Question about alpha P125c heatsink. Why is there a gap between the heatsink and the L2 caches?!

[citizen]

Hey i have alpha p125c on an athlon, and the heatsink comes into contact with the processor fine, but there is a slight gap between the heatsink and the l2 caches. In other words the heatsink is raised in the middle where in comes into contact with the core. Would it be better to lap the heatsink, and have it completely flat, so that the heatsink touches the processor and the l2 caches , rather than just come into contact with the core? It looks as if alpha has done this intentionally, so i am not completely sure about which is best. =D

 

[SuperGroove]

Do not lap your heatsink down. Alpha designed it that way for maximum cooling of course. You'll get maximum cooling from a raised area in the middle, I think. Also...the Alpha touches the cold plate...and the cold plate doesn't even touch the cache. What's the biggie?

Paul

 

[DaddyG]

Lots of confusion with Classic Athlons. The cache chips DO NOT get hot. The gap is filled with 'paste' by AMD, but with the gap being so large, the paste acts as an insulater, keeping the heat from the heatsink from heating up the cache chips.

 

[citizen]

do u think that lapping it would still be good idea? because it would give the heatsink more surface area to come into contact with the athlon heat plate. thanks
The reason i asked about the cache is because i seen on a webpage that if you mount a bare althon on an alpha, u need to add a spacer so the cache comes into contact with the heatsink. I figured since they mentioned this, then it would be obvious that with case on , the cache would no doubt touch the heatsink, guess i was wrong =D.