove oils, etc and reisntall with a good quality heatsink compound. the thermal pad is designed for a one-time permanant installation and generally doesnt' have as good heat transfer properties if removed and re-installed.

there's actually a pretty good installation guide in the Intel documentation packet that came with your CPU.

 

[mulder]

I read the guide, but I just wanted to make sure that I didn't need to apply and compound to the heatsink. I wasn't sure if the thermal pad would be enough or not.

 

[shiznut123]

Yes, the thermal pad would be great for non-overclockers. Don't smash your core