Lapping your CPU Guide

[[Dr. V]]

Great job and great write-up.

[RA1D]

another nice guide nate!

[Zambini]

I dont get it. Why do you do this?

I mean, I know its for lower temps and all that, but how does it give lower temps.

[Dread]

Originally Posted by Zambini

I dont get it. Why do you do this?

I mean, I know its for lower temps and all that, but how does it give lower temps.

The IHS on the CPU die, and the contact surface on the HSF Unit come from the factories not truly flat (in most cases) and with a rough metal surface.
Looking at either surface with magnification, you would see pits and peaks in the metal. Lapping both, or even just one of the surfaces gives you a flatter surface, when installed together you will have more actual metal-to-metal contact and fewer air pockets.

Metal-to-metal contact is better since air pockets hinder the transfer of heat from the IHS to the HSF Unit, thus not cooling your CPU as well as it could. The idea behind lapping is to get a truly flat surface with as close to zero imperfections as possible, for optimum heat transfer.

[gvblake22]

WOW! GREAT GUIDE!!
This is one of the only (if not the only) CPU lapping guide with good pictures. Just get some temperature results and see if your processor still works and it will be a 100% complete guide!

Did you just use the typical Q-tip and Isopropyl Alcohol trick to clean the surface of the processor afterwards?

[Yellowhello]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

WOW! GREAT GUIDE!!
This is one of the only (if not the only) CPU lapping guide with good pictures. Just get some temperature results and see if your processor still works and it will be a 100% complete guide!

Did you just use the typical Q-tip and Isopropyl Alcohol trick to clean the surface of the processor afterwards?

Haha, thanks Blake.

Yep, Isopropyl Alcohol is my best friend.

[gvblake22]

Sooooo, what is the fate of your "broken" GeminII?

[Yellowhello]

Originally Posted by gvblake22

Sooooo, what is the fate of your "broken" GeminII?

Check out the "Lapping the GeminII?" thread.

[Zambini]

Originally Posted by Dread

The IHS on the CPU die, and the contact surface on the HSF Unit come from the factories not truly flat (in most cases) and with a rough metal surface.

0.o! Why would they make it like that? lol.

But thats exactly the answer I was looking for :)

[halutzparilla]

i should have had this guide before i lapped my old Zalman HS... i'm totally messed up, esp when i pulled out my dremel to do it dont ask me why i did it i just did, out of my noobidity...

nice guide... i might use it sometime...