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I have noticed from my site logs that people are arriving on this page, looking for instructions on how to install CPU heatsinks in general, and the ASUS Silent Square 92mm in specific, since this original page went up on 2006-04-28. That is a problem for 2 reasons, (okay, well 3) 1.) this is not an instructional site, it is just kind of a photographic history of what I did with one of my pc building projects. 2.) this project was done wrong! and, 3.) the ASUS product in question on this page, DIED on me after 7 months (the fan stopped working reliably) -- and I had to replace it. I replaced it with the ZALMAN CNPS9500 AT 2 Ball CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink if you wanted a recommendation.
Anyway, I have photos from that install too, and I may put up a guide for that one. But, for those of you wanting a guide to help you install your ASUS Silent Square 92mm CPU Cooling Fan/Heatsink, here is what you do (and you can use most of the pictures from below, as a reference to these following instructions. Note: the unit requires a backplate be affixed to the back of your motherboard, STICKY SIDE ONTO THE MOTHERBOARD! Do NOT, I repeat NOT do what I did in the pictures below, and affix the sticky side to the wall of your case! The instructions that come with the unit, are NOT clear on this point (at least, they weren't to me, with the instructions that came with my unit). Anyway, to get to the back of your motherboard, you are basically going to have to disassemble your entire PC, so, here are the steps:
Note: this is free advice, but this advice comes with a disclaimer, neither I (or my company: ASDG) accept or assume any responsibility for how you use this advice. Use this advice at your own risk. If you don't know what you are doing, then seek professional help. These tips are for those who are already comfortable with working on their PCs, and know about the inherent risks! Following these tips incorrectly, or without the proper skill or knowledge, or even with a heavy dose of bad luck, can and will result in the complete destruction of your PC -- heck, I almost fried my own PC by doing this WRONG the first time, and I have built dozens of PCs! You will be working with all aspects of your PC, including the 2 most sensitive parts, the Central Processing Unit (CPU), and the Motherboard (MoBo). By following these tips, you, and you alone, are assuming all risk, and responsibility for your actions, and agree to hold myself, and my company harmless, without fault, non-liable, etc. etc. These tips contain no warranty (not even for basic functionality of goods or services), void in all states, caveat emptor, etc. etc. You. Are. On. Your. Own!
System Stats (in case you were curious)
I'm happy with it \^o^/
Getting ready to take out motherboard, some connections already undone, and some components already removed.
Pulled back view of getting ready mode.
Motherboard has been removed.
EDIT: Installing the new heatsink's back plate, after painstakingly marking the screw points with pencil, and then pen, and then tracing around the back plate, before removing the adhesive cover, to put an outline I could use as a guide, before trying to stick it into place forever. This was the incorrect way to do this, the sticky side of the backplate should be applied directly to the MoBo, that is the insulated part, and will prevent shorting out the MoBo. See the instructions at the top of the page, for the proper procedure.
Putting the motherboard back into place.
Top view of the retention bracket, with the screws already in their standoffs, and ready to go.
Bottom view of the retention bracket.
Retention bracket now screwed in place.
Closeup of retention bracket in place.
Pulled back view of retention bracket in place.
Applying the Artic Silver, level 5 thermal grease/compound. The new heatsink/fan combo came with its own ASUS brand grease, but I didn't know that, and had already ordered the other stuff anyway.
The new heatsink/fan combo finally settled into place, and clipped in. The clip was surprisingly hard to figure out at first. I finally figured out that the movable part of it could swing in, as well as out. Once I figured that out, I was golden.
Main power reattached.
Secondary power reattached. I realized, belatedly, that with the new massive heatsink/fan in place, that plugging that secondary power in, would be really difficult. [sigh] Anyway, I got it into place with needlenose pliers, allowing me to do it without uninstalling the freshly installed heatsink/fan combo.
Video card reattached, hard drive bay re-installed, and front and rear panel USB, audio, and firewire reattached.
All power and data connections reconnected.
Reattaching fan connections to door fan.
Finally, reattaching auxiliary fan.
Case closed, external connections all reconnected, powering on (and praying to the computer gods).
It's ALIVE!
Pretty, isn't it? Funny thing is, I didn't even know it had a blue LED when I ordered it. Bonus!
I am now running at an average CPU temperature of 115-125 degrees fahrenheit (even when multi-tasking and hyper threading), whereas before I was operating at 130-140, and spiking above 170. Yay!