When you buy a heatsink for a CPU, you have to ensure it is built for the type of CPU you are using. Different types or generations of CPU have different fitting mechanisms. For instance, AMD's Socket A retention clip is different from that of the Socket 939, etc. Most branded heatsinks nowadays come with different retention clips and fittings to allow you to use them on the various platforms & CPU sockets e.g. Intel's Socket 478 & LGA775 and AMD's Socket 754, 939, 940 and AM2. However, it is safer that you read up on the specs or ask before you pay. Many heatsinks do not bundle fittings for older types of CPU anymore - I used to see them bundled with retention clips for Intel's Pentium 4 Socket 478 but this is no longer the case.
So, what do you do if you are trying to set up an older generation PC but you don't have the right heatsink for the CPU. Let me show you what I did with my Socket 478 Pentium 4 CPU, the cost effective way.
I have this Foxconn heatsink which wouldn't fit on any CPU that I have. Instead of letting it sit in the storeroom or throwing it away, I decided to use it for this project.
Socket 478 platform has heatsink held in place by locking it onto a rectangular plastic surrounding the CPU socket (the black thing in the picture), which is secured onto the motherboard by 4 pins or screws. If you want a fast solution, use some cable ties to tie the heatsink onto this plastic. However, it won't look nice. I needed a more elegant solution that was simple.
The first thing I did was to remove that plastic piece. As the original heatsink retention clip was useless, I had to find another way to hold the heatsink in place. I figured that an "H" beam would do the job. So, off I went to the drawing board for a fast sketch.
I used the plastic from a spoilt keyboard to construct the "H" beam. It was the ideal candidate because it was thick and hard. Based on the outline I sketched, I cut a rough shape using my Dremel.
After some filing and sanding, the "H" beam looked good. I used brass stand-offs, similar to those supplied with PC cases, as securing points for the motherboard and "H" beam.
The stand-offs are slightly shorter than the height from the surface of the motherboard to the area on the heatsink where the "H" beam is placed. This is to ensure that the heatsink is secured tightly. Here's the final product - cost effective and functional.
So, what do you do if you are trying to set up an older generation PC but you don't have the right heatsink for the CPU. Let me show you what I did with my Socket 478 Pentium 4 CPU, the cost effective way.
I have this Foxconn heatsink which wouldn't fit on any CPU that I have. Instead of letting it sit in the storeroom or throwing it away, I decided to use it for this project.
Socket 478 platform has heatsink held in place by locking it onto a rectangular plastic surrounding the CPU socket (the black thing in the picture), which is secured onto the motherboard by 4 pins or screws. If you want a fast solution, use some cable ties to tie the heatsink onto this plastic. However, it won't look nice. I needed a more elegant solution that was simple.The first thing I did was to remove that plastic piece. As the original heatsink retention clip was useless, I had to find another way to hold the heatsink in place. I figured that an "H" beam would do the job. So, off I went to the drawing board for a fast sketch.
I used the plastic from a spoilt keyboard to construct the "H" beam. It was the ideal candidate because it was thick and hard. Based on the outline I sketched, I cut a rough shape using my Dremel.
After some filing and sanding, the "H" beam looked good. I used brass stand-offs, similar to those supplied with PC cases, as securing points for the motherboard and "H" beam.
The stand-offs are slightly shorter than the height from the surface of the motherboard to the area on the heatsink where the "H" beam is placed. This is to ensure that the heatsink is secured tightly. Here's the final product - cost effective and functional.
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