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XP-90 Installation on K8 MB (MSI K8T Neo)

Z

Zadillo

Member
Hi all,

I figured I'd start a new topic on this now that I've got my hardware.

My current setup is an MSI K8T motherboard in an Antec SLK3700BQE with an AMD Athlon 64 3200+ with the stock HSF.

I just got a Thermalright XP-90 with a Panaflo LB1X fan.

I'm wondering if anyone might be able to give me more detailed instructions/advice/tips/warnings before I go ahead and try to install this. It's going to be my first attempt at doing anything like this and I just want to make sure I do it right.

One of the things I'm still nervous about is essentially taking apart my whole computer (in order to get the motherboard out so I can get the new retention bracket in place). I actually saw something about someone using the XP-90 with the stock retention bracket, but it sounded kind of iffy to me.

I guess I'm just a bit nervous since the included instructions from Thermalright seem to be pretty brief, and I'm worried about doing something wrong.

So, if anyone might be able to offer me more detailed instructions, pictures, advice, tips, etc. I would appreciate it tremendously.

Thanks!

-Zadillo
 
you're suppose to change the bracket? I am using the stock one, and it's working fine. I don't see why not to use the stock one, the XP-90 is light, and the clip pressure is not even that hard, no stiffer than the stock HSF.. anyways, it's an easy install. I'd definitely recommend either removing the board unless you have a massive case with lots of room, or sliding out your mobo tray if you have one. Aside from putting on some thermal paste on the CPU heatslug, it's easy as pie to install the HSF, with the mobo out, it takes 15 seconds. 🙂

g'luck.
 
Hi Craig. I don't know......... that's one of the reasons I was asking. The XP-90 includes a replacement bracket, and the instructions seem to talk about using it. But you're now the second or third person I've heard say they managed to use it with the built in bracket, so maybe I will try that first.
 
I used the stock bracket for the XP-120 that I installed last weekend. I say examine the replacement bracket to see what it looks like and if it matches the replacement one. If they are identical, then there's no real reason why you couldn't try the stock bracket. Worst case, you could always remove it and use the one provided.
 
i was thinking about getting an xp-90 or 120.... i saw a few on ebay going for around 50 bucks(120) 30 bucks(90) i have a MSI K8N Neo Platinum with an athlon 64 3200+ and also 6800 ultra... will a xp-120 fit or will it be too big. will a xp-90 even fit? it looks like these things hungover to one side and looking in my case it looks like i can hangit over/towards my kingston hyperX. do they only go on one direction?
 
I have the same mobo, with the nVidia 6800GT (with the Arctic Cooling item installed) and the XP-120 fit... If those prices are not with good fans, you're better off getting a new cooler. Especially when you can get the XP-120 NEW for $49.99 and the XP-90 for $39.99 BRAND NEW... For some reason, newegg is $15 more than that on the XP-120, and about $18 more on the XP-90...

After you install the item to the top side of the mobo/mounting bracket, test fit the cooler to see which way you want to have it pointing. You will want to have the video card out of the system when doing this, so that you don't hit it accidentily. You'll probably only get it to really fit one way, since the other will cause the cooler to hit the card. I don't recall which way that was, but I know that's what I found with the XP-120. As for the memory, if you also remove that before install, you'll be able to install all the sticks again. You'll want to do the one closest to the cooler first, since that will have the least clearance of all of them. I'm using the two slots closest to the cooler for memory in my own system and it was easy to install both of them.

The XP-90 will fit easier, since it's a smaller cooler. Decide which one you're going to get and just do it. Just make sure you pick up some good, quality, thermal compound to use when installing the cooler... I used AS Ceramique on mine, following the instructions on the AS site for the compound to the letter. I'm seeing good cooling so far, but it's still in the break-in stage. The fan is blowing onto the heatsink, which I plan to reverse either tonight or tomorrow and see what that gives me for numbers. If I'm not satisfied with those I'm thinking of doing a little ducting to either vent the air out of the case from the heatsink, or pull more into it to feed it. I'll have to figure that out later, and decide where I would position the ducting and such... I haven't hit my temp target yet, but I hope to with flipping the fan over. Especially since I don't want to blow the money to get liquid cooling going inside the case just for the processor...
 
Thanks for the advice all. Well, I'm going to go ahead and do it. I also just got back from Circuit City and picked up some Antec Formula 5 (which as I understand it is essentially rebranded Arctic Silver V....... if nothing else, I figure it will at least be better than the stuff Thermalright included with the XP-90).

