Question on ASUS A7N8X Deluxe motherboard and compatible processor

So far it's fine since I turned it on this morning. But when I
decided to look at the new 512GB module (3200) I put last year August,
when I opened the case and put my hand near the memory module, it was
quite hot. A friend has told me that the fan needed replacement or
even the chip.

It's wokring so far but I did leave the case open. What shoudl I do?
Replace the fan or the processor. If the processor, I know that Socket
A would work but would ti be Socket A7? Google search got me to
http://compreviews.about.com/cs/motherboards/gr/aaprA7N8XDeluxe.htm
and through it, to Full Review at http://compreviews.about.com/od/budgetdesk/l/aaASUSA7N8XD.htm
where it says under Specification that this motherborad supports all
Current AMD Athlon Socket A Processors.

Since there is no date on the article, what does it mean by *all*? All
socket A, meaning Socket A7 as well as A8?

This is my main PC, built by a nephew may be in 2002 or 2003. I wan
tto keep it for some time and am willing to spend some money to kepe
it going w/o problem.

Any help or guidance is appreciate.

The socket is "Socket A" or "S462", as it has 462 pins on it.

The supported CPU list is here. There are several releases of
the motherboard, and the release number should be printed on
the board, just like the name of the board. They warn you to
select the correct BIOS to download, as the BIOS used has to
match the revision of board. Not that any of this is important,
as right now I don't see a reason to change anything of that
sort.

http://support.asus.com.tw/cpusupport/cpu_support_right_master.aspx?type=1&name=A7N8X%20Deluxe&SLanguage=en-us&cache=1

This is what I use for a cooler on mine. I have an A7N8X-E
Deluxe, and this cooler gives pretty good results. It may
require removing the motherboard to fit it. The clip screws
in place with a couple screws, allowing the user to set the
tension used to hold the heatsink to the processor. I had to
stare at the parts for a while, until I could figure out how
to orient the two aluminum pieces that come with it.

ZALMAN CNPS7000B-ALCU 92mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan $30
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118112

One like the following, would be similar to what you are using
already. This one uses a clip to hold it in place, and you could
fit this without removing the motherboard. It looks like this
one has probably gone out of production, so may be hard to find.
It comes with a speed adjuster, so you can reduce the noise level
a bit. The Zalman CNPS7000B is quiet enough, that I let it run
at full speed.

http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-A1745-Extreme-Volcano-12/dp/B0002BWI5C/ref=sr_1_3/105-7574457-5203620?ie=UTF8&s=industrial&qid=1188957527&sr=8-3

Another thing you'll need, is some thermal paste. Thermal paste
fills the air gap between the CPU and heatsink, and improves
heat conduction. With a processor like AthlonXP, which has no
heat spreader, and the die is small, a paste should help the
performance of the cooler.

There are some examples of products here.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2000340085+50001410&Configurator=&Subcategory=85

So what you buy, all depends on your budget, and how prepared
you are to pull the motherboard from the case.

When it comes to S462 heatsink/fan assemblies, there won't be
as many of them out there as there used to be, so getting
one similar to the Extreme Volcano 12 may be more difficult.
Some of the ones that look like that one, use pretty small fans,
and a small fan has to run faster to get equivalent air volume.

Paul

Thanks.

I'll have to locate that info.

Let's see whether I understand it: If I replace the CPU, I'll need to
select the right BIOS. Is this selection during bootup proocess?

>
> http://support.asus.com.tw/cpusupport/cpu_support_right_master.aspx?t...

My motherboard won't fit this cooler. Not enough room.

> ZALMAN CNPS7000B-ALCU 92mm 2 Ball Cooling Fan $30http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835118112

Yes.

It'd not even be wise to replace it with the same model even if I find
it, right? At the same time, I am wondering why it has lasted this
long without the problem. Last summer, I even left the AC off during
the day, making this room in upstairs quite hot while I leave the
desktop on. Do you think I should just put some thermal paste first
and see how it goes?

If I do end up replacing my motherboard and CPU, will I still be able
to use the memory all 3 modules - 256,256, 512 ?

>
> http://www.amazon.com/Thermaltake-A1745-Extreme-Volcano-12/dp/B0002BW...

Should I bother putting thermal paste first and see how it goes before
replacing anything? Is it worth the effort?

> http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=200034008...

Would any thermal paset from Fry's work? Do I need a particular kind?

If necessary, I will replace it. If I replace the motherboard, which
one would you suggest I go with? I'd also need to replace the CPU,
right?

