SOLVED CPU Installation: Thermal Paste recommendations? Cooler?

[Bay Blues]

OK Buddy , Here we are in February, and so far on this build:

1.) I have installed an SSD and installed 8 Gb of Ram. (all from Crucial, because they have a good rep. and I didn't read any horror stories like I did with some other manufactures)

2.) I also installed a Delta 1010 LT from M-Audio To use with my recording software, I took your advise and got it instead of a firewire setup. This poped right into a PCI slot and I loaded in the drivers. That was the cheapest way to go. It has two mic pre amps and MIDI channels in and out built in 10 in and 10 out hooked up to a little mixing board , plus it works in conjunction with my audio board and Win stuff.

My processor won't handle the heavy lifting so:


I studied up and found the out which processors would work with my Motherboard, I have ordered:
this new Intel "Intel Core 2 Quad Processor Q9550 2.83GHz 1333MHz 12 MB LGA775 EM64T CPU BX80569Q9550 ordered.

My questions are about the pitfalls I should be paying attention to when I put it in

Thermal Paste? What kind and Should I put in an after market cooler on it? I read about using a water cooled set up; Then there is this air cooled set up.

I see this Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 120 mm Sleeve CPU
cooler, RRB10-212P-G1

http://www.amazon.com/Cooler-Master-Hyper-Sleeve-RR-B10-212P-G1/dp/B002G1YPH0/ref=pd_sim_pc_1

I have my Win 7 all loaded on the SSD all seems to be working fine. I really am impressed with how fast I can use my computer from the time I push the start button, less than a minute, and shutting it down. I have gone through all of the suggestions to make the drive work good and stay working good.

So If you could point me in the right direction on the installation of the processor and what I should do once installed and how to keep cool calm and collected, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[clifford_cooley]

I've had good luck with "Arctic Silver 5". Place a small drop of compound (BB size) in the center of the CPU and let the pressure of the CPU cooler spread the compound.

Unless you are getting an OEM CPU, it should be coming with a CPU cooler. The original CPU cooler should be fine unless you plan to over-clock.

 

[Nibiru2012]

The cooler you've chosen will work great for your purposes. As Digerati, a member here, likes to point out though that using a 3rd-party cooler voids the warranty on the Intel CPU. The problem with the cooler supplied by Intel is that they use a paraffin-based thermal compound. Don't worry though, thousands of users have used aftermarket coolers with no problems at all.

Regarding thermal compounds; as Cliff stated, AS5 is an excellent TIM (thermal interface material) however it does require up to 200 hours of 'break-in time' for it to be fully effective. The Shin-EtsuG751 Thermal Interface Material is a superior product in the fact that it does not require a 'break-in' period and is rated the top TIM product by BenchmarkReviews.com. Also they have a good review of the others and the correct applications methods are tested and reviewed.

http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=150&Itemid=62

 

[Bay Blues]

Processor installation

Howdy folks,

thank you for the interest first of all.

I was really stoked about getting a hot processor last night after ordering it, about $315.00 w/shipping, from Price Pros on Amazon, http://www.amazon.com/shops/A1729W3053T57N/ref=aag_d_sh

This afternoon I get a couple of messages that my order was canceled , OUT OF STOCK,

The bad part about this is there is still a hold on MY MONEY and maybe I won't be able to get to it for ???? Last time this happened it was almost TWO WEEKS before I could get to use MY MONEY .

I checked and it seems that I am not the only one that this has happened to.

I should have checked in the first place to see if there was any negative stuff posted about them. I think it is important for others to shed light on stuff like this,

If it wasn't for reviews I would have bought the wrong SSD (some of them are prone to crashing after so many hours) or a KODAK printer (wanted cheaper ink).

So here I am waiting for MY MONEY to be cleared.

I wrote them and ask them to buy the processor from ANT (another supplier on Amazon with good reviews and 17 of these processors in stock for about the same price) and send it to me and

DEMANDED THAT THEY TAKE DOWN THE AD FOR THE PROCESSOR .

