should i use copper shims?

[anarki_gr]

are copper shims useful for protecting the cpu or would it be just a waste of money? just asking cause i'm gonna get a new hsf for my duron and i was thinking of ordering a shim too.

[AlanSr]

I'm wondering the same thing...
I'm heard they do help with holding the HS on the chip but I also heard that they hold in heat. I'm not sure, I'm thinkin of buying one also.

also some HS are to big for them and they end up cracking your chips.....
intrested in some different views

[Wa11y]

They can be a mixed blessing. Some are thick, and keep the HSF from mounting the core properly, causing your core to meltdown. Me, I've never used one, and I've mounted more than a few heatsinks, and have never had a cracked or chipped core. So it's up to you. I personally don't see any practical use for them. But to each their own.

[UnseenMenace]

Originally posted by anarki_gr
are copper shims useful for protecting the cpu or would it be just a waste of money? just asking cause i'm gonna get a new hsf for my duron and i was thinking of ordering a shim too.

I personally dont consider that shims protect your CPU from much due to the fact that they create a false sence of security and because of this you may take less care installing the hsf. Shims are required to be perfectly flat and a shim that has been dropped in transit may have a slight curve which can lift the hsf away from the CPU and increase tempratures. There has also been information that suggests that shims also negatively effect CPU tempratures. Any shim made out of a material that conducts electricity has the posibility of moving across your bridges and shorting them out so you should obtain a non-conductive one if you decide to go this route, but imho if you take a little care you should not have a problem or require a shim

[SickBoy]

I concur with most of the above opinions.... I've mounted more than my fair share of socket A chips (4 athlons and 8 durons, not including swapping mine all the time) with at least 5 or 6 different heatsinks and I've never had a problem. I definitely think the risks of a shim are greater than the advantages. just get a good HSF unit, take your time, and be careful.

SickBoy

[ReTiCuLeX]

[OC]Wa11y is rite there is no use for a shim. I bought one about 1 month ago , placed it on my 1.2Ghz Athlon put my Global win WBK38 hsf on top started up my pc and the shim fried my chip. The core wasn't making good contact with the cpu and fried it. I had better luck not using a shim. I never broke a core or anything but I have nicked my 1.2 core a bit and it still worked at the time until I placed that nasty shim on.