New Build - Asus P5B Deluxe Questions

[NorCalDave]

I have a new Asus P5B Deluxe and will be overclocking it once I get my system built. My question's are - would it be worth it to pull the NB and SB coolers off, clean off whatever thermal goo Asus uses, then re-install using Arctic Silver 5?

Looking at my mobo, it looks like the coolers are held on by plastic bayonet-type clips - do you release them by squeezing the tip with pliers? If so, are the clips re-usable?

Just looking for ways to keep temps down on my mobo and improve my odds of getting a good overclock.

[RangerXLT8]

Originally Posted by NorCalDave

I have a new Asus P5B Deluxe and will be overclocking it once I get my system built. My question's are - would it be worth it to pull the NB and SB coolers off, clean off whatever thermal goo Asus uses, then re-install using Arctic Silver 5?

Looking at my mobo, it looks like the coolers are held on by plastic bayonet-type clips - do you release them by squeezing the tip with pliers? If so, are the clips re-usable?

Just looking for ways to keep temps down on my mobo and improve my odds of getting a good overclock.

The board will function with no modifications(removing stock TIM). If you a have 90+% isopropnyl alcohol or Arcti-Clean(made by Arctic Silver) then why not go for it. Be careful as the NB is bare and can be cracked\damaged if not done with care. I recommend using coffee filters(they are lint free) to wipe away stock TIM.

As for the push pins, they are barbed and to remove them turn the board over and squeeze gently with pliers, and push the pin through the board.( be careful to not touch and of the solder pads with the pliers!)

If your like many OCers, such as myself, I am picky and I like to use Arctic Silver 5 on my NB, and Ceramique on the SB.

As for how much of a OC benefit this will all yeild: probably not much, it's more for piece of mind.

BTW: Is your HDD SATA or ATA? I ask because P5B has only 1 IDE connector. Most optical drives are still IDE so....

[NorCalDave]

I have the Artic-clean kit and AS5 but no AS Ceramique - why AS5 on one & Ceramique on the other?

I have a Seagate 320gb SATA and A WD 100gb ATA - I bought the WD a couple of years ago but never used it - figure since I probably couldn't get $25 for it on e-Bay, why not use it in my new build? My Lite-On Dvd Burner is SATA.

[RangerXLT8]

Originally Posted by NorCalDave

I have the Artic-clean kit and AS5 but no AS Ceramique - why AS5 on one & Ceramique on the other?

I have a Seagate 320gb SATA and A WD 100gb ATA - I bought the WD a couple of years ago but never used it - figure since I probably couldn't get $25 for it on e-Bay, why not use it in my new build? My Lite-On Dvd Burner is SATA.

I use the Ceramique on the SB because it's not exposed core like the NB. The NB is an actual silcon chip.

[Capper]

To be honest with you, I see no reason to remove the heat pipes and apply AS5.....if your temperatures are acceptable, then why mess with it.

Now if your temps are a bit uncomfortable, then applying AS5 makes sense and might show some benefit

[Quakindude]

I would take a look at your mobo and if you see the Tim bulging out from the sides of the cooling solutions like I did when I reviewed the eVGA 680i, you may want to pull that system off and clean it up. Otherwise, you may just want to check out the mobo installed and overclocked and see what temps you're getting. As far as I know, eVGA is the only company that allows you to take things off your motherboards and video cards and install Arctic Silver 5 or your own cooling solution and not void your warranty. So be aware that by doing so, you're probably going to void yours.

With all of that being said, I've become convinced from reading the eVGA forums that removing the gooped on TIM on my mobo has made for a much more stable overclocking environment using the stock cooling solutions. Dave, if you decide to go ahead with this little project, all you need to do is use needle nose pliers to gently squeeze the two tabs on the "bayonet" exposed on the flip side of the mobo and feed that retention thing through the board while pulling it out with your hand on the other side. Once you've removed the stock cooling solution, clean it up and apply AS5 or Ceramique.

Be aware that if you use AS5, it is slightly conductive and can damage your mobo if you don't clean up any "spills" or unintended product from the mobo. I've had guys with mathematics/sciences credentials say that AS5 won't conduct electricity, but I'm here to tell you it will. Silver is one of the most conductive metals known to man. So make sure you clean up any that you get on any part of your mobo, except for the chip areas of course.

The Arctic Silver cleaning system is by far superior to any other method I've used to remove old TIM and to clean up Arctic Silver 5.

[RangerXLT8]

Originally Posted by Quakindude

The Arctic Silver cleaning system is by far superior to any other method I've used to remove old TIM and to clean up Arctic Silver 5.

Aint that the truth.

[NorCalDave]

Thanks All

I think I'll leave things be for now, get the system together and see how it performs. I've read about EVGA's issue with slapping stuff on with a trowel - I just changed out the stock cooler on my EVGA 7950GT this afternoon and it wasn't bad at all - put on a Zalman VF900-CU with AS 5.

[Quakindude]

I have the same Video card and have the same cooing solution on it. I'm loving it too!

Thing is, eVGA isn't the one putting all that crap on. It's Foxconn, who by the way, makes all the 680i motherboards. Each company out there just re-badges them and changes the bundle that comes with them.