Here is the link for the processors from ANT if anyone is interested.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=me=A2YLYLTN75J8LR&field-keywords=intel+processors

Thank You again for your interest,

I will check into your suggestions and then repost,

It is so nice to have you all as a resource to draw on and I am glad to have joined your ranks.

Bay Blues

 

[Bay Blues]

OK Friends, with the help of you all on the forum here I have accomplished my goals:

1. Install a SSD hard drive, Crucial 120 Gb
2. Install Win7 Pro. Upgrade
3. Install More memory, Crucial 2 X 4= 8 Gb Ram
4. Install Top of the line processor, Intel core 2 Quad Q 9450 2.66 GHz 12MB L2
Cache 1333 MGZ FSB 64 bit architecture , virtual machine,
5. Install a bigger cooler for the processor, Pc Cooler 120mm Performa Silenx
18 dba. I read about the thermal paste and about the test results and advise
from the author on the mating of the two surfaces, I filed of the base of the
cooler to make it flatter.

6. Install in a PCI slot, AD/DA M-Audio Delta 1010 LT, 10 in 10 out , MIDI connect-
-tions and two Mic preamps, works with my recording software
7. Install Pro-Tools 10 , not 64 bit yet but very soon and I will be able to use all
8 Gb of Ram
8. Install in PCI Slot, Fire Wire Card

There were time that I was a little scared and my hands were shaking when I
held that $300.00 processor between my fingers and prayed I would install it
right , get everything lined up. And then I realized I had to pull out the Motherboard
in order to install a backing plate for the new cooler that I got for the processor, gulp , I took pictures and put on my visor for magnification because some of the
connections are really small, I'm used to wiring houses and signs, computer signs too. Well I'm using it right now so I got it all back together ; ) .

Thank You again Gentlemen, I've attached a picture of my machine.

Bay Blues

 

[Nibiru2012]

I filed of the base of the cooler to make it flatter.

I hope you truly did not use a file, but instead did a process called "lapping" the heatsink. Using a metal file WILL NOT give you a flat heatsink base at all.

That is a process where you get several grades of wet/dry sandpaper or emery cloth and progressively smooth the base of the heatsink until it's perfectly flat and has a near mirror-finish. I have used a pack of wet/dry from the auto parts store and went from 220 grit to 320 grit to 400, then 600 and finally 800 grit. It was a multi-grit pack for about $6.00

 

[Bay Blues]

Well I did use a file, a jewelers file/machinist, the finish seemed to be better than it came out of the package.

I may pull it out and bring it down like you said and use as fine as I can get in the end, I believe it is the red emery. You sound horrified ; ) .

 

[Nibiru2012]

Here's one of several tutorials on the subject of lapping a CPU heatsink: [FONT=arial, helvetica]Heat Sink Lapping - An Installation Guide

Doing it as shown on the above link is the only way to do it. You have to do the entire CPU heatsink base at once, so that the entire base becomes truly flat and polished.
[/FONT]

 

[Digerati]

You sound horrified ; )

I am. It is highly unlikely any human could produce a surface as level flat by hand (or with a hand-held tool) as a computer controlled machine designed to create perfectly flat surfaces - especially with a file. I think using a file was a big mistake. I think attempting to improve what engineers and precision machines made was a big mistake and my recommendation is to toss that heat sink, buy another and leave it alone.

It is important to note the best heat transfer occurs with direct metal-to-metal contact between the two mating surfaces. Even the best TIM is not as good as direct metal-to-metal contact. Therefore "professional" lapping requires you "lap" both the heatsink and the CPU die mating surfaces, not just one or the other. And I don't advise that because (1) it surely will void the CPU warranty, (2) you risk nearly microscopic metal filings getting everywhere, and (3) you risk damage from ESD and other physical abuse.

TIM is ONLY needed to fill the microscopic pits and valleys in the mating surfaces. Any more is in the way and counterproductive to the heat transfer process.

