Installation
Test Rig:
Intel i7 920
Gigabyte EX58-UD4P
OCZ XMP Ready DDR3-1600 6GB Triple Channel Kit
ASUS Matrix geForce GTX 260 video card
BFG Tech EX-Series 1200 Watt PSU
NZXT Tempest extended midtower
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
Start installation by securing the LGA 1136/775 installation hardware and the baseplate. The hardware’s bag is clearly marked. The holes you will use in the baseplate are each marked. The side with the markings will face the motherboard. The baseplate will be installed over the existing LGA 1136 baseplate.
Feed the screws into the proper holes in the baseplate. (again, the markings will face the motherboard)
Screw one of the screw retainers (thin thumbscrew spacer without springs) onto each screw, the side with the recessed opening facing the motherboard. Snug the cap against the baseplate. Place one of the adhesive washers onto each screw. I left the backing, I swap coolers so much that the adhesive is a real pain. At this moment I have another cooler in the bullpen.
Place the screws through the CPU cooler holes in the motherboard. Prep the CPU with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth.
Apply thermal compound. I will be using the Tuniq TX-3 included with the cooler. Tuniq recommends spreading the thermal compound on the CPU heatspreader, and I do too, a cooler with exposed heatpipes on the base will not spread any thermal compound properly due to the slight grooves between the heatpipes and base.
I tried to use a spatula I received with another cooler for the purpose, but ended up using a credit card as Tuniq recommends. TX-3 is very thick and sticky like Arctic Silver 5, and was a real pain to spread out.
Prep the cooler base with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth.
Determine your cooler placement. If you look through the fins at the fan, you will see it is a typical fan with front (intake showing only the fan blades) and rear (frame over the fan blades). If all Tower 120 Extreme coolers are put together the same, looking at the logo on the top of the cooler, the intake side is the side of the bottom of the letters in the “Tuniq” logo, the exhaust is the side of the tops of the letters. In other words, in a typical placement with exhaust towards the rear of the case, the logo bottom points towards the front of the case, the logo top points towards the rear.
Place the cooler’s retainer bracket over the screws and set it onto the CPU. Slightly wiggle the cooler back and forth to seat the compound.
Start one of the other style of “screw caps” (thicker thumbscrew with springs) onto one of the screws, turning only ¬ turn or so. Start another diagonally from that one, also only ¬ turn. Start the other two screw caps. The last one will probably be a little difficult, but wasn’t that bad.
Alternate tightening the screws diagonally, 1/2 turn or so until all stop turning. DO NOT USE TOOLS TO ACCOMPLISH THIS! Pay attention, if you didn’t get the spacers tight enough, the screws may turn before the caps are tight. You may have to hold the screw, it was easily corrected by placing a finger over the bottom of the screw while turning the cap. Connect the 3-pin fan connector to your CPU_FAN header. If your header is a 4-pin PWM, make sure you use the correct pins by using the guide on the mobo’s connector.
Time to install the motherboard into the case. You probably will want to connect your ATX+12v connector before placing the board into the case, I would have probably never gotten it into place if I hadn’t.
Wire things up, install your video card and you’re done!
[ad#review1041-bottom]