I think it may be time...

[mrapoc]

Well my cpu is idling at 40C (idle being playing music and browsing forums while talking on msn) and thats stock...it reaches

My zalman was a pain to fit and would be a pain to reinstall after reapplying AS5 and I was hitting 65C during my 2.8ghz oc while running intel TAT (thermal analysis tool).

If i got myself a nice kit i could use it on all future upgrades, graphics card if i got a watercooling ready one (or if i felt like risking install one myself) and uv water looks nice :yumyum:

Really want to spend as little as possible with the most impact and the "XSPC X20 Dual Xtreme" reviewed earlier looks like the one for me, although im not sure whether to get the passive resevoir. I have a Silverstone TJ05 so size is not a problem although as im not experienced in anyway to watercooling i would need some assurance it would fit etc.

I was gonna get a widescreen monitor (i still might get it first) but I cant really overclock as it stands (hitting 50C on stock during intel tat)

So would a XSPC X20 Dual Xtreme be a good choice, would it fit, and any other recommendations? I may resink my zalman

 

[ai_01]

id get the monitor first, ull enjoy it more than a few degrees less on ur cpu. and if ur gonna water cool the gpu, u know that every time u get a new card, most likely ull have to get a new gpu block, rads and pumps are things that should stay awhile. a lousy water cooling system is next to the best air cooling, so i wouldnt try to crunch pennies. first id resink ur zalman, lap that cpu and as5 it. and see what ya get from there.

 

[mrapoc]

lapping looks really accident prone - like me. I am looking for the easiest possible way, so yea ill try what seems the easiest, cheapest way

I do know to get a quality kit though, thermaltack water cooling is a no go!

 

[ai_01]

u shouldnt have any problems with lapping, the only thing it takes is time, i dont think iv ever heard anyone lose there CPU to lapping, the only thing i wouldnt do is try to rush the process by pushing really hard on the cpu.

 

[mrapoc]

I really dont want to void that warranty with something so scary to a novice like me, also its the only pc in the house, making it crucial to remain operational

I would be scared of changing a gpu cooler lol...so you reckon a as5 change is in order? last time iirc i only applied the same size as a grain of rice down the middle...dunno why its so hot

 

[ai_01]

well ur warranty is already void, b/c u oc'd it. but if lapping isnt ur style, id put the small drop and spread out the as5, b/c a single drop isnt the size of the die, a very (least as possible) thin layer over a 1cm radius from the center. the old guide was made when single die A64 were out.

 

[mrapoc]

Ok ill use some arcticlean to clean it off, spread a thin layer with a credit card? Then tighten it back up

Ill post a pic tomorrow to show u wot the previous application looked like

I followed the as5 instructions though

 

[deathwish]

with the zalman make sure the screws are done up tight

make sure that you only apply a thin layer of thermal paste as too mutch will have a negative effect aswell as giveing the custard slice effect

and if you havent already, Use arctic silver or some other good quality paste

hopefully that should drop your temps

 

[mrapoc]

matty - as5 = arctic silver 5

also i do believe i have tightened but heh ill try that too

I feel i may have applied too little, as i only used a rice size amount, next time i will spread it 1 cm away from the centre as ai suggested

Thanks matt

 

[deathwish]

yea didnt notice that

 

[ai_01]

i didnt mean away, like 1cm radius from the center to make a circle. this is the size of the die.

i would just spread it out more b/c its proboly not covering the full coverage of the die.

 

[mrapoc]

ok, ill have a crack tomorrow

 

[FarFarAway]

Instructions on how to install AS5 on C2D are here