Old PCs north bridge fan died--> now what? (MSI KT3-Ultra)

[WHATif]

The silver fan next to the CPU has stopped working. I think it has not been working for few days if not weeks.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/mainboards/kt333-sis745/msi-kt3ultra-aru.jpg

Everything works fine. It looks like the fan is busted and not the MOBO connector to the fan. I connected the fan directly to the PSU and it would not work. So I think it's just the fan.
Do I need to replace it or not worry about it? Where do I find the part to replace it? Are there generic ones I can buy? It's an old PC that I use for web surfing and as a backup PC.

My local shop has these options-

http://www.digitec.ch/Produktdateien/jpg528x398/114931_3.jpg
http://www.digitec.ch/Produktdateien/jpg528x398/112939.jpg
http://www.digitec.ch/Produktdateien/jpg528x398/116982.jpg

Will they work on my MOBO?
.

 

[WobbleWobble]

They'll all work. KT333s didn't run that hot, so you should just get a fanless northbridge cooler. Consider this.

 

[WHATif]

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
They'll all work. KT333s didn't run that hot, so you should just get a fanless northbridge cooler. Consider this.

Will the holes match up on my MOBO? Won't the yellow Zalman heatsink be better due to the variable screw hole cuts? This one I mean-
http://www.digitec.ch/Produktdateien/jpg528x398/112939.jpg
.
.

 

[Auric]

Can't see how tall the HS is. Personally I would not replace the fan or replace the whole thing with one that has a fan again but rather just remove the dead fan and leave it at that -especially if the HS is not really dinky and/or there is airflow provided by a CPU or system fan or such. Otherwise as said replace it with a large one.

My mobo's NB came with a fan but I immediately disconnected it and o'erclocked it significantly. I did actually buy a Zalman to replace it with shortly afterwards but never bothered as the Zalman CPU cooler does the job. My mobo is a "Pro" version and oddly the normal one -I suppose the "Amateur" version :roll:, in my mind had the better HS because it was a bit taller and sans fan. Anyhoo, the point to this ramble is that you may want to check if there are other similar versions (non "Ultra"?) which have the same or similar HS sans fan which would tell you that the fan is superfluous eye, nay, ear candy to appeal to those enthusiasts who equate fans to performance :disgust:

p.s. death to fans... oh wait, yours already died... be happy

 

[WHATif]

OK so I tried to take it all off. The fan was held by 2 screws and the fan part came off. The base part is held to the MOBO by 2 black springy things (it's not a screw). I tried to pull the silver base and it and it came off the MOBO 2-3mm but goes back down if I let go.
What kind of mechanism is that black thing? How do I get the silver fan base off? I used enough force but it would not come off. The black thing is holding it. I did not want to break anything so...
Look at the image-

http://www.xbitlabs.com/images/mainboards/kt333-sis745/msi-kt3ultra-aru.jpg

 

[Auric]

Generally they are plastic pins designed to go in like an arrow and not back out; to remove them intact requires pressing the two halves of each pin together from the underside (ergo remove mobo... I know... arrgh!). So depending upon what you are going to do replacement wise or not... it is easiest to leave it or perhaps you can cut and mangalate the pins enough without damaging the board to allow the underside bits to drop away and thus clear the holes for new pins.

Oh dear... is this the same? That sucka is barely even a suggestion of a HS... it's all fan. It reminds me of crappy ol' viddy card ones which likewise were better off with a slightly larger HS without any fan at all. Oh well, just be thankful you didn't get an Abit with el cheapo soldered ring fasteners which break off... although that does suggest another possiblity that you could use permanent adhesive in lieu of new pins.

For reference here's the equivalent to mine (which does fine disabled and not even removed) and then the larger fanless version which I would have preferred as per previous rant.

 

[WHATif]

Edit-Yes that is my MOBO in your link ;-P

 

[WHATif]

Cutting the black bits would be tricky as the space is very tight. I could just take the fan off and then glue the zalman heatsink to the silver base. The problem is that when I tried pulling the silver base off bits of thermal paste fell off. So I think the contact between the silver base and the chipset has few 3mm chunks missing now. Will the Zalman heatsink still be effective if it is in contact with the silver base but the silver base might not be 100% clean contact with the chipset?
Either I leave everything as it is and forget about it or I will have to take it all out.

If I take everything all out then I might as well put it back in a new larger case as this one is very tiny and crap. In the future I could throw all the internals and put new parts.

Btw I am currently building a dual opteron 285 system inside Tj07 My wife will be pissed off if I buy another case

EDIT- The zalman installation movie explains visually what you said about the arrow going in
http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.asp?idx=180&code=014

 

[dawza]

If contact between the fan housing/silver base and the actual chipset is compromised, you really need to address that issue first, as heat transfer between the chipset and silver base will be the limiting factor, not heat transfer the silver base to any additional heatsink you put on said silver base.

Unfortunately, it seems that you will have to remove the mobo, squeeze the push-pins out (or, if you are very careful, clip them off with fine wire cutters or nail clippers), clean the chipset, apply new thermal interface material, and mount a new heatsink.

The Zalman ZB-32 you have listed will work fine, and installation is not difficult. The most troublesome part of installation is getting the pushpins into the mobo mounting holes- the process is not as smooth or as easy as Zalman's movie makes it out to be. Just be careful not to exert too much pressure on a particular edge of the chipset, to avoid cracking or otherwise damaging the core.

If you want a peel-and-stick solution, this product might even work:

Link

Since your chipset does not get too hot, and you are not using the system for anything intensive, the above product may serve you just fine.

 

[WHATif]

Thanks everyone. I will take the MOBO out tomorrow :-( Grrr!

 

[WobbleWobble]

Originally posted by: WHATif

Originally posted by: WobbleWobble
They'll all work. KT333s didn't run that hot, so you should just get a fanless northbridge cooler. Consider this.

Will the holes match up on my MOBO? Won't the yellow Zalman heatsink be better due to the variable screw hole cuts? This one I mean-
http://www.digitec.ch/Produktdateien/jpg528x398/112939.jpg
.
.

The blue Zalman has adjustable screw holes. But either one will work since it's only a KT333.

 

[Operandi]

The Zalman ZM-NB32J comes with thermal adhesive (as well as the push pin style mounting hardware) so you don't have to worry about matching up mounting holes.

 

[WHATif]

It's 2am here in Europe. I could not sleep as I was thinking about the PC. So it's all done. Took out the MOBO and got rid off the North bridge heatsink and the busted fan. Tomorrow morning I will go and buy the Zalmna heatsink for $5-6 and put it on. I also cleaned the thermal paste on the chipset and made it brand spanking new. While I was at it I cleaned the video card heatsink + fan assembly which was stuffed with dust.
I put everything back properly other wise I would not be typing this post Was a good dry run for assembling my Opteron 285 systsm Now only if the CPU would get delivered :geek: