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View Full Version : Dont Overtighten!!!



SPL15
05-31-2004, 08:24 PM
I recently had major problems with my P4C800E-dlx. At first it had trouble with higher voltages, and the maximum stable voltage gradually reduced over a week or so. Finally this last week I couldnt even boot with default voltages! I tried everything and came to the conclusion my board was dead.... Not So

The P4C800E's CPU ZIF socket has a known defect where if there is too much pressure on the CPU, the connections inside the socket make marginal contact so when large currents flow, things get corrupt from the noise and resistance added by marginal contact. Higher voltages will create more problems with bad connections, and my setup seamed to crash when a CPU intensive task came along which draws high current. I realized my evap head was making way way way too good of contact with the CPU, evidenced by the fact that the CPU die was creating a dent on the evap head(IHS Removed)!! I previously had all washers plus two extra ones on each side and I removed ALL of the washers that add pressure and now my board works 100% fine!! I even can OC to 280FSB which I couldnt before... BUT I do know the socket is probably permanently weakened from the previous force exerted by the evap head.

I know this is the problem because I switched back to air cooling and everything worked 100%. I tightened the Heatsink down to a ridiculous level and I got the same BSOD that I got with the overtightened evap head. When I untightened it down to a regular level, My board worked fine again.

Hope this helps some of you P4 users. I'm not sure if other boards have this problem, but this is definitely the problem with mine. I havent heard of any AMD users having these issues, but you never know.

berkut
05-31-2004, 11:10 PM
DO you use the IHS ?

zabomb4163
06-01-2004, 12:13 PM
Originally posted by SPL15
(IHS Removed)!!

Holst
06-01-2004, 12:19 PM
Might be worth fitting a brace to the back of the board.

This is probably caused by the board bending and the zif socket getting a bit warped.

zabomb4163
06-01-2004, 12:28 PM
i'm suprised he didnt crack the core. put a dent in the evap head

BuLkHy
06-01-2004, 03:57 PM
it happened to me as well ..but it was on a k8n mobo :P