Installing a new fans... Help?

[gogloss]

I am installing new CPU fans in my dual Athlon MP/Tyan tiger PC... and I am new to the process - I've installed cheapo fans on my old pentium 2 - but upon openning my case - the Athlons seem to work differently.

My reasons for installing the new fans are excessive noise - one of the cpu fans that came bundled with the AMDs is alittle off kilter and very whiney. I am looking at Pabst fans for the CPU's and Panaflos for the case (the case fans seem relatively simple to install).

So my questions are:

-How badly can I screw up installing a fan? It is very easy to kill a CPU?

-Do power connections differ greatly among fans? Or is everything Standardized.

-Do I need to worry about replacing the heatsink? If I do have to replace the HS, do I need to worry about some kind of thermal compund?

-Is there anything else I need to know about fan installation?

Thanks alot,

Laurence

 

[adamfelker]

Here are my answers to your questions:

1: As long as you get the fan on secure and blowing in the right direction, you shouldn't have any problems.
2: There are two main types of power connectors: 4-pin, which get plugged directly to the leads from your power supply, and 3-pin, which can be plugged in to a header on your motherboard (some have more headers than others) or which can be attached to a power supply lead using an adapter. The Panaflo fans you mention usually come untailed, meaning they have no real connector, so you would need to buy a tail. (try PCMods for these).
3: If your temperatures are alright, meaning if your system is stable, with the new fans, you shouldn't worry about replacing the heatsinks. If you do, you do indeed need a thermal compound. Most people recommend Arctic Silver III.
4: Other random things: Make sure the fans are blowing in the right direction. They blow air in the direction of the fan label. Also, make sure you have fan grills to protect your cables and fingers.