Installing the backplate of Cooler Master Hyper 212+

[Cyborg]

So on my new build, I seem to have tightened two of the four screws for mounting the backplate a little too tightly. I thought it was just snug, but bits of white crud was coming around edge of the mounting screws on the top side of the motherboard.

One screw was right on top of the traces going into the memory modules. I freaked out, unscrewed it, but couldn't tell if I had killed the traces going into the memory modules. Cooler Master seem to be using some black, sticky stuff on the underside of the screw on the side that sits on the motherboard. That sticky stuff kinda made things blurry to see if the traces were still there or not. Nothing to do but move forward, I thought!

Few hours later, once the build was complete, I powered it up, and all seems to be working right now.

Anybody have this horrid experience? Any recommendations on stress tests to see if the integrity of the traces are fully intact?

 

[WilliamM2]

I mounted mine a couple of months ago, and I do see something around the base of the mounting screws on the top side of the motherboard. I never noticed this when first installing it. I think it's just glue, or gasket material from the "black stuff" you were referring to. I never turned the screws on the motherboard side, just held them in place while I tightened the nuts from the bottom, that way nothing was turning (or scraping) against the board. I can't wipe it off with a q-tip and alcohol, it seems to be stuck to the board, that's why I think it's just glue.

I wish they had used something thicker, like nylon washers, on BOTH sides of the board for electrical isolation. That's how my other through the board coolers are, but I don't think you have anything to worry about if everything is working.

 

[borisvodofsky]

I mounted mine a couple of months ago, and I do see something around the base of the mounting screws on the top side of the motherboard. I never noticed this when first installing it. I think it's just glue, or gasket material from the "black stuff" you were referring to. I never turned the screws on the motherboard side, just held them in place while I tightened the nuts from the bottom, that way nothing was turning (or scraping) against the board. I can't wipe it off with a q-tip and alcohol, it seems to be stuck to the board, that's why I think it's just glue.

I wish they had used something thicker, like nylon washers, on BOTH sides of the board for electrical isolation. That's how my other through the board coolers are, but I don't think you have anything to worry about if everything is working.

I don't understand, why are you WISHING for something that can be had easily from any hardware store??

 

[WilliamM2]

I don't understand, why are you WISHING for something that can be had easily from any hardware store??

If you put nylon washers under the screws on the motherboard side, it will raise the base of the cooler by the same amount, and it will no longer make good contact with the cpu. If that sounds like a good plan to you, go for it.

 

[chelhxi]

I noticed that white stuff too. I went and took off the cooler, used isopropyl and cleaned the board - no damage at all. Don't worry about it if everything works right. There is a LOT of that white sticky stuff on the underside of the screws, I think it would be pretty hard to damage the board if you didn't really overtighten anything. The hyper 212 + is probably the most widely used cooler out there, haven't heard of anyone damaging a board except some guy who used power tools to tighten the screws....

 

[Cyborg]

Awesome! That's quite a relief to know that I am not the only one who experienced that and that I haven't damaged the motherboard!

 

[davidthemaster3]

Nah I had some too and I uninstalled/installed it 3 times already, cause my temps are too high, and I had some white stuff and a few screws were sticky and I tighten them down really hard and I haven't damaged the motherboard, yet ... XD

 

[Agent-A01]

Ive installed the hyper 212 evo and it was a pain in the ass, had to take mobo out to do it because i couldnt hold the backplate up and screw in the same time.

 

[lenjack]

You don't have 3 hands?