Suboptimal Procedure for Installation of a CPU Upgrade, in 140 Easy Steps

Posted on October 31, 2006 by Eric

Items required:

  • Old Computer:
    1. Asus A8V Deluxe socket 939 motherboard
    2. AMD Athlon 64 3500+ CPU
    3. Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu CPU cooler
  • New components:
    1. AMD Athlon 64 X2 4800+ CPU
    2. Zalman CNPS9500-AM2 CPU cooler (will not actually be used)
  • Supplies:
    1. Arctic Silver brand Ceramique thermal compound
    2. Packaged wipes with 90% isopropyl alcohol
    3. Latex gloves, powder-free
  • Tools:
    1. Philips screwdriver
  • Environment:
    1. Cluttered work surface
    2. Inadequate lighting
    3. Screw-absorbent carpeting

Procedure:

  1. Power off computer
  2. Disconnect all cables from computer (power, keyboard, mouse, USB, network, video, etc.)
  3. Place computer on work surface
  4. Remove two thumbscrews and set aside
  5. Remove side panel from computer
  6. Unplug CPU cooler
  7. Remove two retaining screws from CPU fan and set aside
  8. Carefully remove CPU cooler
  9. Clean thermal compound from CPU cooler
  10. Raise arm of ZIF socket
  11. Remove old CPU from ZIF socket
  12. Clean thermal compound from old CPU
  13. Place new CPU in ZIF socket, taking care to use correct orientation
  14. Lower arm of ZIF socket
  15. Put a small amount of thermal compound on new CPU
  16. Spread thermal compound into a thin layer using latex glove
  17. Place CPU cooler on CPU
  18. Install two CPU cooler retaining screws
  19. Plug in CPU cooler
  20. Install side pane on computer
  21. Install two thumbscrews
  22. Place computer back in operational position
  23. Reconnect cables to computer
  24. Power on computer
  25. Observe the BIOS test fails, stating that CPU type is unrecognized
  26. Power off computer
  27. Disconnect all cables from computer (power, keyboard, mouse, USB, network, video, etc.)
  28. Place computer on work surface
  29. Remove two thumbscrews and set aside
  30. Remove side panel from computer
  31. Unplug CPU cooler
  32. Remove two retaining screws from CPU cooler and set aside
  33. Carefully remove CPU cooler
  34. Clean thermal compound from CPU cooler
  35. Raise arm of ZIF socket
  36. Remove new CPU from ZIF socket
  37. Clean thermal compound from new CPU
  38. Place old CPU in ZIF socket, taking care to use correct orientation
  39. Lower arm of ZIF socket
  40. Put a small amount of thermal compound on old CPU
  41. Spread thermal compound into a thin layer using latex glove
  42. Place CPU cooler on CPU
  43. Install two CPU fan retaining screws
  44. Plug in CPU fan
  45. Install side pane on computer
  46. Install two thumbscrews
  47. Place computer back in operational position
  48. Reconnect cables to computer
  49. Power on computer
  50. Download updated BIOS and flash update utility from vendor web site
  51. Create bootable DOS floppy with updated BIOS and flash update utility
  52. Reboot computer from floppy
  53. Update BIOS
  54. Remove floppy
  55. Power off computer
  56. Disconnect all cables from computer (power, keyboard, mouse, USB, network, video, etc.)
  57. Place computer on work surface
  58. Remove two thumbscrews; lose one and set the remaining one aside
  59. Remove side panel from computer
  60. Unplug CPU fan
  61. Remove two retaining screws from CPU fan
  62. Carefully remove CPU fan
  63. Clean thermal compound from CPU fan
  64. Raise arm of ZIF socket
  65. Remove old CPU from ZIF socket
  66. Clean thermal compound from old CPU
  67. Answer telephone call
  68. Place CPU in ZIF socket, taking care to use correct orientation
  69. Lower arm of ZIF socket
  70. Put a small amount of thermal compound on CPU
  71. Spread thermal compound into a thin layer using latex glove
  72. Place CPU fan on CPU
  73. Install two CPU fan retaining screws
  74. Plug in CPU fan
  75. Install side pane on computer
  76. Install remaining one thumbscrew
  77. Place computer back in operational position
  78. Reconnect cables to computer
  79. Power on computer
