Installing a cooler for your CPU is necessary, regardless of whether it’s an entry-level chip or the greatest CPU on the market. If you fail to do so, or if you install it incorrectly, your computer will overheat and shut down before you can even get into the operating system. We’ll walk you through how to tighten to install a CPU cooler in this guide.
How tight should I make the CPU cooler?
Tighten the screws until they’re firmly in place. You don’t want to over-tighten them to the point where they cause damage. It should be fine as long as the heat sink does not move when yanked.
Heat spreaders are used on modern CPUs. The HS surface must be in uniform contact with the spreader surface in order to benefit from the heat spreader. The pressure centre will be offset and the cooling characteristics of the HS will be altered if one screw is tightened more than the rest.
The earlier recommendation of tightening the screws in a diagonal order is sound, however equal torque must be applied with considerable caution. Torque screwdrivers for small jobs are reasonably priced. Harbor Freight is a great option.
What is the best way to tighten a CPU block?
Simply place the block on top of the CPU. Check to see if it’s sitting flat. Install all four caps and begin tightening them in a cross pattern. Only make one turn at a time.
What is the ideal tightness for a CPU water block?
Never tighten anything more than a finger’s width, it will cause difficulties. Around 2010, EVGA’s X58 range boards had the same issue with CPU socket screws. Tightening the screws too tightly causes the board to distort, which can lead to hairline cracks.
Is it better to push or pull air from the CPU cooler?
Push is the preferred option for a single fan unless memory interference is an issue, in which case placing it to the rear of the heatsink is also acceptable.
How to install the CPU cooler?
Using retention clips to install a CPU cooler:
- Check to see if the CPU is placed properly in the socket. Check to see if the CPU is placed properly in the socket.
- In terms of thermal grease –
- Make sure the lid on top of the CPU and the bottom plate are clean and free of any old thermal grease before reinstalling the CPU cooler. This can be done with ISO propyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth.
- If you’re installing a new CPU cooler, it might already have thermal grease on it. In this case, you don’t need to use thermal grease on the CPU lid.
3. For best coverage, apply a little bead of high-quality thermal grease across the CPU in an X pattern. This article’s Thermal Grease section includes a selection of high-quality thermal grease.
- Align the retention clips on each side of the heatsink with the retention frame on the motherboard’s retention frame before installing the CPU cooler on the processor.
- Hook both retention clips into the socket mounting lugs by pressing down on them one by one. Force might be required.
- Adjust the cam lever position to secure the CPU cooler to the retention frame.
- Connect the fan power line of the CPU cooler to the CPU fan header on the motherboard. In your motherboard’s user manual, the location of the CPU fan header is indicated.
- If your CPU cooler has RGB LEDs, connect the supplied RGB cable to the RGB header on your motherboard. Your motherboard’s user manual will tell you where the RGB header is located.
How to Repair a CPU Cooler That Won’t Screw-in?
Installing a screw in the cooler and connecting it to the motherboard is not as difficult as it may appear. The problem is caused by another component, not only the screw or the cooler.
- Nowadays, every CPU cooler includes screws. However, some manufacturers make rare errors, such as delivering incorrect or unsuitable screws.
- If your cooler is fairly standard, there is a standard screw size that you can use. On a normal cooler, the screw holes are usually around 5 mm in diameter.
- If you’re using a unique cooler that isn’t readily available, you’ll have to look up the sizes on the manufacturer’s website. If that doesn’t work, you can contact their customer service department.
Let’s have a look at how we can fix this now:
- Verify that the screws are compatible
When this type of situation emerges, the first thing you should do is check if the screws aren’t the root of the problem before proceeding. Using the appropriate tools from any regular hardware shop, you could do the diameter and screw measurements.
However, you can utilize Wonder bolt, a smartphone app that is much easier and free, for your personal convenience. To determine the diameter of screws and bolts, measure the distance between the outer threads on one side and the outer threads on the opposite side.
2. Check the Back plate of the CPU
If you can’t find anything wrong with the screws you’re using, it’s important to double-check that the back plate isn’t positioned incorrectly. The majority of consumers discovered that their back plate had slipped off or was improperly positioned while screwing in the cooler.
3. Press Down Harder
Another thing to keep in mind is that if you discover your back plate isn’t positioned correctly, you’ll need to screw in the cooler with more force. It may appear to be a bit of a gamble, but believe me when I say that it will pay off.
What Is The Best Way To Install Spring Screws On A CPU Cooler?
- To install spring screws on a CPU cooler, manually position the cooler such that all four spring screws on the heatsink properly line with the back plate’s four screw holes.
- After you’ve completed all of that, gently place the heatsink on the CPU.
- To proceed to the following step, take your screwdriver and slowly turn each spring screw a half-turn clockwise.
- To perform the opposite, such as removing the spring screws, gently press down on the heat sink’s top. This is primarily to alleviate the pressure exerted by the captive spring-loaded screws that secure the heatsink to the motherboard.
- Simply release both spring-loaded mounting screws with a number two Phillips screwdriver.
Hey, I’m Hammad. I write for this website to help you with the IT advice about PC, RAM, CPU, Motherboard, PSU, and other PC components.
I will provide detailed guides with images, and explain step by step so you can understand the process. Check all my articles here.
