Swiftech MC-462A Installation Questions

[Courtland]

Well I have this hsf and ive installed it on two motherboards now, the spacer/washer things didn't fit inside the motherboard hole on either mboards, has anyone found a motherboard that does have holes large enough? I realize the instructions say you can just ignore the spacers if they dont fit, but does anyone agree with me that this isnt as safe and reliable? It seems you can easily have the screws alligned improperly. Also, if you have this hsf, how tight do you have the screws with the springs? My main problem is that I chipped an athlon core using this hsf, and I don't want to do it with my next cpu. I had it in fine, but I thought it wasnt tight enough, so I tightened it a bit and I think that chipped the core, or I did it when I was removing the hsf. The removal seems to be a problem as the nobs screwed into the mboard turn when you unscrew the mounting bolts, and you have to use some tools to get it off. Basicaly I am looking for installation tips/experiences, I really don't want to chip another cpu.

 

[Courtland]

bump

 

[Pabster]

One word of caution: do not install the shoulder washers if they don't "fit" inside the hole -- i.e., if they aren't flush with the mobo holes. That will prevent the MC462-A from contacting the CPU core, among other things. As for tension on the screws, it can't get any easier. Slowly tighten (in an X pattern) all screws until it is snug. You don't need to crank them. I've never seen someone crack a core using the MC462-A, but I guess anything is possible. It has the most ingenious and (almost) foolproof mounting/tension system out there.

 

[Courtland]

Thanks for the info. My second install went a lot better, I got it down pretty well now. It seems the most dangerous part is unmounting it, I think thats when I did the damage, because the chip was fine when I first installed it, then I was having problems, seemed like it would post when the case was flat on the ground but not upright, so I tightened it, and finaly removed it to do the install over again, and eventualy just laid the heatsink on the cpu trying to get it to post. So I chiped it either when I removed it or laid it on the cpu one of the times.