[SOLVED] Help rid me of my fear of replacing my cpu cooler.

[tsdobbi]

So I have a new build (and I've built my own PC's since the early 2000's The new one makes 5 total), I've always been satisfied with the original core parts, so I've never actually replaced a cpu cooler, until now.

I had a geminiII M4 from another PC build I parted out and sold. and I am not over clocking so I was just like, I'll use that for my new build (i7 9700k). Well, its mostly fine. While gaming it hangs anywhere between 50-70 (high 20's low 30s idle). Which is fine. What concerns me is if there is a quick jump to 100% CPU usage those temps shoot up to the mid 90s. Which in my opinion is not fine (it will reduce to the high 80s, if it hangs there for a time, when the fan catches up) However thats just a little too close to the TJ max for my liking.

So I ordered a Noctua NH-D15 chromax.Black . The thing is when looking up the proper way to remove the old cooler and remove the thermal paste etc. It was also bringing back horror stories of "I replaced by CPU cooler now my PC wont boot" etc.

I've probably watched 50 videos watching people remove a cooler, clean the cpu and install the new cooler and other than cleaning the cpu its the same damn process as installing a cooler on a new build.

What the hell are people doing when replacing a cpu cooler that borks their system? Ya know, so I don't do it?

 

[Deleted member 2720853]

Tightening the screws like a madman, dropping your cooler on the motherboard potentially severing some circuitry, not removing the plastic cover from the CPU base before installing it, forcing screws to go in when they clearly wont instead of reseating the cooler etc. would be some ways people could mess up their system.

Just read the manual, don't rush it, remove the GPU and RAM if you have to for extra space (top and rear exhaust fan as well -- heck, if you need to, remove the entire motherboard, install the cooler then place it back).

 

[tsdobbi]

Tightening the screws like a madman, dropping your cooler on the motherboard potentially severing some circuitry, not removing the plastic cover from the CPU base before installing it, forcing screws to go in when they clearly wont instead of reseating the cooler etc. would be some ways people could mess up their system.

Just read the manual, don't rush it, remove the GPU and RAM if you have to for extra space (top and rear exhaust fan as well -- heck, if you need to, remove the entire motherboard, install the cooler then place it back).

I have a corsair Air 540, I shouldn't "need" to pop the mobo out for this, I didn't need to when installing the original cooler (albeit a significantly smaller cooler), this thing has plenty of room to work. (my last build had the carbine air 240 practically the same design). I love these cube cases by corsair as long as they keep making them I will keep buying them.

 

[tsdobbi]

Everything went fine. And it is a gargantuan difference in temps.

OCCT was basically instantly exceeding 90C and stopping the test when I would start it on my old cooler.

Now my temps barely break 60C under heavy load. While gaming it hangs around 40C.

https://imgur.com/nrICogN