Recommended high-qual CPU coolers that don't require mobo removal?

[Huzer]

Summary: I'd like to get recommendations from you folks for a high-quality, high-performance Socket 775 CPU cooling system that I can install on an older system without having to remove the motherboard to do it.

Details: One of my Intel Socket 775 CPUs in an older system is running much too hot; so hot that the BIOS shuts off the system less than 5 minutes after booting up cold from overnight at 62 F. As soon as I boot and enter the BIOS hardware monitoring section, it reports the mobo temp to be 62F but the CPU is reportedly already at 160F and rising fast. It's an Intel Dual Core with the stock cooling fan that I installed four years ago using Artic Silver thermal paste, and I haven't touched it since.

I'm not a gamer and I don't OC the system because I've found to my considerable annoyance that XP Pro crashes too frequently when I try even a few percent. I do a fair amount of video rendering on this system (when it works).

I've already air-cleaned the fins on the stock Intel CPU cooler and although I have no reason to believe I ever bumped it hard enough to dislodge it, obviously something is bad wrong, so I decided that since I'll have to remove the fan anyway to try to determine and correct the problem, I'll buy a better-performing CPU cooling system and apply new paste.

I've read more reviews of top-rated products than I can count, but all of them I've seen require the removal of the mobo from the case in order to install a bracket behind the mobo to support the cooler, and there's no way in hell I'm willing to do that without exhausting every alternative first! Can anyone recommend a great cooler that doesn't require this? I'm okay with a loud system if that's unavoidable. I'd prefer to spend less than $60 USD, but that's not a hard limit.

System Details:

Mobo: Asus P5WDG2 WS Professional

CPU: Intel E6850 - Dual Core 3.0 GHz Socket 775

RAM: Corsair 4GB

PSU: Antec Quattro 850 watts

Disk HBAs: 1 PCI-X SCSI-320 HBA & 1 PCI-X SATA RAID HBA (@100MHz)

Disks: 2 SCSI-320 (RAID 0), 6 SATA 2.0 (2 in RAID 0)

Case: Antec P-160 full tower

Case Fans: 2 Antec 120mm at max speed (1 front, 1 rear), 1 Antec Cyclone single-slot exhaust fan, 1 Antec Spot Cool at max speed directed primarily over Southbridge.
NOTE also that I leave the case open at the side because I need to have SATA cables run from the mobo or SATA RAID HBA to several standard "internal" SATA drives that cannot be mounted inside the case.

OS: Windows XP Pro / SP3

Anyone?

 

[Psykoikonov]

The Scythe YASYA comes to mind. It will easily keep that CPU under control, your right about most requiring motherboard removal for install and this mounts without removal.

 

[m0r7if3r]

Because of how mounting pressure works to lower temps, you won't find a FANTASTIC hsf that doesn't have a bolt-through mounting system...personally I prefer bolt-through to those stupid intel pins cause it's just easier to do, even if it does require pulling the board

 

[bing]

Because of how mounting pressure works to lower temps, you won't find a FANTASTIC hsf that doesn't have a bolt-through mounting system...personally I prefer bolt-through to those stupid intel pins cause it's just easier to do, even if it does require pulling the board

+1

Really, have you ever take a glance at your mobo when using that crappy push pins ?

The 'only' reason I hate push pins is to see my mobo bowed like this when using that stupid mechanism, even this is totally safe as Intel's specification.

 

[muddocktor]

Plus, once you have the backplate in place, you don't have to remove the mobo again when you have to pull the heatsink off for cleaning/whatever. You install it one time with the backplate in place, then it stays there on subsequent heatsink removals. Like the others, I much prefer a heatsink with a backplate for installation because it distributes the tension the heatsink puts on the mobo over a much larger area than the 4 point sources of the pushpin type mounting system.

 

[Huzer]

The Scythe YASYA comes to mind. It will easily keep that CPU under control, your right about most requiring motherboard removal for install and this mounts without removal.

Huge thanks, Psykoikonov!

I'm extremely impressed that you were both aware of that product -and- that you were able to retrieve it from your memory! I'll probably go that way.