  80. Observe that the BIOS indicates that the old CPU is installed, not the new one
  81. Observe that the loose CPU is in fact the new one, and that the wrong (old) CPU was installed in step 68
  82. Power off computer
  83. Disconnect all cables from computer (power, keyboard, mouse, USB, network, video, etc.)
  84. Place computer on work surface
  85. Remove remaining one thumbscrew and set aside
  86. Remove side panel from computer
  87. Unplug CPU fan
  88. Remove two retaining screws from CPU fan; lose one and set the remaining one aside
  89. Carefully remove CPU fan
  90. Clean thermal compound from CPU fan
  91. Raise arm of ZIF socket
  92. Remove old CPU from ZIF socket
  93. Clean thermal compound from old CPU
  94. Place new CPU in ZIF socket, taking care to use correct orientation
  95. Lower arm of ZIF socket
  96. Remove new Zalman CNPS9500-AM2 CPU cooler from packaging
  97. Observe that when fan of new Zalman CPU cooler is rotated, fan blades scrape against heat sink fins
  98. Drive to computer store and exchange new Zalman CPU cooler for another unit
  99. Remove new new Zalman CPU cooler from packaging
  100. Observe that CNPS9500-AM2 does not include hardware that will attach it to the studs that were used for the old CNPS7000A-Cu
  101. Search again for lost retention screw for old CPU cooler, unsuccessfully
  102. Dig through random assortment of hardware and find screw that will fit
  103. Verify that CPU to be installed is the X2 4800+
  104. Put a small amount of thermal compound on new CPU
  105. Spread thermal compound into a thin layer using latex glove
  106. Pick up CPU cooler and prepare to place on CPU
  107. Observe that missing screw falls out of CPU cooler; it was apparently caught in fins
  108. Place CPU cooler on CPU
  109. Install CPU fan retaining screws
  110. Plug in CPU fan
  111. Install side pane on computer
  112. Install remaining thumbscrew
  113. Place computer back in operational position
  114. Reconnect cables to computer
  115. Power on computer
  116. Observe that BIOS reports detection of new X2 4800+ CPU
  117. Observe that BIOS reports no disk drives found
  118. Power off computer
  119. Move computer into more accessible position
  120. Remove remaining one thumbscrew and set aside
  121. Remove side panel from computer
  122. Observe that SATA cable for first disk drive has pulled out of connectors at both ends
  123. Reconnect SATA cable
  124. Install side panel on computer
  125. Install remaining thumbscrew
  126. Place computer back in operational position
  127. Power on computer
  128. Observe that BIOS reports that a disk drive is found
  129. Observe that BIOS reports a CPU fan failure
  130. Power off computer
  131. Move computer into more accessible position
  132. Remove remaining one thumbscrew and set aside
  133. Remove side panel from computer
  134. Observe that CPU fan connector is plugged in correctly
  135. Power on computer
  136. Observe that CPU fan spins at an appropriate rate
  137. Observe that BIOS power monitor shows CPU fan at an appropriate rate
  138. Install side panel on computer
  139. Install remaining thumbscrew
  140. Place computer back in operational position

Addendum [2-NOV-2006]:

The Zalman CNPS7000A-Cu CPU cooler is perfectly adequate for Athlon XP 4800+ in a CoolerMaster Centurion Centurion 5 case, CAC-T05, which has a large case fan.   I let the system idle for a while, and the motherboard and CPU temperatures stabilized at 26°C and 38.0°C.  I ran two copies of cpuburn-in 1.00 by Michal Mienik to keep both CPUs busy, and after about five minutes the motherboard and CPU temperatures stabilized at 27°C and 48.0°C.  (This is with the case, power supply, and CPU fans running at maximum, as I haven’t installed any fan control hardware or software.)

The reviews of the Zalman CNPS9500-AM2 show that it offers even better coolinn that the CNPS7000A-Cu, but it doesn’t appear that I need it, so I’ll save it for a future machine.

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