DescentBB

Could someone give me some advice on how to get my heatsink to make a firm and secure contact with the cpu? Seems the retention system on the heatsink is too long, and thus the heatsink does not make good contact with the cpu... and I can't boot my pc cause of the cpu overheat shutdown on the mobo This is what I have:

Shuttle nforce 2 400 Ultra mobo
Barton 2500+ cpu
Speeze cpu cooler for amd

Here is the site giving info on the heatsink:
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductde ... 40&DEPA=1D

thanks

Did you remember to use thermal paste or a thermal pad of some sort?

Make sure it's on the proper way. The side with the cut-out channel fits over the tall side of the socket. If you have it set up backwards, the cooler will sit on top of that tall bit of socket instead of the CPU.

If that's not the problem, it looks like it uses a simple metal strip as a spring. Bending the strip to be springier would pull the HS snug.

I've tried bending the strip. Will try some more...

I think I have that same motherboard. It's a shuttle nForce2 Ultra 400 mobo anyways. When I first installed it, I had issues with it halting (with the little red light coming on on the mobo) whenever I touched the control dial for a variable speed CPU fan I had installed. After trying everything else, I pulled the motherboard out and put it in again, making sure there were no shorts or anything. Once I did that, It's been rock solid.

So you might want to try this.

Ok, when you tried to mount it, did you use a flat-head screwdriver and push the strip down and bend it over onto the prongs on the socket? (I suggest you put some electrical tape, or cut a piece of cardboard and put it under the prongs just incase your screwdriver slips out (though looking at the strip, that seems highly unlikely to happen).

Actually, if he's got the Shuttle AN35N, there's absolutly nothing on the side that the HS clamps down on. I've got the AN35N Ultra board, and the socket is litterally about a quarter inch from the top edge of the board. No traces under the mounting area I can see either. I thought it was a really nice touch, since I've wanged one of my other boards with a screwdriver during a HS install.