The most important parts of the system are usually the hottest. Therefore, to ensure that the operation of the entire system is not at risk, it is necessary to take care of cooling. This article will discuss how to put a cooler on a processor.
Cooling options
The processor is one of the most hot parts of the system unit, and if it is not cooled, it will burn out in a matter of minutes. The cooler for the system unit is placed directly on it. Cooling can be different, depending on how powerful the processor is installed in the system.
There are two types of cooling - active and passive.
Passive cooling consists in the fact that it is presented in the form of a simple heatsink that removes heat from the processor. This type of cooling does not require much energy and is cheap, and also does not make such noise as fans.
Active cooling means that there is a fan near the radiator. Sometimes in such coolers there is a marking of the direction of the air flow, which makes it possible to decide which way to put the cooler on the processor.
The composition of the cooling system
The cooling system includes two components - a fan and a radiator. Copper or aluminum tubes remove heat from the processor toward the heatsinks, and the heatsinks are cooled by a fan or fans. The noise from them, of course, is, but within the acceptable range.
Mounting a cooler on an AMD processor
First you need to make sure that the processor is firmly secured in the socket. This is followed by cleaning the processor and heatsink at the point of contact so that the contact between them is not broken by anything. For this purpose, a disposable alcohol napkin is ideal, as it does not contain lint and ensures complete cleanliness after itself.
The next step in how to put the cooler on an AMD processor is to apply thermal paste. This procedure is necessary, since thermal grease ensures full contact of the processor with the radiator, which significantly improves heat dissipation. It is not necessary to apply the paste densely, it is enough to smear it to such an extent that the outlines of the marking on the processor are visible.
Manufacturers who make cooling for AMD processors try to adhere to one standard, which uses a simple latch to fix the cooler to the processor. After the cooler has been fixed, you need to connect its power to the motherboard.
Mounting a cooler on an Intel processor
First, consider the cooling options before putting the cooler on an Intel processor. The cooler is mounted only on the motherboard, which is in a horizontal position. Also, do not forget about the reinforcing plate, which is included in the kit.
Included with some processors is already a cooler called a boxed cooler. This type of cooler does not require special installation knowledge. You need to find the holes on the motherboard, select the appropriate position and insert the pins into the connectors. After installation, a distinctive pinning sound should appear in each pin. The last step is to connect the cooler to the motherboard.
In modern advanced systems are no less advanced processors. Such processors require a high-quality cooling system, and there will be instructions on how to put the cooler on the processor. This time, the option of installing a tower cooler is presented.
First you need to unpack and assemble the cooler according to the manual. Sometimes the cooling system is sold already assembled, then this step disappears.
It is necessary to apply a small amount of thermal paste to the installed processor. It is not necessary to smear it, as the paste will be evenly distributed when the cooler is installed.
To fix the base on the motherboard, it is better to look in the manual, since different models can be mounted in different ways.
As in many cooler models, the fans should have an image indicating the direction of the blades. These markers will help determine which way to put the cooler on the processor, so that the air flow is directed to the rear wall of the case.
Dismantling the cooling system
After the options for how to properly install the cooler on a processor from different manufacturers were presented, you can figure out how to remove it.
The first step is to turn off the power of the cooler, and then unscrew the screws with a screwdriver. If the fan is fixed using latches, you can simply pull out the fan, pushing the fixing part.
If the cooler is difficult to dismantle, this means that the thermal grease inside has dried up. To get rid of this, you need to warm up the problem area a little. In this case, a regular hair dryer does well.
Mistakes and Tips
Before you figure out how to put the cooler on the processor, you need to select it. Many users who are inexperienced in terms of computer parts make many mistakes, which will be presented later.
The first thing to find out before buying a new cooling system is the socket that the processor supports. The fact is that the heatsink must fit snugly and precisely to the processor, otherwise cooling will not be so efficient.
Next, it is worthwhile to understand the energy consumed, since the more the processor consumes energy, the more powerful the cooler will be.
You should not save when it comes to cooling, since the life of not only the processor, but the whole system depends on it.
No one has canceled commission stores and “on hand” purchases, so before purchasing a used cooler, you should test it on the spot and check the package bundle.
When installing a tower cooler, do not forget about the reinforcing plate, which is fixed on the back of the motherboard. It is needed for stable operation of the cooler.
As mentioned earlier, thermal grease is a good thing, but you should not overdo it with it, as this will negatively affect the processor performance. But a drawback can lead to overheating.
Before buying, you should also inspect the socket for powering the processor cooler. They are designed for three and four contacts. Coolers with 3 contacts are constantly operating at maximum fan speed. For coolers with 4 contacts, there is no such problem, since an additional contact makes it possible to adjust the fan speed.