To make a Aplha 8045 HSF fit an Epox 8k9a...

[HiProfile]

I just got an Epox 8K9A with a 1700+ XP TB-b and I was planning to use the *free* Alpha HSF I got till I can water-cool it. The only problem is that 2 of the capacitors are in the way - the Alpha has cut-outs for them, but the caps are just a tad too tall (<3/16").

I was wondering if anyone has ever had to relocate a cap or two to get a HSF to fit. I'm probably going to do this, but I want to know if anything could wrong by laying them on thier side and putting wires between the leads and the holes they were in. I can't use the board right now, since I have no DDR ram atm [hopefully I will by tomorrow]. I'm planning on using the 1.2ghz Duron I also got for *free* as the test cpu. Better to chip that core than an XP.

 

[muddocktor]

Why don't you just take the old Dremel tool and mod the Alpha instead of messing with your board? That is what I did to fit my Alpah on a Shuttle AK31 board, no problems.

 

[HiProfile]

Well, that much metal taken from the Alpha would mean a few pins would be w/o a base. I already resoldered the caps in lay-down configuration and everything fits fine. Another reason I like this: my old socket 7 board had 1 big cap right next to the cpu. Every time I removed the HS, I always invariably hit the cap...harder than it should be (just how things were set up...don't ask). The lead nearest the CPU which pulled up from the board seemed to telescope...a wire in a wire job, I can't explain. I'm not usually lucky twice.

To make a long story short, I'll most likely knock one of them loose with that ginormous Alpha anyways. Its already drawn blood, so I'm trying to cut my losses (no pun intended). When I get my waterblock mounted in the future, I'll resolder the caps like they were. I can always resolder, but I can't replace metal on a block aluminum.