Proper cooling means you need to have your temps in a normal operating range. It does not mean you need to get temps as cool a possible. That is done only for bragging rights. If in the proper range, a degree or two here or there will make absolutely no difference in performance or life expectancy of the device.

The problem with the cooler supplied by Intel is that they use a paraffin-based thermal compound.

All of those pads, whether from Intel or AMD, are paraffin based. And technically, there is nothing wrong with that as the paraffin is extremely "pure" and fine and the vast majority of the actual paraffin melts and evaporates away after the CPU heats up for the first time, leaving just the TIM behind. The process works and the facts are, many 100s of millions of CPUs use those pads every day with no problems.

BUT, any time you remove a heat sink, you need to replace the cured TIM. I too like AC5.

 

[Bay Blues]

I agree with you when you say a machine can do a better job than a hand job, But you see it seems that everyone is worried about the finish and bringing it down to a finer finish than the "Machine Left". I made sure to clean the metal filings, and when I filed it was with a very fine file and I would file from 1 corner counting 10 strokes, change to the next corner and so on.

I did this with 320 grit and 600 grit on a flat piece of wood also, I cleaned surfaces with alcohol swabs.

This technique works with Silver Soldering, which will not fill.

I think it would be foolish to try to work on the processor, my opinion, you might have the money to play around with your processor.

And if it is so foolish to try to improve on the finish left by the Manufactures Machines, why then is there so much hype?

I understand your concern about the metal filings contaminating and possibly shorting out something but I have considered it and hopefully there will be no problems.

I have attached a shot of my Temps.

When I was first putting this in my thoughts were "Why should a person have to go through all these changes to install a cooler, these things should have been taken care of by the manufacturer"

Well the sink was flat to begin with as you pointed out and what I did was take it down evenly all the way around so I really didn't change the flatness just the finish, and I don't think there was any change in temp. Maybe my ego felt a little bigger until you popped it with your down to earth assessment, which I agree with.

 

[Digerati]

I filed it was with a very fine file and I would file from 1 corner counting 10 strokes, change to the next corner and so on.

Picturing that in my mind, that seems like a good way to make the surface curved like ball. For a professional lapping, the "milling" or lapping surface should be perfectly flat, like a table. And the heatsink or CPU device should be moved in circles on this "table". I note as far as hand-tools, you use a file to reshape and remove imperfections. You use a plane to make surfaces level and flat.

Well the sink was flat to begin with as you pointed out and what I did was take it down evenly all the way around so I really didn't change the flatness just the finish, and I don't think there was any change in temp. Maybe my ego felt a little bigger until you popped it with your down to earth assessment, which I agree with.

Well, I did not mean to pop your ego but we do have to be realistic. We are talking microscopic differences - differences NO WAY any human eye, or hand held tool can detect, or correct for - microscopic differences TIM is purposefully designed to correct.

When I was first putting this in my thoughts were "Why should a person have to go through all these changes to install a cooler, these things should have been taken care of by the manufacturer"

Your first instincts were correct. You don't have to go through those changes because the manufacturers did take care of it.

Your screen shot looks good, but of course with no before shot, we don't know if things are better, or worse.

 

[Nibiru2012]

The way to do heatsink lapping is to use a piece of flat window glass, which is what I did. I got my heatsink base to a near-mirror finish. When I started, I noticed the heatsink base's surface was not flat as the edges were being smoothed off first prior to rest of the base. Using a piece of wood is not recommended since nearly all wood may potentially have a slight cupped surface. Glass makes a much better surface to do the gradual lapping process on.

It took nearly two hours to do the entire process moving through 4 grades of wet/dry sandpaper.

Not ALL heatsink makers do a good, thorough job of finishing the base to a perfectly smooth flat finish. I also had a metal straight edge which verified the not-so-flat finish of the original base.

 

[Digerati]

Not ALL heatsink makers do a good, thorough job of finishing the base to a perfectly smooth flat finish.

