How to replace a chipset fan?

[tomkear2006]

I was just preparing my computer to put a shiney new Zalman CPU Heatsink in when I discovered its actually the Northbridge fan thats making all the racket.

My problem is that the fan is actually tucked slightly under the graphics card. Is it possibe to replace the actual fan rather than the entire chipset heatsink etc? Is it easy to do and will it make a difference to the noise levels?

Thanks.

[Alaron]

You can remove the fan from the heatsink, it is usually attached to the heatsink with thermal paste. However, replacing the fan will leave you with another tiny fan that will make a racket again, eventually. I would look into a large passive heatsink for the complete solution. A low-profile heatsink will keep the chipset cool and avoid a noisy fan.

The installation of one will be easy, but you will have to remove the motherboard from the case. The heatsinks are held on with push through pins. Just push them back through the board, remove the old, clean the paste, apply new paste and pop on the new heatsink.

[tomkear2006]

Thanks for the response...my worry is that I don't have a lot of room for the heatsink. The graphics card partially covers the area.

Please see this diagram to see what I mean:
http://img15.imgspot.com/?u=/u/06/325/16/mobo1164230271.JPG

[Behemoth]

You can try these passive heatsinks - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835119061 they're designed for a VGA chipset, but it should fit on the northbridge also. It looks like it may be small enough to fit in the area behind the graphics card. (21 x 21 x 6 mm) Hope this helps.

[newbuilder14]

In your case Tom, I would go with a passive cooling method.

[tomkear2006]

You can try these passive heatsinks - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835119061 they're designed for a VGA chipset, but it should fit on the northbridge also. It looks like it may be small enough to fit in the area behind the graphics card. (21 x 21 x 6 mm) Hope this helps.

Strongest possibility yet...thanks for that.

I just wonder if it would be effective enough at cooling an nForce4 chipset.

[Staren]

I don't think they would have a problem keeping the northbridge temp where it needs to be. Video cooling isn't a very small job either.

[newbuilder14]

Tom, GPUs can get up to 100C+ easily, mine alone idles 100C. I think those should be fine, but I am not 100% sure.

[tomkear2006]

Tom, GPUs can get up to 100C+ easily, mine alone idles 100C. I think those should be fine, but I am not 100% sure.

Are you sure of temp? 100C idle is very high.

Anyhow, it's the Northbridge I am interested in, the graphics card is just fine :)

I have also come accross this that looks like a strong possibility:
http://www.thermalright.com/a_page/main_product_hr05sli.htm

[newbuilder14]

I know, but I can imagine a Northbridge going 100C easily. Yes I am sure of the temp, some video cards do not even warn you until they hit 130C.

[tomkear2006]

I know, but I can imagine a Northbridge going 100C easily. Yes I am sure of the temp, some video cards do not even warn you until they hit 130C.

ok...I've never heard of that though.

I'd be panicing if mine went over 70C under stress.

[jfk]

Here is an extremely nice passive heatsink for the Northbridge. I bought one, but can't use it because it conflicts with the Accelero X2 on my X1900. In spite of that, I'm impressed with the unit and will find a place for it eventually. It's fairly large, so it won't probably fit in a mini-tower...to say the least.:)

http://www.svc.com/hr-05-sli.html

[jfk]

Tom, GPUs can get up to 100C+ easily, mine alone idles 100C. I think those should be fine, but I am not 100% sure.

If your gpu is idleing at 100C, that is WAY too high. My X1900, notorious for being one of the hottest gpu's around, hit 90C after several hours of Oblivion on the stock cooler. With an aftermarket cooler, it never goes above 75C.

[tomkear2006]

Here is an extremely nice passive heatsink for the Northbridge. I bought one, but can't use it because it conflicts with the Accelero X2 on my X1900. In spite of that, I'm impressed with the unit and will find a place for it eventually. It's fairly large, so it won't probably fit in a mini-tower...to say the least.:)

http://www.svc.com/hr-05-sli.html

Thats the same cooler I put a link too further up the page...I might get it and pray I can fit it in there...the chipset is soo close to the two PCI-E slots :(

[Mr.Ferrari]

I know, but I can imagine a Northbridge going 100C easily. Yes I am sure of the temp, some video cards do not even warn you until they hit 130C.

A Northbridge can sustain high temps without having any issue at all with stability. BUT no where near 100c. For most northbridge chipsets, if your going above 50c, you have a problem.

And even the most hottest gpu on the planet cannot sustain any stability with temperatures over 100c, 105c is usually shutdown, and if you have an older gen nvidia GPU, the maximum thresholds are much less. If your going above that, your causing serious damage to your video card.

110c+ is when solder melts on GPU's. And 120-130c is when it melts on the memory of your GPU.

By then, its a goner.

[newbuilder14]

Are you saying both of the programs I have used to check temps are lying? ;)

GPU Diode : 99 °C
GPU Fan : 100%

I can still push 50-100fps in games, I think I am fine. And I will recall Rpassey saying his threshold was 130 on his card.