I also picked up an Antec SmartCool 120mm fan. I figure I'm going to still use the Vantec Stealth 120mm fan that I got as an intake fan, but I'll replace the fan that came with my Antec SLK3700BQE with this SmartCool fan.

And I'll also be putting in the NV Silencer V. Hopefully after this is all done, my system will be running much cooler and much quieter.
 
I posted another thread about this but I figured I'd bump this here too. I'm really scared that I somehow screwed up my CPU or MB after installing the XP-90. I took the motherboard out of the case, and carefully removed the CPU, and used my anti-static wrist guard. One thing is that the CPU came off with the stock HSF, but I inserted it back in and it seemed to be OK. I cleaned it off with the lint free cloth, and used the Antec Formula 5 silver thermal compound.

I followed the instructions exactly for installing the XP-90............. I removed the memory modules, hooked the XP-90 onto two of the brackets and then pushed it down until it hooked onto the other two brackets. It did require a lot of force but I don't think I did anything that you aren't supposed to do.

But anyway, since then, my computer seems to get stuck at the "Early Chipset Initiation" stage (according to the MSI D-Bracket diagnostic codes). I went through various support ideas on another thread...... tried it without the video card installed, tried removing one of the memory modules and then trying the other module in the memory slot, etc. No matter what I've tried the computer won't get past that Early Chipset Initiation stage.

I am just kind of bummed because at this point I don't know what I've done wrong.

I'm ordering a new PSU (I don't think the PSU is the problem since it still won't start even after I unplug the extra drives, etc.), but I am still just puzzled as to what I did wrong when installing this.

In the worst case scenario if I have to order a new CPU or motherboard, I don't want to just screw them up too installing this XP-90.

-Zadillo
 
I don't use that part of the USB2 PCI slot item... I found that booting with it connected was unreliable at best. With it not connected, it boots fine. Try your mobo without that aspect connected and see how it works... Chances are, it will be fine without it connected.
 
Hrmm, k. Not sure if the D-Bracket has anything to do with it (it didn't seem to have any problems booting prior to the HW upgrades I made). I'll give it a shot though. I mainly had it installed for the extra USB ports, but I have plenty of USB ports elsewhere so it's not a big deal.

I'm pretty sure that there's something worse going on with my system though.
 
I use the USB port aspect of it, since I have more than a few items that I need to connect to the back of my system. I'm using all four connections on the mobo, and one off of the PCI slot item. I also use the front ports on my case for items that are not needed as often, or are intended to be connected only when needed (thumb drives and such).
 
Oh gotcha, you just don't plug in the part for the diagnostics. Gotcha. I'll give it a shot.

I'm hoping I can find out what is wrong with my computer specifically.
 
Originally posted by: Zadillo
Thanks for the advice all. Well, I'm going to go ahead and do it. I also just got back from Circuit City and picked up some Antec Formula 5 (which as I understand it is essentially rebranded Arctic Silver V....... if nothing else, I figure it will at least be better than the stuff Thermalright included with the XP-90).

I also picked up an Antec SmartCool 120mm fan. I figure I'm going to still use the Vantec Stealth 120mm fan that I got as an intake fan, but I'll replace the fan that came with my Antec SLK3700BQE with this SmartCool fan.

And I'll also be putting in the NV Silencer V. Hopefully after this is all done, my system will be running much cooler and much quieter.
Click to expand...

I did almost the exact same stuff in my system, couldnt be happier. (XP-90, changed my 120mm fans)
I think at this point I am going to go for a slightly quieter fan than my 92mm Stealth, but other than that, my system is extremely quiet right now, I am very happy w/the noise levels.
 
Heh, glad to hear it Craig........... I can definitely recommend that Panaflo LB1X, at least as near as I can tell it seems to be pretty quiet.

I am hoping I will find out what I did wrong with my PC though, as I still haven't managed to figure out how to get it to POST after doing the upgrades I did. A friend of mine gave me a couple of old video cards which I'm going to try out, to at least see whether I can rule out the video card as the problem (and I hope so, I'd hate to think I ruined a 6800GT putting the NV Silencer 5 on it).

-Zadillo
 
Hey Zadillo, Try removing your system from it's case and powering it up sitting on an anti-static bag outside the case (maybe on top of the case on the static bag) and see if you can get it to power up. I don't think the CPU coming out of the socket without the socket being opened is a good thing, but hopefully didn't damage the socket contacts. (what I think could be worst case)

I don't think you have to worry about the 6800GT much, I did the NV5 on it and it's no problem at all, it's very easy to mount, I can't see how that could get screwed up to be honest. So likely that won't be the problem. But definitely try those other cards and see.
 