No doubt. But it is safe to assume the OEM heatsinks provided by Intel and AMD are flat, as well as the heatsinks provided by the better aftermarket cooler makers. If you buy a $20 HSF assembly expecting it to cool better than the OEM cooler, you may very well need to lap, and replace the fan too to equal the performance of the OEM cooler.

And to that, if you can tell with a straightedge a heatsink is not flat, my advice would be to return it and get your money back because it is defective. There is no need to ever lap a heatsink and CPU, except for bragging rights. But understand if your temp is 40°C and you manage to get 37°C after lapping, you will not see better performance or longer CPU life for all your efforts. There's nothing wrong with that if you are doing it for fun or as an enthusiast trying to eke out every last fraction of a degree of cooling. But as I noted above, to do it properly, you lap both mating surfaces, not just one.

And by the way, professional lapping, as done by a professional "machinist" in a "machine shop" using professional tools would not rely on eyeballs or a simple ruler/straightedge. They have PME (precision measuring equipment) costing $1000s that ensures something is precisely flat with no Devil's Towers, Grand Canyons or bottomless pits - microscopically speaking. And it is important to note that "microscopic" imperfections is what we are dealing with here. Microscopic - by definition is something you cannot see with the naked eye.

With professional lapping done properly, you don't need thermal interface material (TIM) (in theory) because you have already maximized surface-to-surface contact. I say "in theory" because lapping deals with microscopic ridges and peaks - not holes caused by the inevitable impurities in the raw copper or aluminum that may trap insulating air.

20 - 30 years ago when there was no such thing as today's high-tech TIM and everyone used plain ol' "silicone grease", lapping was a viable course of action. Today, it is really just a fad, like racing stripes on a car or fancy LEDs on a case - things that do nothing for performance.

 

[Bay Blues]

Thank You for clarifying many points of contention in my mind, and you are right I should pay attention to my gut instincts.

I dive in and get stuff done, that is how I have been all my life and sometimes I have learned some tough lessons but I Learn.

Since writing yesterday, right after I posted, I received a replacement hard drive for the hard drive I knocked on the floor. (posted awhile back) Let me rehash.
4 or 5 years ago I bought a Glyph hard drive, usb fire-wire, with a digital interface called an M-Box. Top of the line that worked with Pro-Tools recording soft ware and I knocked it off the desk a last month or so. I took it apart and found that it was a Hitachi 120 GB drive, I looked on the net and found a good used one on e-bay guaranteed not to be DOA; And it was 180 GB
as a bonus.

Well I tried it out and the computer wouldn't see it and my i-omega 1.5 Tb stopped working. Then I got a locked up screen so I forced quit and I got a black screen no pointer just the fan running.

I pulled out my old computer and put in an emergency drive got it working good and Scanned it with my Panda Internet security making sure it was clean, and then cloned it to a larger drive, something I have been meaning to do for my backup computer, reinstalled it in said bk up computer and have spent the morning researching my problem on the net. and have found that:

1) I might need to clean my ram with anti static cloth reinstall and/or
try installing other ram, which I have.
2) I might have a bent pin or a shorted out usb port
3) I might have dislodged the CPU
4) I might have upset the OP turning it off and on at the wrong time or too
many times in a short period, the article said fix the Master boot
record, And that I could do this from the Win/installation disc.
and other repair options.

This is my tale of WOE, and can't blame anyone but myself, thank you for setting me straight, I was to dang timid about questioning such actions and just jumped right in.

I'm not used to working on such delicate stuff, when I build an engine I am super clean, and working with electricity I'm careful. But I'm learning and when I first started I wanted to throw the Machine out the door more than once so I have kept my cool and heeded what my daddy said "get away from it for awhile, it will look different tomorrow, or later".

So I will carefully disassemble and inspect, I have the fan that came with the processor, and if I need to I'll pick up another fan.

I thought at first that my problems started with the drive I just purchased but I just needed to format it and it is working fine now and so is the i-omega.

Maybe I hooked a wire up wrong, I don't think so because it has been working and my troubles didn't start until I pulled the cooler out reworked it and reinstalled it. So I will pull everything apart and clean carefully and see if I can see anything wrong, then reinstall everything except cooler I will put in one that came with processor, and I will first pull processor and reinstall in case it got jolted.

