Proper installation of Socket A processors

[Guest]

I am going to be building a system very soon.. probably within a week. I have read various guides on putting them together, and have followed the hardware scene for about 6 months now. Still, none of the guides I have read used a Socket A processor, and I hear you must be very careful with them. Is there any thorough guide dealing with the installation of a Socket A CPU to the motherboard and how to properly attach a heatsink/fan? I am kinda squimish about this... I have heard quite a few horror stories of people killing brand new Tbirds due to mishandling them.

 

[Guest]

Best advice is just to make sure that all pins are straight and correct BEFORE inserting. You should use the ZIF approach - zero insertion force. If it doesn't appear to fit then do not force and straighten some pins if necessary...try again and again, don't become frustrated! If a pin snaps, you're f*cked!

Use a touch of silicone heatsink compound on the processor core itself..not much is necessary. Carefully fit the heatsink/fan..easy stuff. Just don't use brute force and you'll be fine.

 

[Guest]

I agree with bob bu tI would add try to keep the heatsink as straight as poss when fitting, I have fitted several of them without any probs...

Good luck

M



one of the first UK T-Bird users....

 

[Magneto]

Silentstrike,
Hi there. I just recently built an Athlon 1.1 ghz system with a socket A motherboard, and got it up and running 2 days ago. I had absolutely no problem whatsoever installing the processor. I set it in position, and it slid right in. Then while keeping a finger on top of it with gentle pressure, I lowered and locked the lever. Be sure and test fit your heatsink/fan unit a few times before actually mounting it permanently. You'll have to push it down with a little force to compress the little rubber feet that the Athlon processor has mounted on top of it. These are there to keep the heatsink from shifting and shorting out something on top of the processor. Don't push down too hard, or you could accidently crack the processor. According to what I've read, it's supposed to take alot of force to break the T-bird, but I've heard it has been done. Lock it in place, keeping it centered. Then check the mating surface between the heatsink and the processor. Do this carefully. The processor can burn down in seconds if there is even a little gap in there. Once you are sure you've got a good fitup, add your thermal compound, and install it permanently. If for some reason you aren't satisfied with the fit, don't run it that way. I hope this helps ya out.
If you have any more questions, I'd be happy to help if I can.
Phil

by the way.. this was my first socket A system too. Good luck!

 

[TazMo]

It's really pretty easy to do just remember not to force something if it doesn't seem to fit right. The lever that holds the CPU needs to be pushed down/or to the side a little to release it. The CPU fits only one way in the socket. There is a corner of the CPU that is marked, that corner is marked on the socket. Try to put the CPU into the socket as straight up and down as you can. Make sure the CPU is all the way into the socket and flush with it, then lock the CPU in place.

The only place you put thermal grease is on the center raised rectangular piece thingy in the very center of the CPU. You won't need very much. Some heatsinks will have instructions as to what direction to put them on, if they don't they can usually fit both ways. Most of the problems with the heatsink on socketA MOBOs were from people trying to put heatsinks on not made for socketA. Make sure the heatsink is made for socketA or Athlon/Duron.