The only thing I am worried about the 6800GT would be with the silicon paste. I tried following the instructions (about a thin layer on the GPU and a thick layer on the memory modules), but I'm a little concerned that some paste might have gone slightly over the edge. I cleaned it off, but maybe that would cause a problem that some got over the edge of the GPU?).

Regarding the CPU, I didn't have to force the HSF off when I removed it, but the processor was stuck to the HSF when I pulled it off the motherboard. I did at least check the socket contacts, and they looked ok to me (didn't see anything that looked bent, etc. and when I put it back in and closed the little arm, it seemed to go back in just fine).

As a general question, are there any common ways to verify if the CPU and/or motherboard are OK, in lie of not having spare parts to test on yourself? I guess there wouldn't be too many options, but I figure I'd ask anyway.

If the worst case scenario is that I had to buy a new CPU or motherboard, I guess that wouldn't be so bad (I'd kind of like to upgrade to socket 939 anyway). But if something I did here did screw up the hardware I have, I definitely want to at least learn from it.

Is there anything else that might cause a problem, like if the CPU wasn't cleaned off well enough or something from the old thermal stuff (the thermal stuff on the CPU was whatever the Athlon 64 3200+ retail came with on it). I am pretty sure I cleaned it off thoroughly, but if I didn't, would that cause it to not POST?

I'll try what you recommended about taking the motherboard out of the case. What would that show exactly if that did work? That there might be a problem with the case, or something else?

I just ordered an Antec NeoPower PSU which should be here in a couple of days, so I may also hold off doing any more experimenting until that gets in.

-Zadillo
 
Originally posted by: Zadillo
The only thing I am worried about the 6800GT would be with the silicon paste. I tried following the instructions (about a thin layer on the GPU and a thick layer on the memory modules), but I'm a little concerned that some paste might have gone slightly over the edge. I cleaned it off, but maybe that would cause a problem that some got over the edge of the GPU?).

I applied AS to my 6800GT both GPU and memory, and I haven't had any problems. I also assume by applying a liberal amount that some may have spilled over the sides, so I don't think that's such a big problem

Regarding the CPU, I didn't have to force the HSF off when I removed it, but the processor was stuck to the HSF when I pulled it off the motherboard. I did at least check the socket contacts, and they looked ok to me (didn't see anything that looked bent, etc. and when I put it back in and closed the little arm, it seemed to go back in just fine).

That's good, odds are the CPU is probably fine, but further testing may be required if you can't get your system posting.

As a general question, are there any common ways to verify if the CPU and/or motherboard are OK, in lie of not having spare parts to test on yourself? I guess there wouldn't be too many options, but I figure I'd ask anyway.

The only way you can really test without spare parts is to remove everything from your system that is not needed (add-in cards like soundcards, IDE cards, ethernet, etc) If it still doesn't work, then swapping parts is required usually...

If the worst case scenario is that I had to buy a new CPU or motherboard, I guess that wouldn't be so bad (I'd kind of like to upgrade to socket 939 anyway). But if something I did here did screw up the hardware I have, I definitely want to at least learn from it.

Is there anything else that might cause a problem, like if the CPU wasn't cleaned off well enough or something from the old thermal stuff (the thermal stuff on the CPU was whatever the Athlon 64 3200+ retail came with on it). I am pretty sure I cleaned it off thoroughly, but if I didn't, would that cause it to not POST?

Should not cause it to not post.. the whole purpose of AS is to fill in the gaps of spaces where there is no direct contact between the CPU and cooler, Even if you left most of the crap on the CPU, I think the only adverse effect would be higher CPU temps, it should still work.

I'll try what you recommended about taking the motherboard out of the case. What would that show exactly if that did work? That there might be a problem with the case, or something else?

It would show that the motherboard was not grounded properly, and shorting out somewhere, and then you could inspect the standoffs, and backplate, etc, make sure nothing could be hitting some of the metal contacts on the back or even front of the PCB itself.

I just ordered an Antec NeoPower PSU which should be here in a couple of days, so I may also hold off doing any more experimenting until that gets in.

You should be able to do the experimenting without it, assuming your PSU was working before you tried to install the XP-90 and NV5, it should be usable.

-Zadillo
Click to expand...

 
K, thanks. I'll try some of these things out tonight then when I get home and see what happens with running the motherboard out of the case, etc. I'll continue running without the extra case fan and the extra IDE drives unplugged to keep any power issues out of the way until then.
 
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