Can you point me to a site that says that my video card could be in danger? If this is true I'd like to read more about it.

This is according to PC Wizard 2006... I am downloading Speedfan right now.

Okay here we go, how do these sound (Speedfan):

CPU: 49C
Internal: 43C
Remove: 42C
HDD: 35C

Where does it say my GPU?

[chuck4456]

Do you have Everest? It has all of that under SENSOR.

[Mr.Ferrari]

Newb even though this is OT/threadjacking-But, I would suggest you use Everest for video temps.

If you have a nvidia or ati card you can also use Riva tuner. If you have an Ati card you can use ATi Tool as well.

[newbuilder14]

Everest was the other program I used that said my video card was 100C... I don't believe any of it... how could I be running games flawlessly. I cleaned the heatsink/fan of the video card out, too.

[Behemoth]

If you have an nvidia card, you can go to the display properties, settings tab, then advanced, then your card tab and you will see temperature settings. It should tell you what the core slowdown threshold is. For my 7800GTX the threshold is 115C.

[newbuilder14]

I do not see that option. By the way this is an old GeForce 6600 with old drivers.

[jfk]

Everest was the other program I used that said my video card was 100C... I don't believe any of it... how could I be running games flawlessly. I cleaned the heatsink/fan of the video card out, too.


Ever think the software was misreading?;) Don't think for a MINUTE that running a gpu at 130C is normal OR ok..................:)

[Behemoth]

oops...double post

[Behemoth]

I googled for the 6600 threshold and found this link http://www.devhardware.com/forums/video-card-overclocking-26/leadtek-geforce-6600gt-pci-e-60324.html
It seems that the threshold is pretty high (127C)...I still think you shouldn't be idling that high. Sorry for the thread jack.:(

[Mr.Ferrari]

Thats at the point where the chip will be taking severe damage and might die. Just like intel cpus have a threshold of 100c. It will shutdown way before it hits that high.

[tomkear2006]

Threads gone a little off course but it's all good.

I bought one of these:
http://www.svc.com/hr-05-sli.html

and am hoping I can squeeze it in into my tight space. Will let you know how I get on once it arrives.

[jfk]

Threads gone a little off course but it's all good.

I bought one of these:
http://www.svc.com/hr-05-sli.html

and am hoping I can squeeze it in into my tight space. Will let you know how I get on once it arrives.

They're very nice units Tom. As I mentioned, if I ever decide to get rid of my Accelero for another solution or replace the X1900, I'll put it in. It "would" work for me, but laid right against the Accelero and cut off about 25% of the intake area, which was no good. All the reviews from folks that have used them have been very good. If you want, you can zip tie a 50-60mm fan to it for additional cooling, but then you lose the noise advantage. Good luck.

[tomkear2006]

Thanks jfk, that's good to hear.

My worry is the amount of space around the chipset.

Please see this picture:
http://kakaku.com/images/productimage/fullscale/05403511905.jpg

[newbuilder14]

Sorry for taking over your thread a bit there. I think you made a good choice, that heatsink elevates a bit it seems. You can always return it.

[tomkear2006]

Sorry for taking over your thread a bit there. I think you made a good choice, that heatsink elevates a bit it seems. You can always return it.

No worries newbuilder14...I know how things are.

It would seem silly to have started another thread on that one :)

[tomkear2006]

Yo jfk,
Since you have one of these heatsinks there...can you tell me how close to the main chipset contact the pipes rise...I want to know if they are going to clear my PCI-E slot.
Thanks, Tom

[jfk]

Yo jfk,
Since you have one of these heatsinks there...can you tell me how close to the main chipset contact the pipes rise...I want to know if they are going to clear my PCI-E slot.
Thanks, Tom

Depends on which way you turn it, since (in theory) you can turn it in 90 degree imcrements. If you got the sli version, the pipes curve up about 1" from the center of the heatsink block. It's basically going to be one of those deals where you won't know for sure until you try. I would have had no problems if not for the accelero, and I couldn't put my vid card in the second slot and use it as the heatpipes would have hit the top of the card. I also couldn't rotate it 90 degrees, since it would have covered my SATA connectors on the mobo and another 90 degrees, though it would have cleared my PCIE card, would have come in contact with my XP120. Clear as mud eh?:o :D Just try it out and see what you get.

[jfk]

Thanks jfk, that's good to hear.

My worry is the amount of space around the chipset.

Please see this picture:
http://kakaku.com/images/productimage/fullscale/05403511905.jpg

Looking at that picture, you should be golden if you use the top pcie slot..............

[tomkear2006]

I managed to install it without too much of a problem but it's not 100% square over the die. However I don't think this maters as it is only meant to make contact with the shiny bit in the centre of the chipset anyway.

Seem to be running nicely so far...and the sound levels have dropped massively.

Once I get a nice shiney Zalman to go in there too...I'm gonna be wondering if my PC is on or not:D

[tomkear2006]

Looking at that picture, you should be golden if you use the top pcie slot..............

Thanks for your input, it's been encouraging :)