LGA1156 + Noctua Install (sort of)

[sleepyhead]

[Foreword...I got engrossed in installing the HSF that I forgot to take progress pictures. Sorry.]

Today I got a nice parcel from a very nice Hexus chappy.

Here is a picture of the important parts of the contents.



Nothing particularly remarkable apart from the small brown box marked NM-13 (which is the important bit).

Here's how my current install looks like:



A closer look:



I removed the pathetic stock Intel HSF and had a look at how good or bad the thermal paste distribution was:




I cleaned up the CPU of the old AS5 and this is what is beneath all that gunk:



Alot of swearing and fiddling later (the Noctua fan clips are annoying)....



So what has the NH-U12P done to my temps? Well just in BIOS the temps dropped from nearly 40 degC to 27DegC. As I've literally just installed all this and typing this on my laptop I haven't tried a Prime95 run yet.

I should have done step by step pictures of the install but was really engrossed in installing the thing. Word of warning for those who have the ATCS840 and the MSI P55-GD65 motherboard, the CPU hole in the motherboard is not designed for where the CPU sits. Getting the backplate on without removing the motherboard is...tricky! After that, the install is easy but sometimes fiddly (why make it so complex with many bits?). The hardest part of it all was installed the fans using the fan clips. As I was doing all of this in my case it was tricky getting the pull fan to clip in properly.

The fans are Xinruilian RDL1225S and at full pelt in push-pull configuration have an annoying pitch noise to them.

I may take it apart again as I fear the AS5 isn't spread so well due to the varying temps between the cores (upto 4 degC).

[GoNz0]

give the heatsink a twist back and forth a little, it will spread the paste.

and AS paste takes afew days to cure so dont jump back in just yet.

[sleepyhead]

give the heatsink a twist back and forth a little, it will spread the paste.

and AS paste takes afew days to cure so dont jump back in just yet.

Done the twisting. I won't be taking it apart until either next week or when I get back from my trip to Japan (so November time).

Thanks for the tips though GoNz0. Small little gems like that are really worthwhile.

Oh, I am experimenting with how to apply the paste...so far the "line" method worked with the stock HSF. Perhaps the "blob" method works better with the noctua...hmm!!

[GoNz0]

the line ensures its between the cores on dual/quad

it works just as well, its easy to use to much, the twist sorts that out though

not sure how yours mounts, but the weight of those style sinks can pull it down, lay it flat to see if the temps level out. if they do try to tighten the top 2 screws if it has that setup, slack the bottom 2 a little.

if nothing changes put it back how it was.

curing takes place with heat/cold cycles from you using it and shutting down for the night.

nothing will change if its left for a week.

[sleepyhead]

the line ensures its between the cores on dual/quad

it works just as well, its easy to use to much, the twist sorts that out though

not sure how yours mounts, but the weight of those style sinks can pull it down, lay it flat to see if the temps level out. if they do try to tighten the top 2 screws if it has that setup, slack the bottom 2 a little.

if nothing changes put it back how it was

There are only two screws that hold the Heatsink to the CPU socket. I may need to rotate it 90 degrees to see if that works but that in itself is a semi-huge effort. I HATE FAN CLIPS!!

The two screws are attached to a brace either side which mount through the motherboard and to the backplate.

Firing up Prime95 for a quick blast and temps maxed out between 50-52degC. That is a 20degC temp drop at load vs the Intel stock HSF. (maybe more as I aborted the prime95 run with the stock HSF when it hit 70+degC)

[GoNz0]

i wouldnt worry, prime should help even out the cores as the 1st 2 tend to get a little use when you idle.