 

[Digerati]

1) I might need to clean my ram with anti static cloth reinstall and/or
try installing other ram, which I have.
2) I might have a bent pin or a shorted out usb port
3) I might have dislodged the CPU
4) I might have upset the OP turning it off and on at the wrong time or too
many times in a short period, the article said fix the Master boot
record, And that I could do this from the Win/installation disc.
and other repair options.

1. Don't like that idea! This is RAM, not a camera. Typically, RAM needs no further cleaning than blasting away the dust from the case interior with compressed air or a can of dusting gas. The less you handle RAM the better. Contact corrosion is rarely a problem, unless they have been touched by bare fingers and skin oils have been at work promoting corrosion and attracting dust. In that even, while observing careful ESD precautions, a clean pencil erasure gently rubbed on the contacts is a great cleaner.

2. Not sure how you would bend a USB port pin, but they can be damaged with rough use.

3. Dislodging a CPU takes some pretty rough handling too - like being bounced during transport. The heatsink fan assembly can come loose, and if so, a fresh layer of TIM will need to be applied, after the mating surfaces have been thoroughly cleaned - taking extreme care to prevent any ESD damage in the process.

4. Don't know what you mean by OP. If you meant OS - operating system - then yes, turning off the computer without properly shutting down the OS can corrupt the hard drive.

Oh, when troubleshooting hardware problems, I ALWAYS want to ensure I have a good PSU in there providing plenty of clean, stable power.

 

[Bay Blues]

Lots of good advise, thanks.

Before I took everything apart in the first place I took pictures of where everything was.
I believe I had a couple of wires reversed where the USB connections are and that could explain part of my problems, hopefully nothing was shorted.

I didn't intend on messing with the memory contacts, I posted what was advised on another site, and wanted to see what you had to say about and I think you have much better advise. I like the erasure for cleaning the contact points on the memory sticks. Is that good on most metal contact surfaces? Is the pencil erasure the preferred type of erasure or are some of the other types of erasures good too?

The PSU, I hadn't thought about that but I did some research and looks like mine is kinda under-powered at 300 watts.(it's a ISO -400) Looks like that is barely big enough to do the job,
I added the PCI DA/AD card for my recording
Pulled out a wireless card and installed a Fire-wire PCI card
There are two optical drives Cd.R/W/DVD.R and a CD R/W
My external drives have their own power supply
I added a SSD 120 GB Drive
There is a Vantec 10 amp fan installed in the case
I think that is about it as far as power loads go graphics are built into the MOBO
Suggestions about another PSU ?

 

[Digerati]

I like the erasure for cleaning the contact points on the memory sticks. Is that good on most metal contact surfaces? Is the pencil erasure the preferred type of erasure or are some of the other types of erasures good too?

Believe it or not, we were taught to use a pencil erasure in electronics tech school, so I have been doing that for 40+ years. If you cannot find a clean erasure, erase the erasure on your bluejeans until it is clean, then use it on the contacts.

I don't know what other type of erasures there are - unless you mean an ink erasure. They tend to be too hard.

The only problem with an erasure is it leaves crumbs. So make sure none get in the sockets/slots.

A clean dollar bill will work too and is great for such things as relay and switch contacts.

The key thing to remember is ESD and skin oils from your bare fingers are bad. ESD (electro-static discharge) will destroy sensitive devices (like memory modules) with you even being aware a discharge occurred. And skin oils promote corrosion and attract dust. So never touch the contact with your fingers, and consider using an anti-static wrist-strap for all your computer maintenance.

A Vantec 10 amp fan? I don't think so. Note that the Ohm's Law derivative for power says Power (watts) = Current (amperes) x Electromotive Force (volts). Most fans run on 12V so a 10A fan would draw about 120 watts! That is a HUGE amount! Even a 5V fan would draw 60W and no way computer fans draw that kind of power. Even 10W for a fan is on the high side.

