North and south bridges are the main components of the motherboard chipset. They are designed to control all computer devices, but if the south bridge got the role of a "little brother", managing even important but slow processes of interaction inside and between the board interfaces (disk controllers, network and audio devices, etc.), then the north bridge It is used as a "heavy artillery" because it is responsible for the processor, RAM, video adapter, and also controls all the communication processes between these components and the south bridge controller . In other words, his destiny is to manage devices that have the maximum load during computer operation.
Location
It is a chip soldered into the system board located on its northern (that is, upper) side and covered by a cooling radiator. The north bridge on most motherboards is cooled by passive heat removal, while active cooling using a cooler is the prerogative of powerful systems designed for extreme loads. It can be gaming computers, graphics stations and servers.
Heat sink
A standard heat sink for successfully cooling the north bridge is enough in most cases, including when upgrading the system, but there are often situations in which users overclock their computers, increasing the frequency of the motherboard, processor or video card to increase PC performance. This, in turn, inevitably leads to an increase in the heat release of these components. And given the very close proximity to them and their own increased temperature, the factory cooling of the north bridge in such cases may not be enough, which is fraught with very unpleasant consequences, up to the failure of the chip. The result of this development of events is most likely to be the replacement of the motherboard, since the repair is not economically feasible.
Ready-made options for cooling systems
In cases of possible overheating, searches for the cooling system of the north bridge of the motherboard, as a rule, begin with determining the form factor of the computer. For different board sizes (mini-ATX, micro-ATX or ATX), there are certain solutions, so when ordering via the Internet (and most often similar devices are purchased right now), it is important to consider the dimensions of the computer and the dimensions of the installed components.
DIY assembly of the north bridge cooling system
In retail outlets, the choice of such systems is currently rather scarce: cooler-radiator units are mainly on sale for cooling processors, so owners of computers requiring more efficient heat removal often have to assemble their own designs, showing miracles of inventiveness. Radiators from old processors are used, fans are attached to them in various ways, power connectors are soldered, and then the resulting hybrid is installed in the bowels of the computer. Moreover, often the cooling efficiency is very high.
Assembly recommendations
If the situation does not allow for one reason or another to get a ready-made solution, and you can only rely on your own hands and ingenuity, you should adhere to several important recommendations.
- Carefully measure all distances so that the new system does not overlap the video card, RAM and processor.
- Before installing the video card, RAM and, if necessary, the processor. At the same time, cleaning the cooling systems (and, possibly, replacing thermal paste) on the processor and the video card will not hurt.
- Unless absolutely necessary, do not dismantle the "native" north bridge cooling radiator. Firstly, this is fraught with loss of warranty (of course, if it is still valid). Secondly, it can be fixed on the chip using a layer of special adhesive thermal paste, cleaning and replacing it in a confined space is a very long and difficult process. If the radiator is attached with special clamps, it will require access to the back of the motherboard to dismantle it, which is also not always possible without disassembling the computer.
- In most cases, adding a cooler of the right size is sufficient, which can be fixed with super glue (with caution!) Or with small screws screwed into the gaps between the radiator lamellas. Sometimes the radiator design allows you to use adhesive tape, on which superglue is applied on top, and then a fan is glued (for example, Gigabyte north bridge cooling radiators).
- If it is still not possible to solve the problem without a comprehensive replacement, all actions are carried out with the motherboard completely free from connected devices. In the case of clamping, problems should not arise, but with an adhesive base you have to tinker. You will need a solvent (nail polish remover, gasoline for lighters or vodka), cotton swabs and an old plastic card. For installation, you can use the classic KPT-8 (clamping installation) or hot melt adhesive (glue mounting).
- Avoid getting solvent, thermal paste and glue on other parts of the motherboard.
If everything is done correctly, the temperature indicators for any of the tests in different load conditions will be within normal limits, thereby prolonging the life of the system board.