Mounting fans w/o retention bracket?

Question. When I received my new 3.0C, the stock HSF exploded--literally. I picked up an Aerocool HT101--the best thing I could get in town--and it required that I take off the retention bracket. The problem is that I didn't seem to realize that it was just held on by plastic screws and could be slid out, and I basically destroyed the thing.

So, unfortunately, this Ht101 sucks. I have the most beautiful line of fans bringing air into the HSF w/ an 80mm, out the otherside w/ an 80mm, and then out of the case through internal PSU fan. These things are literally crammed together. But my temperatures are still sad!

I've been considering replacing this thing, but I'm trying to figure out what to replace it with. I know there are several nice copper HSFs that require removal of the retention bracket, but I was curious if there was a way I could easily mount an XP-90.

Any suggestions?

A quick search brought up this: http://www.xtwerkz.com/478retention.htm

Would this help?

What are your temps anyway?

That's a perfect solution. I never even though about just... buying a new retention bracket.

At load, my temps are ~52-53 @ 1.6v. At 1.65v, which I know is pushing it a little, I can nearly double my overclock... but my temps are waaaay too close to thermal throttling for me to feel safe about it.

I'm working on bringing down my idle temps... I punched an 80mm exhaust out the other day and that put a lot of my temperature creep in check, and I'm hoping putting a silencer on my 6800 this week will help with the exhaust action as well... but I really think a lot of it is suffering from the poor performance of the HT101.

the xp-90 requires the stock retention mechanism that came on the board.
unless you get a new retention thingy you cant use the new thermalrights (xp-90,xp-120)
i am not sure about the si series about to come out though.
maybe they will mount through the board.
or you can try to find a sp-94.
that thing rocks and it mounts through the board.
with a denent fan you will excede the ht101.

~Magick_Man~

edit: dang i pressed "new reply" like 30 minutes ago before anybody responded and it just now decided to post it.
and i wanted to be first

Voodoo Rufus said:

A quick search brought up this: http://www.xtwerkz.com/478retention.htm

Would this help?

What are your temps anyway?

Click to expand...

I bought one of those for my xp-90 and it works like a charm. Must sturdier than the stock one.