Quote Originally Posted by Big.Wayne View Post
Hey wongnog, I hate to say it but why don't you buy a cooler that is easy to fit and doesn't need the mobo taking out the case every time you swap out a CPU?
Well I bought this build 3 weeks ago and this is my first time with an intel system so I've had no experience with those intel push-pin cooler designs. Now I know better! Also the Vendetta is SUPPOSED to be "easy" to install without taking out the motherboard, but on my first try I had such a hard time I ended up slicing my hand several time on the sharp heatsink fins But now after oh, a DOZEN removals/remountings I have finally figured out how to do it in without taking out the mobo. Just gotta be careful cause if those pins don't "click" you can easily apply too much pressure to try and get them in. Anyway I think I got the handle on it now.

So after taking off the Vendetta, I noticed that my 2 "grain of rice" blobs didn't spread well at all and in no way would have covered the two dies of the Q6600


So I followed the AS5 method for quad cores I found on their site and am getting better temps this time around: 37°C idle, 62°C load. No pics of post-heatsink removal though to see how the TIM spread, but I'm pretty happy with these temps.