[conspire] looking for good FAQ Websites for CPU heatsink/Fan hardware

[David Fox]

On Thu, Apr 3, 2008 at 6:21 PM, K Sandoval <indigo.kai at gmail.com> wrote:

>  Good News, I finally received a call from Central Computers and they
>  have the Case, and the Power Supply that I want.

Good for you :).


>  The salesperson at Central Computer has suggested that I use a
>  "standard issue" 775 socket fan that normally comes with new systems.
>  He said they normally cost about $10.00

That might be good enough. I noticed that your case does not contain
any fans. I don't know if they can be added after purchase, or if the
motherboard has fan headers (those are the little plugs that you plug
power connections onto the motherboard).

It may just be OK enough to use the heatsink that the manufacturer
recommends. (Most if not all heatsinks also have fans.) Did you buy
your CPU "retail box"? Did it include a heatsink/fan?

Back when I put this aging athlon tbird system together (parts mostly
courtesy of Central Computer) I bought a "retail box" athlon 1000
CPU/heatsink for close to $200. Ouch. :) But it still works, no
overheating at all - but then I don't overclock, and the case (some
expensive blue metal case with some extra fans) makes for a fairly
rock-solid system. (In other words, it won't fall over if I run the
Mersenne Prime torture test)[1].

If you don't overclock (and I see no reason for your Dad to do this)
you may find that the "recommended" 775 heatsink/fan is good enough.
(About the hardest thing to this is to get the *** heatsink on the CPU
to begin with, and absolutely do not attempt to run a system without
it on. I had to have one of the techs put the heatsink on for me - and
the first CPU I got turned out to have blown smoke but luckily I got
it replaced :).

Meanwhile, newegg has a different model Coolermaster here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010110574+1370826093&name=Heatsinks+only&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

>  I am not quiet sure I like this idea.  I saw Rick mention something
>  about bearings and I was wondering, can someone direct me to a good

Is the case big enough to permit sufficient airflow between the top of
the heatsink and the edge of the case? I'm thinking off the cuff here,
though.

Back when I researched my present system, www.tomshardware.com was a
big help. Currently there is a write up on building low and medium
cost systems and putting them through their paces. It's a bit long,
but probably a good read.

Link here: http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/03/24/system_builder_marathon/


>  website that I review and research CPU hardware?
>  I would like to know what to look for before I go agreeing to use some
>  "standard-issue" and possibly very CHEAP cpu fan/heatsink.

I am not at all cognizant with all the gizmo and marketingspeak that
some of the cooler (pardon the pun) web sites use. I'm not into HVAC,
seriously, so when I see something like the writeup on newegg for the
Coolermaster at the first link, it doesn't tell me how effective it
will be in the real world.

[1] http://mersennewiki.org/index.php/GIMPS_overclocking_and_Prime95

discusses overclocking and torture test etc.


>  How do you know when you are having RAM Memory Issues?  What kind of
>  symptoms suggest a RAM Memory problem?

There's always memtest86, the ubiquitous memory tester, but I still
think (based on reliable hardware advice) that prime95 (see [1]) is a
better stressor / revealer of memory problems. Conversely, your Dad
might never encounter a memory problem with those sticks, but if one
does some heavy kernel compiling or other compiling and gets
segmentation fault (gcc tends to be a good stressor of memory issues,
kpat2 solitaire much less so) then I'd be more likely to say that
there's a problem.

Being a bit more of a computer power user (no offence intended) I
still use the two individual sticks that I got from Central Computer
(first stick originally purchased for the system in 3/2000, second
stick somewhat later - I think 2002 or thereabouts). I honestly have
no clue (short of pulling the sticks out) what brand CC was selling
back then, but they've performed flawlessly.


>  - Kai