Lapping cpu core??

[Bobby Manus]

I know people say it improves perfomance and all that, but I am kind of against the idea of taking sand paper to my 160$ processor... Is there a special technique to doing this rather then a regular heatsink? Should I start with higher grit becuase it is more delacte? Also I heard you should clean it after with rubing alchohol becuase the flakes will stop cooling. Am I missing anything, becuase I am actually considering this madness for some lower temps ;)

[Thelemac]

Hm...I'm probably not the best person to answer this...

I'd go with a fairly fine grit sandpaper...and then I'd realize that I only need to lap the core if I used a different thermal grease and was going to change, and then still only if I don't have some acetone and a lintless fine rag.

Cores are already flat. The printing on them isn't, but that isn't really anything to worry about (in my opinion).

[Colin]

I have done it with success using 2000 grit and checking the progress every 15 or 20 seconds with a 20 power loop. I only went far enough to remove the etching. If you see copper, you loose. Not recommended for the faint at heart or those who cannot easily afford a new CPU. FWIW, I have not lapped the last for Birds I have purchased.

[Bobby Manus]

Thanks for the input guys, what I will probably do is just while im lapping my heatsink I will lap the core with the finest grit i have (at least 1600) for about 30 secs and thats it. Then I will go over it with some rubing alcohol to remove any flakes.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

You have to be careful - if you sand the core down too far you'll stop sanding the metal plate on top and start sanding silicon. :eek:

[Bobby Manus]

Isnt there a gel on top of the core? That clear gel the looks like it is holding plate to the silicon? I was planing on just taking some of that away... Or is that gel only on the sides? Should I go threw the gel or no?

[cjtune]

Originally posted by Crazy Jayhawk
You have to be careful - if you sand the core down too far you'll stop sanding the metal plate on top and start sanding silicon. :eek:

Even if you don't the core will be so weakened that it might get crushed by the HSF clips' force. Unless the core is noticibly malformed, lapping it is risky.

[maha_x]

You could dig around if you can find any specs sheets for the core and see how thick the top really is. So youd have some picture how much to lap. And after lapping a shim might be handy to protect the core...

[phiber]

Originally posted by maha_x
You could dig around if you can find any specs sheets for the core and see how thick the top really is. So youd have some picture how much to lap. And after lapping a shim might be handy to protect the core...
but after you lap the core the shim wont work anymore because the core will be lower than the shim is therefore meaning a burnt chip

[Colin]

Real men that lap don't use shims. ;)

Bobby - I think you will find it will take several minutes of careful sanding. 30 seconds will just void your warrantee. Seriously consider leaving the CPU alone.

As for lapping weakening the core, I don't see how and the CPUs I lapped never chipped.

[Bobby Manus]

Yea I am going to leave it alone if temps are a problem then I might look into it... but hopefully I wont even have to mess with it :D

[OpenFriday]

I think youve made the correct choice Bobby, i remember Slake got the idea in his head to lap his celeron, well needless to say he had to go shopping for a new chip. I think Slakes problem was that he used 600 or 800 grit? I dont remember but im sure he wont do that again.