Due to time issue, I won't try to look for anything that's hard to
find. I don't mind spending some money and save time and stress.

Thanks a lot. BTW, I had to shut it down because I wanted to pull
the memory I put last year August to see what I bought and so when I
put the memory back and turned it on and left home w/ case open, a
while ago, I found it shut down. Should I bother putting thermal
paste first or skip that and get a new motherboard and CPU? If it's
not messing with putting thermal past because I would need to go to a
friend to remove the heat sink and place it back, I won't bother.

If I buy a new motherboard and CPU, I can just ask Fry's to put it all
for me if they would do such a thing, i.e I will be reusing as many
component as possible.

> - Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Just some friendly words...

Since it was built 4 or 5 years ago, I'd probably remove the heatsink and
replace the thermal compound (between processor and heatsink). Another
thing you may want to do (if possible) is get yourself a case fan to mount
in the FRONT of the case (usually bottom front) if there is a place for one.
IF your memory "feels" hot or even just the inside of the case in general,
after you have had it on for a while, you should try to get some air flowing
through by adding that extra case fan.

Just a few little tid-bits that might help out...

Good luck.

Okay.

I was thinking about that. In fact, this case is so big and has places
for fans in the case -tower design - itself just next to heat sink
but higher positions attached t the back of the case just below the
power supply. My nephew did put the 2 fans but the wires were cut. I
guess because of the noise. This was his desktop before he passed away
in summer 2004. Should I replace those fans?

I'll try these suggestions first.
>
> Good luck.

Thanks.

Any thermal compound (from Fry's) would be okay to use, right?

> http://support.asus.com.tw/cpusupport/cpu_support_right_master.aspx?t...

I found BIOS check and ran it. This is the result I got:

Generated by: BIOS Wizard 2.10
Date: September 04, 2007
Time: 22:22

PnP Version : BIOS currently supports latest version
1.0
PCI Version : BIOS currently supports latest version
2.1
PCI IRQ Routing Table : BIOS currently supports this
feature
Enhanced Disk Drive
Specification : BIOS currently supports this
feature
DMI Version : BIOS supports minimum version 2.2. Latest
is
version
2.3
ACPI Version : BIOS currently supports latest version
1.0
APM Version : BIOS currently supports latest version
1.2
Booting From CD-ROM : BIOS currently supports this
feature
Supports ESCD : BIOS doesn't support this
feature
Can be Updated (flashed) : BIOS currently supports this
feature
Can be Shadowed : BIOS currently supports this
feature
BIOS Chip in Socket : BIOS currently supports this
feature
Supports Selective Booting : BIOS currently supports this
feature
Supports LS-120 Booting : BIOS doesn't support this
feature
Supports ZIP Booting : BIOS doesn't support this
feature
Supports Network Booting : The testing of this feature is not
supported by the current DMI version
BIOS Manufacturer :
Phoenix
BIOS ID :
Unknown
BIOS Date :
04/15/03
BIOS OEM
Signon :
BIOS ROM Size :
512K
Chipset : Chipset V10DED01E0 rev
193
Super I/O Chip : Known super I/O chip is not found

Is this BIOS need updating?

[ ]

There is only one kind I don't like, and that is Radio Shack
zinc paste. The zinc separates from the paste in a matter of
months. I don't know what Fry's sells, but hopefully it is better
than that (I checked outpost.com and most of the stuff there
looks OK - I'm not familiar with all the products).

I don't know if it was clear in my first post, but I'm proposing
you work on your cooling problems first. I don't see a reason
to contemplate replacing the processor right now. If the day
comes, that you need to replace the processor, then you should
consult the Asus CPUSupport web page, and make sure the BIOS
version installed on the machine, is good enough.

If you consult your motherboard manual (it is even available
for download from support.asus.com), it will have several
suggestions for flashing tools. One of the options a
flashing tool will offer, is to make a backup (archival) copy
of the BIOS, to a file. In the process of doing so, it may
identify on the screen, what version of BIOS is present.
(The output from BIOS Wizard looks pretty useless. There
was one other utility like that, that left a driver behind,
and I'm suspicious of some of them. Stick with the provided
BIOS flashing utilities...)

