Phil Posted April 20, 2010 Posted April 20, 2010 I was getting ready to send out a pre-built Dell I'd sold but when booting got a pre-BIOS screen that basically was several lines of text describing the northbridge chipset. There was no where to go from there, keyboard commands did nothing. I reset the CMOS, no good, messed around unplugging stuff, and when I plugged the PSU back in it worked as if nothing had happened. I had a spare MB so I swapped it out to be safe, but before I did I noticed that the northbridge heatsink seemed abnormally hot. So I took the heatsink off the removed MB and it seemed to have a square of something that looked like glossy white paper between the chip and heatsink. I scraped it all off and put the heatsink back on using Arctic Silver. I did a quick tabletop build with the MB and the heatsink temp seems normal now. Could it be that simple? Could a bad thermal contact betwween the chip and heatsink have caused a thermal error preventing booting? Thanks, I'd really like to figure this out, I'd hate to think I've trashed salvageable MB's over a problem like this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CAINuKe Posted April 20, 2010 Posted April 20, 2010 Well from what I see its pretty normal for Dell PC to have a hot NB and SB. On my brothers C521 The NB gets hot enough to engrave "nVidia" on my thumb. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
psycho_terror Posted April 20, 2010 Posted April 20, 2010 So I took the heatsink off the removed MB and it seemed to have a square of something that looked like glossy white paper between the chip and heatsink. most likely a thermal pad, or possibly dried up thermal compound. pretty much every thermal interface material eventually degrades to the point where it's no longer able to perform its job, so yes replacing it has most likely sorted the problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 20, 2010 Posted April 20, 2010 It must have been a pad, because it was a perfect square. The consistency was actually like removing a sticker from something. If it wasn't doing it's job, could it prevent the board from booting? I've got a spare case, I think I'll build a computer around the board to see if the change stands up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RavenE Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 You will probably need to apply new thermal paste. That will most likely solve it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
potatochobit Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 NB usually will be painful to touch with your fingers I think you need some real temperature numbers first before saying that it is overheating anyway, since you already lifted the sink you must reapply new paste Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowKing Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 wait, if it was bad thermal contact than how the hell did the heatsink get hot? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormy Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 Not trying to say that you guys didnt read his post but he does say he already added the thermal paste... So I took the heatsink off the removed MB and it seemed to have a square of something that looked like glossy white paper between the chip and heatsink. I scraped it all off and put the heatsink back on using Arctic Silver. I did a quick tabletop build with the MB and the heatsink temp seems normal now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
potatochobit Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 that is why I voted for you as class president and yes, it can be that simple case solved Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GabrielT Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 wait, if it was bad thermal contact than how the hell did the heatsink get hot? I was thinking the same thing, very strange. Well if it works it works I guess Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Posted April 23, 2010 Posted April 23, 2010 NB usually will be painful to touch with your fingers I think you need some real temperature numbers first before saying that it is overheating anyway, since you already lifted the sink you must reapply new paste I was comparing it to a computer of a similar model that was running right next to it. It also made sense that the "black screen" I had been getting was a thermal error. All I know for sure is that reapplying the thermal compound made a big difference. You're right though, I really should get one of those tools that you just point at something to read the temp. wait, if it was bad thermal contact than how the hell did the heatsink get hot? Yeah it's counter-intuitive, but I've seen it quite a few times, like when you're testing a board or CPU and just have the heatsink sitting on top of the CPU. Before long the heatsink gets wicked hot and the computer shuts down, apply paste and no problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cirro Posted April 26, 2010 Posted April 26, 2010 When i got my 780i the NB's had contact issues that would make some idle above 60c, the fix- remount with new thermal paste. I bet your just lucky! If the thermal paste was able to dry completely then i bet it made a "blanket" effect instead of helping it cool Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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