Repost of the article from motherboardfaqs.com

Original article: http://www.motherboardfaqs.com/content.php?content.57

Epox version also available here: http://www.motherboardfaqs.com/content.php?content.58

--edited by mod--

Northbridge Cooling

With any nForce2 motherboard, northbridge cooling is vital. Abit has done a much better job than many manufacturers in this respect, but a couple of issues need smoothed out in this area.



1. The first issue is the extremely small contact area of the heatsink. As seen by the image below, the poor usage of thermal paste is severely limiting cooling by decreasing this area, and is going to have an effect on overclocking. Remove the heatsink by squeezing the ends together on the bottoms of the pushpins (from the backside of the board), taking care not to let the heatsink just fall off onto the board or anything else that might be damaged by it.



Take some rubbing alcohol and a qtip (or any other soft cleaning tool) and remove all of the old thermal paste from the chip and heatsink, then apply some new paste to the chip. If you have the older northbridge which has a circular metal core, you will need to use a generous amount to make up for the curvature of the chip. Users with newer chips will only need a thin layer, but should test the heatsink's contact by pressing it down and then removing it, and filling in any thin bare spots shown in the imprint on the bottom of the heatsink.

2. The second issue is the stock cooler itself. While it does prove to be one of the better stock coolers, it can still be improved upon. I recommend using the vantec iceburg, which is basically a copper version of the stock cooling solution. Other popular choices include the zalaman chipset cooler, and the chrome orb (which may need some modification or epoxy to mount properly). The image below is of the vantec iceburg in action.

Southbridge Cooling

Yet again, we see another manufacturer that has completely neglected the heat put out by the nForce2 southbridge. Abit didn't include any holes around it for mounting a heatsink, so your only options are to use either frag tape or thermal epoxy. I would recommend the epoxy for reliability, and the the tape for those with boards still under warranty



Because this chip is small and out of the path of most system components, pretty much any small heatsink will work well. Many users attach generic heatsinks that they have lying around, or buy standard 30x30 or 40x40 heatsink. The picture below is from a user who attached a zalman passive heatsink to the southbridge with thermal epoxy.

Mosfet Cooling

Abit did a good job with their power regulation,and mosfet cooling isn't as big of an issue as it is can be on other boards like the Epox nForce2 boards. I don't feel that most the average user can benefit from additional cooling in this category, but those running very high vcores might gain some stability from it. The best way to tell if you need them is to measure the temperature of the mosfets either by just touching them, or by using a temperature probe or thermometer. The acceptable heatsinks here can be ramsinks or chopped up pieces of heatsinks, and lately companies have been selling mosfet specific heatsinks (although they are usually just ramsinks.)





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This post has been edited by Garfie: Sep 21 2004, 03:49 PM

Again, link to original article --> http://www.motherboardfaqs.com/content.php?content.57

deleted.

This post has been edited by leadaxer: Oct 12 2004, 08:08 PM

Can coolermaster blue ice northbridge cooler fit on an nf7s mobo? if i don't overclock, do i need to add a heatksink to the southbridge as well?

edit: typo

This post has been edited by Slaymaster: Sep 22 2004, 07:05 PM

Nope, heatsink no need for southbridge actually even if u overclock. But in case of stability maybe you should consider adding it. Nothing to lose but much more to gain.

southbridge is the chip tat control the onboard sound isn't it? so i think most of u all got a pci soundcard on. so off the southbridge. not much use also. OC kaukau won't effect the southbridge. correct me if i'm wrong.

thats true there is really no point cooling down the southbridge.
and the mosfets.....it doesnt help to cool it down coz the surface of the mosfets aint heat conductive. it will only help when the mosfets are really damn hot.

I disagree, the southbridge does heat up
Unless u are not using any I/O functions then maybe

if you need extreme high cfm fan for your chipset, just find me....
i got 40mm Sunon that is able to push 21cfm,

Wow you two fellas are fantastic If you are running stock, and not overclocking, then ok. The new southbridges are relatively cool. But the previous versions for Nvidia's southbridges had heat problems. One of the reasons Epox threw in southbridge cooling for their early 8rda3+ revs is becos they used both older and more current southbridges, so they just threw a passive heatsink in.

If you are overclocking and aiming for a high fsb, u need to use higher vdd. (Abit default VDD settings allow only up to 1.7vdd - if u using this, then no worries about SB cooling). Ppl who want to do above 235+ fsb need to do the VDD mods. I'm running 2.03VDD. This generates a shiteload of heat. High VDD + high FSB = I/O problems if your southbridge is not cooled. Very prevalent cases are those people who use USB mouse and keyboard and overclock FSB kao kao. Their mouse and keyboard dont accept input, or they type in something, their characters appear as ASCII symbols. You may have pop and crackling noises when u use the onboard sound. The NF7-s r2 actually gives much better sound than most PCI soundcards (including SB Audigy 1).

Try putting some ramsinks on your mosfets and feel them 5 minutes later then tell me if u still think they don't need cooling. Almost all NF2 ultra 400 boards have fluctuating vcore problems. Those boards using dual combination of philips mosfets in a triple phase mobo power supply usually kantoi the worst (8rda3+ rev 1.2, NF7 rev2 included). Cooling these mosfets can give u a stabler Vcore. Fluctuation is still there but the range is more limited = higher Prime95 passable OC!

Hell yeah..hence I'm a firm believer in the "if-there's-a-bare-chip-then-heatsink-it" school of thought.

ps: the stupid avc fan is just there for testing only.



Attached image(s)

mosfet's chip can make VDD fluctuate ?

i tot the irregularity of the 3.3V of the PSU can make them fluctuate only.....
maybe because you are goin beyond the limit...therefore your mofset also need some cooling.....

Mosfets make the Vcore fluctuate.

i wonder how to take out da heatsink on powercolor radeon 9200se...i wanna mod it with cm blue ice

If the thing is stuck on (no pegs/plastic legs that go through PCB board to hold heatsink in place), try heating the heatsink with hairdryer, take pliers and slowly yank it off. Do it at your own risk.

waaa....so risky....better not..anymore ideas??

once, my old AMD mobo which i got fed up off went to heaven because i pull out the whole chipset together with the chipset coz i din heat up and
" i was a moron at that time " coz i was really furious coz i burned 2 Duron which i had to fork out from my own pocket.....i was really a nOob back then...muaahahhaa

This post has been edited by AllnGap: Oct 5 2004, 03:46 PM

laaa it thought this guide for what....
basically what i did with my new nf7-s was to slap on a TR NB-1 on the NB, CM blue Ice on the SB, and those blue coloured anodised hs on the mosfets....LOL!
*didint know NB-1's fan runs at 6k rpm!! *