If I use CPUZ, the BIOS version declared there is bogus. There
is a text string in the BIOS file, that seems to be present for
all versions of BIOS, and some utilities grab that string. I
think on my A7N8X-E, the version number is displayed during
POST, but since I'm using a hacked (modified) BIOS, I can
never be sure that the official Asus BIOS does that :-)

Some other notes on fitting the heatsink:

1) The bare silicon die of the CPU is fragile. If you tilt the
heatsink on an angle, such that the metal presses on the edge
of the silicon die, that can chip pieces off the die. If the
crack is big enough, the processor can be ruined. To stop that,
some processors have four rubber "bumpers" stuck to the top
of the processor. They help guide the heatsink to fit flat,
reducing the risk of cracking the edge of the silicon die.
There are also ring gaskets (shims), that fit around the outer
edge of the processor, and they perform the same function. The
bumpers are shown here. This is a picture of the processor,
before the owner has cleaned off the paste and prepared
some fresh paste.

http://img167.imageshack.us/img167/6120/1001530dq2.jpg

2) The retail heatsink could have an asymmetric bottom on it.
There are two ways to rotate the heatsink (180 degress opposite
one another). When rotated one way, the contact patch on the
bottom of the heatsink, lines up with the center of the silicon
die. If you turn the heatsink the other way, the contact patch
no longer lines up with the center, and only part of the silicon
die gets cooled. When you are about to fit the heatsink, verify
that the whole die is being covered by the contact area
on the bottom of the heatsink. The wrong way results in the CPU
overheating.

3) When the paste is applied, you can spread it with an old-fashioned
razor blade, or with a credit card edge. This is what a thin
application of paste looks like. When it contacts the heatsink,
only a little bit oozes out the side. At least some should ooze out,
to prove the paste filled the air gap. You don't want so much paste
that is seeps across the top of the processor.

http://web.archive.org/web/20010815141237/arcticsilver.com/images/as2closeup.jpg

The product probably has instructions on the package, or alternately,
the web site will have instructions to help you.

Note that there is a picture here, of a slot-head screwdriver being
used to lower the clip into place. A hex driver (a screwdriver with a
six sided hole in the working end of it), can be slipped over that
tab, and may be less prone to slipping off and stabbing the motherboard.
People have killed motherboards, when a slot-head screwdriver slips
and cuts a thin copper trace on the motherboard.

http://www.crazypc.com/articles/hsfinstall.htm

Don't forget to plug in the CPU fan cable again. It is keyed
and should only slide easily into place, in one of the two possible
orientations.

HTH,
Paul

I don't mind ordering it online if you have a recommendation. I'd
rather get a really good one sutible suitable for my processor.

Yes. After I posted the reply, I realized that I shouldn't think about
replacing motherborad and processor replacement..just yet.

Okay. Earlier I was in atime crunch because of moving and so wanted to
take care of it before moving but I won't rush. I'll fix the cooling
issue first.

Okay.

Yup.

Okay.

I see.

Thanks for the pic. I don't remember I saw that kind of 4 rubber
bumper with the processor I was using when trying to build a pc early
last year. What I found out was that placing I couldn't press the
metal clip down. It tales alot of hand strenght and i was concern
about damaging it. SO I got a friend to help me. But he forgot to put
stand offs. So the pc wouldn't boot. I took it to Fry's and found out
the problem. Then I was at another friend's place installing XP - I
was builing it to use ofr linux though - and it was not installing
properly. SO I left it there and he was sucessful he said. But when I
went to pick it up. he was going to show me and the thing wouldn't
load. I saw him removing the heat sink and putting the other way, as
if he didn't know better to just align as shown by the little
triangle. I think that instead of just installing the OS, he was
messing with the hardware and ruined it. I later found out that if the
electrical supply was not cut when removing the heatsink and putting
it back within 5 seconds, the cpu gets ruined. Is that true?

So, I sold each pieces off on craigslist. Now only the heatsink fan
and floppy drive left; I kept the hard drive.

I see. In this desktop my nephew built, I had not removed the any
components other than hard drives.

I heard about the suggestion not to put too much.
>
> http://web.archive.org/web/20010815141237/arcticsilver.com/images/as2...

So use the six sided one instead of the flat one, right?

I heard about that.
Does it require a lot of control movement and strength? Well, you
probably won't understand what I am getting to. Just that my hand
strength is terrible. But I will try it myself first.

Yup.

Thanks for all the help. That info about using credit card to spread
the paste is neat.

I should get all the supply stated to clean the old thermal compund,
right? I have Goof Off.

And why did he say high quality Isopropyl Alcohol? Isn't the one from
walmart of drugstore good?

BTW, I tried connecting that wire of the fan attached on the case and
it wasn't feasible. I ended uo cutting the wire the moment I cut
through the outer casing. I think thermal compund is the primary
issue.

>
> HTH,
> Paul