 

[Huzer]

Because of how mounting pressure works to lower temps, you won't find a FANTASTIC hsf that doesn't have a bolt-through mounting system...personally I prefer bolt-through to those stupid intel pins cause it's just easier to do, even if it does require pulling the board

+1

Really, have you ever take a glance at your mobo when using that crappy push pins ?

The 'only' reason I hate push pins is to see my mobo bowed like this when using that stupid mechanism, even this is totally safe as Intel's specification.

Plus, once you have the backplate in place, you don't have to remove the mobo again when you have to pull the heatsink off for cleaning/whatever. You install it one time with the backplate in place, then it stays there on subsequent heatsink removals. Like the others, I much prefer a heatsink with a backplate for installation because it distributes the tension the heatsink puts on the mobo over a much larger area than the 4 point sources of the pushpin type mounting system.

Thanks, folks! What you all say makes excellent sense, no question about it. But for the record, I'd already understood the benefits of using that kind of HSF, but I still strongly want to know of alternatives that don't require me to remove the mobo. Then I will make the final decision as to which style to use. With genuine respect, adding more comments about the benefits of the backplate approach is not helpful...

So I now revise my OP and ask again: Can anyone else recommend a high-quality cooler -- even if not as good as a backplate design -- that doesn't require removing the motherboard?


Thanks!

 

[Conumdrum]

Nope. Even with a pushpin cooler I recommend removing the mobo to get it right. Seen many mistakes easily fixed once it was done with the mobo out. Sorry.

 

[johan851]

Nope. Even with a pushpin cooler I recommend removing the mobo to get it right. Seen many mistakes easily fixed once it was done with the mobo out. Sorry.

Yeah, I've seen that too. One pin not sticking through all the way, and it partially pops off later. Yuck.

In response to the OP's big green message, then, I would say there are no high quality CPU coolers that don't require mobo removal because you're not going to get a high quality mount if you don't pull the mobo.

Is there some specific case here that we're not aware of? A really good reason that the mobo has to stay in the case? That might help us answer your question.

 

[Psykoikonov]

In response to the OP's big green message, then, I would say there are no high quality CPU coolers that don't require mobo removal because you're not going to get a high quality mount if you don't pull the mobo.

While this maybe true of newer Intel Sockets (refering to push pin design), it is not true of any others IMO. The stock method for AMD and older methods of Intel allowed a solid mount without removal of the motherboard. I'm saying this because the Scythe Yasya (and many others) is a quality cooler, probably the best for standard mounts.

 

[m0r7if3r]

AMD's mounting system is COMPLETELY different, it doesn't need to be brought into the discussion. Pushpins will do an OK job of holdin the cooler onto the socket, they do an awful job of applying pressure...so thermal performance sucks.

 

[Psykoikonov]

AMD's mounting system is COMPLETELY different, it doesn't need to be brought into the discussion.

I brought into the discussion because it was mentioned that there are no quality coolers that don't require motherboard removal, it's a technicality I realize but this is only true of Intel's new mounting system. The cooler I refered to would work quite well on an AMD so that's not the case.

Pushpins will do an OK job of holdin the cooler onto the socket, they do an awful job of applying pressure...so thermal performance sucks.

This is true, if your trying to overclock a quad for example. A stock dual core (even a mild overclock) with a decent cooler and a stock mounting system will work well. I'm an AMD fanboy and Intel did have a recall on Sandy Bridge but they didn't have one on their CPU mounting system.

 

[deadlysyn]

Just a fair warning, it is nearly impossible to mount a cooler with a push pin mounting system properly without pulling the mobo. It can be done, but there is also the risk of hairline cracks across traces on the mobo as well. I have also heard horror stories of people breaking their board by trying to push the pins in. That is the reason that so many of us are recommending the backplate coolers.

 

[Psykoikonov]

Just a fair warning, it is nearly impossible to mount a cooler with a push pin mounting system properly without pulling the mobo. It can be done, but there is also the risk of hairline cracks across traces on the mobo as well. I have also heard horror stories of people breaking their board by trying to push the pins in. That is the reason that so many of us are recommending the backplate coolers.

Having never mounted an Intel CPU, I didn't realize such an issue existed. Perhaps it best the motherboard be unmounted .