GA-8IEXP cooling

What CPU heatsink/fans do you have with your GA-8IEXP motherboard? I have the Swiftech MCX4000. I have not received my GA-8IEXP motherboard yet and was wondering if this HUGE heatsink/fan will fit it. Oh yea, I have the P4 2.53Ghz CPU too.

It should fit, I also have the ga8iexp and the 2.53 I have a zalman hsf (dont know model #) the thing is huge and shaped like a rainbow, @3.02ghz idle33* load47*

I have the 2.53 with MCX4000 and it is a TIGHT fight. Touches an entire row of capacitors which I EVER SO SLIGHTLY bent back a wee microscopic bit. Works fine though and runs at 29c idle and never breaks 40 at load.

SporkSaint. How did you get the bracket off of the motherboard that surrounds the CPU to enable you to mount the Swiftech MCX4000 heatsink? I just got my 8IEXP motherboard today and I would hate to screw it up.

Never mind. A friend figured it out and got the bracket off.

just a few minutes to late to post....lol

Well I will tell the world anyways

Use a butterknife and pop the tabs off the bracket from the top of the mobo. They come off easy. Save them aside just in case you have to rma the board for some non overclocked reason.

lemme know how things go
My computer is running ROCK solid until I over clocked even the sssslightest little bit. Although it will take the overclock (in easytune) my 3dMark scores plummet. I go from running mid 13000 to as low as 6000!!!! What am I doing wrong? All I did was adjust the FSB. Somebody help. Be like Mr. T. and pity a fool.

I installed my 2.53 P4 CPU and the Swiftech MCX4000 heatsink/fan to my 8IEXP. Man, talk about a "tight" fit! I used a flashlight to see if the heatsink was in direct contact with my CPU. From what I saw, it is. I used a razorblade to apply the thermal paste to cover the entire bottom of the heatsink (not too much needed).

I did have to adjust the "caps" a little to keep them from touching the edge of the heatsink. I was shaking like crazy! I could see myself breaking one off and just crying! Now, all that's left is my case, memory, CDRW, hard drive, floppy and keyboard (should be here by the end of the week).

I will post here once I get it all set up.

I just noticed I have the same monitor as you as well.
I spread the artic silver 3 on the cpu, not the bottom of the heatsink. Dount it will make much of a diff. Not only was I shaking as well as I ssssssslighty tried to move the caps (I eventually decided to not bother...they are insulated), but 4 pins on my processor were bent. Talk about PRESSURE!!! I used a credit card and leveraged them back in place...everything worked out except for the immesureable stress of knowing you are kissing the the warranty away when you attempt your own fix. We need to keep up with each other and our overclocking adventures.

Sounds good. Once I get everything together and start "playing around with it", I will post here under this topic (if it's still here). Do you have more than one drive? I will only have one so I will not need to RAID. The computer that I'm using now has 2 80GB WD's that are RAID'ed. Not too bad...

I have one 60 gig maxtor, but another sitting here. I may not raid just because I want my case interior to be cleaner and the wires are drivin me nutzxor.

On the good news front, I have had success with the overclocking...lemme put it this way...
EASYTUNE SUCKS!!!!

nuff said. Do it in the bios.