New A64 3500+

[prolfe]

My roommate just bought a 3500+ at a local computer show (Marketpro). I'm trying to find out for him if it's 90NM or 130NM. How can I tell by examing the heat spreader?

On a related note, he's selling me his P4 3Ghz. I use a stock Intel HSF and an Abit IC7. According to a previous post in which I inquired about installing a new HSF, I have learned to clean the CPU and HSF with uncontaminated acetone. I will do that, and replace the old pad with some Acrtic Silver 3. I will still be using the Intel HSF, and I just want to make sure that the uninstallation/reinstallation I have just described is in fact the best way to do it (If I have to do it I want to do it right).

 

[pauldh]

Looking at the heatspreader I don't know if you can. You don't have to pull the heat spreader though. Once installed he can use CPU-Z to tell what it is. Mine detects as .09u and Socket 939 Winchester.

Anyway, 94% isopropel from a drug store works well to clean off the old thermal pad/paste. Don't use the 70% though. And make sure their isn't anything (cotton ball fiber, piece of lint, greasy fingerprint, etc.) on the heat spreader or heatsink.<A HREF="http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm" target="_new">Artic Silver's website</A> has instructions for applying their compounds. Artic Silver recommends a different application method for chips with heat spreaders, which many folks probably do not do as they are accustomed to applying it to chips without heatspreaders such as Athlon XP's. I myself follow their recommendations.



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[RichPLS]

Can you still get AS3?


<pre><font color=red>°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°`°¤o \\// o¤°`°¤o,¸¸¸,o¤°
And the sign says "You got to have a membership card to get inside" Huh
So I got me a pen and paper And I made up my own little sign</pre><p></font color=red>

 

[pauldh]

It is discontinued, but I wouldn't be surprised to see it for sale still. He might already own some though. If buying, I'd go AS5 also.


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[Cybercraig]

I would lap that stock heatsink. You might gain a couple of degrees worth of cooling.

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[prolfe]

Thanks for your quick and helpful response. I do already have some AS3, which I will be using, and I hope to get a degree or two from that alone. I will also wetsand my stock HSF with some 1500-grit and a sanding block. Do you think that between the lapping and the AS3 I might get the same temps from my new 3Ghz as I'm getting now with the 2.6 OC'd to 2.8?
P.S. I'm only paying $50 for the new chip, so in case you're wondering if it would be worth buying a new chip for just a mew Mhz, it seems worth it to me for that little money (Not that you care how much money I spend).

 

[prolfe]

I just discovered that the AS3 I thought I had was actually Antec reference thermal paste. Will this work as well as AS3/5, or should I go ahead and get the good stuff?

 

[Ned_Flanders]

get the good stuff...

______________
OK it's your choice:
You can have the boat, or you can have the Mystery Box!
...Hey wait a minute! A boat's a boat, but a Mystery Box could be anything. It could even be a boat

 

[prolfe]

Thanks everybody for your help. I got the new CPU installed tonight, lapped the HSF, and used AS5, and I'm really glad I followed everyone's advice; it's running at the same temps! Also, the AS website said that I may even gain a few degrees after 2-5 thermal cycles! BTW, the OTES cover is really in the way when you need to take off a HSF. O well it keeps my onboard power converters cool, so I guess it's worth it.