Here is my canned text on sizing and selecting a new PSU:

Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your minimum and recommended power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plan ahead and plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom of the calculator page. I recommend setting Capacitor Aging to 10% and both TDP and system load to 100%. These steps ensure the supply has adequate head room for stress free (and perhaps quieter) operation, as well as future hardware demands. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. If not listed, check a comparable card (same graphics engine and RAM) from a different maker. The key specifications, in order of importance are:

1. Current (amperage or amps) on the +12V rail,
2. Efficiency,
3. Total wattage.

Don’t try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply! Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. Look for power supply brands listed under the "Reputable" column of PC Mech's PSU Reference List. Another excellent read is Tom’s Hardware, Who’s Who In Power supplies: Brands, Labels, And OEMs. Note that some case retailers “toss in” a generic or inadequate PSU just to make the case sale. Be prepared to “toss out” that supply for a good one with sufficient power.

PSUs are inherently inefficient. Most PSUs have an efficiency rating of around 70%. This means for every 100 watts of power a PSU draws from the wall, only 70 watts is delivered to the motherboard, with the rest wasted in the form of heat. The best supplies are 85 to 90% efficient, and as expected, cost more. A quality supply with an efficiency rating equal to or greater than 80% requires a better design using higher quality (tighter tolerances) components. To ensure a quality, efficient PSU, select one that is 80 PLUS certified and is EnergyStar Compliant. 80 PLUS certified PSUs are required to have fairly linear efficiencies. This is important to ensure the PSU is running at or near peak efficiency regardless the load or power demands. Non-linear PSUs typically are most efficient when the load is in a narrow range between 70 and 90% of the PSU’s capacity and the efficiency may drop dramatically above and below those amounts.

Too big of a PSU hurts nothing but your budget. Your computer will draw from the PSU only what it needs, not what the PSU is capable of delivering. If a computer needs 300 watts it will draw 300 watts regardless if the PSU is a 400W, 650W, or 1000W PSU. In turn, the PSU, regardless its size, will draw from the wall only what it needs to support the computer. In this example, it will draw 300 watts, plus another 45 – 90 watts, depending on the PSU’s inefficiency.

As noted, the eXtreme Calculator determines minimum and recommended requirements. If the calculator (with the changes I suggested) recommends a 400 watt minimum, a quality 400W supply will serve you just fine. However, a quality 550W – 600W supply will have, among other things, larger heat sinks to dissipate potentially more heat. It might have a larger fan too. The 400W supply will run most of the time closer to capacity, while the larger supply will be loafing along, rarely breaking a sweat. To help the smaller heat sinks get rid of the wasted 80 watts (20% of 400) of heat, the fan in the 400W supply may need to run full speed, while the fan in the larger supply, with bigger sinks just loafs along too – but in near silence. Also, it is typical for manufacturers to use higher quality parts, design, and manufacturing techniques in their higher power supplies.

Note: Capacitor Aging. All electronics “age” over time. Electrons flowing through components bang around and create friction and heat causing wear and tear, altering the electrical characteristics of the device. Over time, this weakens the device resulting in eventual failure. Power supplies have always suffered profoundly from aging effects resulting in a loss of capacity. In a large part, this is due to capacitor aging though in recent years, capacitor technologies have improved in that area. The best PSUs use the best (and most expensive) capacitors which suffer less from aging effects than older capacitor types. If planning on buying a new, high-end PSU, setting capacitor aging to 10% may result in a more realistic recommendation. However, headroom “buffer” will be significantly reduced. You can expect your PSU to last 5 years or longer. Since it is better to buy too big rather than too small, and since it is hard to predict what your power requirements will be in 3 years, using 30% for Capacitor Aging ensures you have enough headroom for virtually any upgrade.

Don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation). Surge and spike protectors are inadequate and little more than fancy, expensive extension cords.​

 

[Bay Blues]

My friend you are a vast mine with a wealth of Great Information, and it is much appreciated!!

