Possible to harm a cpu when over tightening a big typhoon?

[foodfightr]

So I'm using a thermaltake big typhoon and I have two 0550 UPMW chips here. The first started having problems on core 1, which is a lot less common than core 0 problems. In order to attach my big typhoon so it won't wiggle- I have to tighten it quite a bit. I'm not talking like putting massive force on it or anything, but it does involve some tightening.

 

I started using my second 0550 UPMW chip and I attached the big typhoon with some room to wiggle a little bit. I don't see it doing it on its own, but with some moderate pushing I can wiggle it around some. This chip is showing much better results.

 

I know it could just be the chips themselves- but the mounting for the big typhoon is as follows: I've taken a back plate from a different mobo/heatsink that is basically the standard across motherboards. (The stock DFI one is not!) I'm using the two screws and the metal bar (H clamp maybe they call it?) to tighten it directly to the backplate. Basically the standard way of mounting it.

 

Based on this mounting technique that relies on just two screws to secure this thing- and a point of pressure in the middle- one would assume it has a rounding effect in the chip. Think about it, if you push down on somehting on either end and something is in the middle it rounds. Now if you tightened it too much, do you think it is possible to damage one of the cores, which may explain the uncommon core 1 problem?

 

I'm using a tablet PC so below I included a drawing (which is poor at best) the IHS is on- the yellow is the H Clamp.

[THunDA]

I think you'd have to put some SERIOUS force on a IHS to damage the core under it.. If you were to see how thick and strong the IHS's are then you would probably understand that it would take alot to bend or warp one of these things..imo..

[foodfightr]

Ok I'm not a physics major or anything but- generally speaking there are ways of making force much more effective (e.g. lever & pully). If the core has a heavy pressure on it at is sides- which are probably weaker- won't some of that pressure distribute to the cores below?

 

The cores have to take some of the pressure because its basically acting as a reinforcement of the IHS- counter pressure behind it... right?

[THunDA]

Ok I'm not a physics major

 

Neither am I..

 

I guess what your saying is its possible.. But my point is >> we are not tightening heatsinks down with big wrenches...

 

Have you ever seen how thick the Intergrated Heat Spreader is when its removed from a cpu ?

 

Its pretty thick and I just think it would take alot more force then we use to mount a heatsink to bend or warp it.. Now if your tightening the thing down with all your strength then I dont know maybe its possible.. But you shouldnt be tightening it down with all your strength anyways..

[finagle69]

the force required to round that thick bottom of copper of the HS would be enough to crack the mobo, we're not applying that much pressure at all.

 

If you look physically at mine, you can see that there IS slight rounding to the H-clamp (or whatever) but the actual HS is not going to conform to the clamp.

 

my IHS is removed, so that would be of even higher concern to me, but it's simply not going to happen.

 

on the topic of wiggling, the only way you'll get it to not wiggle is to use the provided foam backing with metal backplate. it's SO secure that when you properly tighten everything up, there's no wiggle. but this way pretty much locks you in to that mobo only as there's basically no way to unstick the backplate (i had a hell of a time cutting it off to RMA my dead SLI-DR).

 

This time i used the DFI backplate, you can push the longer screws up through the holes with no problem. however, it wiggles because the backplate is not properly secured to the mobo except by friction, and the screws don't thread into the holes, the just sit there.

 

i tightened mine up pretty damn tight and there's still a little wiggle, but only if i induce it.

 

sorry for the long-winded retort, in short, it's cool, don't worry bout it

[edjahman]

I have a brand new big typhoon that I mounted and it was a pain in the butt. I had it pretty tight. I used the rubber pad that came with it and stuck it to the back of the mobo. It didn't cause any damage to my x2-4800 or my dfi mobo. I didn't like the cooler after all of the trouble of putting it on and switched back to my thermalright si-120. It's so much easier to work with and it cools great. Good Luck with the BT.

 

--EJM