Lapping CPU

[nkcd]

I'm about to install the Scythe Ninja on by Red system.. I've heard of people lapping their CPU as well. Should I do it? or it's not worth it? I lapped my Ninja to a ultra smooth and nice surface though.

If I'm to lap the CPU, I shoud lap it dry then clean with alcohol or both at the same time? I lapped my HS with water (wetsand) though. DOn't want to use water with my CPU since I don't want to risk it getting shorted. :(

TIps guys?

[nkcd]

noone ever lapped a CPU?

[ShawnMcGrail]

Well, Your using a peice of glass with the sandpaper taped to it for a perfectly flat surface, Correct?

If its not completely a completely flat surface, Your most likely going to make the CPU have worse contact then it had pre-lapping.

Do you have something to protect the pins with? I.E. an old CPU bracket that you can put it in, Tighten then use to hold and lap?

And no, Wet lapping will be no good for the CPU, Maybe a little varsol and that at the very end to finish up with between 1500-2500grit, But just a small amount.

[Twisted-net]

I think almost everyone lapps his cpu, or remove the ihs ;)
Anyway I lapp every cpu I get my hands on.

I use 600 to 1000grit and water :D (cant find any higher grit around here)
Hell I even clean the cpu after the lapping with regular water.
Just make sure you clean it well and let it dry some time.
As long as its clean and dry when you power it up there is nothing to worry about.

Little example :D (yeah I know camera out of focus but you can see the reflection)
My S&M load temp (long test) are 50°-54° on a 4ghz prescott with a big typhoon in an antec p180 case.
Before lapping the cpu and the big typhoon it was more like 55°-58°

http://users.pandora.be/twisted-net/Cpu%20lapped.jpg

yeah the picture was taking in the kitchen near the window ;)

[nkcd]

is the that heatspreader easy to take off? if possible, should I take it off and lap it or leave it on? I'd use Alcohol to clean it and such. I was just affraid of using water and lapping motion would cause static. I have 2000 grits.

so All I need is tape the sandpaper to the mirror, and slide the lapping surface over it? I do have these sanding blocks though, but not sure if they're completely flat surface or not :(

[Twisted-net]

DO NOT REMOVE THE IHS !!! when you got an intel

On intel cpu's the die is glued to the ihs so if you would remove the ihs you would kill your cpu, ihs removal is for amd's only (or norhwood cpu's or lower)

Just tape your sanding paper on a perfect flat surface (like a mirror ;) )
And make it wet and start lapping.
Begin with a lower grit like 600 then go to 1000 then even higher.
When you make the sandpaper wet you get mutch beter mirror finishes.
Look at my picture thats wet 1000grit sandpaper :D
(2000 would be even better)
Forget the sanding blocks !
Just look out you dont bent the pins off the cpu (if you got any ;) )
And the ihs has an alu look when you start, after some time lapping you wil see cupper like on my picture. Thats the goal :D

And when you think your done just clean the cpu with whatever you would like (alcahol is fine) and let it dry for some time (just to be sure)

Good luck and post a pic ;)

[nkcd]

thanks a lot. Will Definitely do that this weekend :) Hopefully I can push my Blue rig to 4ghz on air. :) Think it's possible?

[Twisted-net]

Glad I could help :D

Could be possible, my 3.2E is an E0 stepping and I got it to 4ghz
So with a little luck you get that D0 to 4ghz to.
I cant get my p4c800-e past 250fsb no mater what I do (even my old 2.4C didnt go over 250fsb),
so maby your IC7-G has more luck than me...

[fordf250]

I lost around 5C with lapping my 775,s ,560j 630 and 640,I never lapped my 540 as it did 3.9G on stock vcore and never clocked higher at any Vcore,temps never made it aver 55C. 5C lower gave 200mhz or so with the other cpus.