When I was calculating my loads yesterday I looked in the case and saw the numbers on the fan and just wrote it down, and after reading your reply I had to laugh, your right 10 amp is a big number, the real number is 0.10 amp I wasn't paying attention and didn't look close enough. I should have known right off the bat.

You have given me a lot of info. which I am digesting. Some things in your discourse I am already checking out. And other parts I will adhere to. I trust your judgement and advice as well as appreciate it.
Most of my electricity training has come from trial and error and working along side experienced craftsman like yourself.
As a young lad I worked in an automobile shop and my mentor worked on airplanes during W.W.II.
I then worked wiring houses, and I worked with a sign mechanic and learned a lot about DC elec. and Neon and a little bit of computer controlled signs, mostly changing out boards that had burned out photo drivers and such.

Thank You for taking the time to explain things in such detail. I am in my Sixties and
I know a lot of people my age refuse to learn too much about computers. I must admit I had a reluctance my self. But my interest in music recording drove me to learn as much as I could. (Software stuff)

I have always torn stuff apart and tried to find out what made things tick and see if I could fix them.

I haven't got a lot of schooling but I did go back and get a GED and then a degree in Music Technology. Since retiring I've done this and it has required me to learn how to load in software and to appreciate a machine that can handle programs that require a lot of ram and processing power.

And what we are doing = finding out how to make that happen, is very gratifying, Kinda like going through the gears of the you rod you built up, it's that kind of satisfaction that you feel.

 

[Digerati]

I am in my Sixties

Well, I just joined your ranks last month so I sympathize(???) with you!

The Air Force made a radio electronics technician out of me many years ago and I first got into computers when I literally stood inside one in the mid 70s - in a NORAD blockhouse and the computer consisted of about 67,000 vacuum tube diodes! There were no computer schools back then (except for mainframes) so when early PCs (Zenith Z-100s) started coming into our units in the early 80s and my commander discovered I was interested in computers, I became the "computer guy". It just sort of stuck and I have been working with computers and secure networks since.

It was all trial and error back then, and in reality, troubleshooting today is still much by trial and error (swap in a known good one and see if it works!).

Yeah, .1A for 1.2W sounds more like it.

 

[Bay Blues]

I'm glad you don't mind me picking your brains, so to speak.

I have attached a picture of an early computer, with a Steering Wheel!! Kinda of a Beam me up Scotty moment.

Just getting that many tubes running at the same time was quite a feat.
It's amazing how much stuff you can carry with you in a small little package, hard drive.
And all the information one can access sitting at home, I mean like we are clear across the country from each other, yet your are able to help me and neither one of us has to leave home. What an age we live in.

There a lot of things that I miss from yester-year, in a lot of ways we didn't have a lot of the complications that we have today, slower pace, laid back, cool cars, cool music, YOUTH;
But there are so many cool things happening these days and more happening all the time, a guy can hardly keep up.

I hate to think of all the problems were leaving, mostly waste, and some of it is Really hard to clean up, as in Nuclear Waste.

Well I pulled everything out of the said Machine and was very careful about grounding myself, and put the Memory in a static bag while I cleaned the cabinet and fans with a brush, used a piece of masking tape to pick up the dust and stuff.

I took off the backing plate off the MOBO which I had installed for the cooler and opened the latch for the processor and made sure it was seated properly.

Everything looked good, Memory looked good too, I know I never handled it, so I didn't clean it, but I will remember the technique we discussed.

Re-installed the MOBO and Memory.
I put the cooler that came with the processor on and fired it up, It came to life much to my relief!! I didn't install any PCI boards or have any loads on it except for internal drives.

I didn't run it long as I am going to get another power supply, These look like good ones and not too expensive. Your thoughts?
XFX Black Edition P1-850B-NLG9 Power supply - 850 Watt or
Corsair Enthusiast TX V2 Series 850-Watt 80 Plus Bronze Certified High Performance Modular Power Supply CP-9020004-NA by Corsair.

I'm going to get another cooler and put the other one on a shelf or something.