IC7-MAX3 NB Fan Question

"Ed Forsythe" <> wrote in message
news: ...
> Hi David,
> I have an IC7- Max3 and about a month ago my NB fan started making noise
> (intermittently). Twice it stopped completely but it would restart when I
> warm booted. I called ABIT and was told that it was not advisable to run
> without the fan. I was told that the fan was free but I'd have to pay
> shipping. I had it shipped 2nd day and it cost $21. I haven't installed
> the new fan yet but the fact that I have a new fan is a warm fuzzy <G>.
> My advice is to buy the fan and install it when all else fails.
>
21 dollars to replace the Abit bling fan and it gives you a warm fuzzy
feeling? I think someone should have a quiet word with your carer.

"Jim" replied to Rick S thus...
>> Pry off? On the IC7-Max3 I believe the fan is attached to
>> the NB heatsink with three small screws.
>>
> Yes, pry off. First remove the entire fan assembly, THEN you pry off
> the fan blade hub from it's motor shaft.

That's bad advice Jim, IMO. Attempting to "pry" the fan and shaft off the
motor assembly is unnecessarily risking either a bent shaft or snapped
blades, or both, and on reassembly will also result in the shaft not being
retained, leading to the possibility of it falling out should the system be
shocked.

There's no need to pry anything if trying to rejuvenate the existing fan. If
it is badly seized/gunked up and needs cleaning, the sticker on reverse side
can be peeled back, and the small rubber o-ring that retains the shaft
removed easily with a needle.

Whole thing can be cleaned and then reassembled with the addition of a
couple of drops of machine oil. Sticker can be replaced, or substituted for
some tape.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

"David Gorick" wrote in message...
>I heard someone else say much the same thing awhile back. I'm
> inclined to run without it and keep an eye on the temps as changing
> it will be a bear. My heatsink and fan assembly on my CPU is massive and I
> would
> have to take it off to even get to the NB heatsink and fan.

This heatsink/fan assembly you've got; if it's sufficiently large that it
impinges into the northbridge heatsink area to the extent you're describing,
would it be safe to assume that the CPU fan actually downwashes onto, or
draws significant airflow past the northbridge heatsink?

If it does, chances are you'll be fine with the NB fan, but try and monitor
the temps for a while before making any assumptions.
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

"Richard Hopkins" <> wrote in message news:...
> "Jim" replied to Rick S thus...
> >> Pry off? On the IC7-Max3 I believe the fan is attached to
> >> the NB heatsink with three small screws.
> >>
> > Yes, pry off. First remove the entire fan assembly, THEN you pry off
> > the fan blade hub from it's motor shaft.
>
> That's bad advice Jim, IMO. Attempting to "pry" the fan and shaft off the
> motor assembly is unnecessarily risking either a bent shaft or snapped
> blades, or both

The circular blue heatsinks used in Max II's and 3's are adequate
to cool the NB without an embedded fan, given decent airflow in
the case. An 80 or 120mm rear exhaust fan behind the NB/CPU
area is usually more than enough.

"Richard Hopkins" <> wrote in message...
> This heatsink/fan assembly you've got; would it be safe to assume
> that the CPU fan actually downwashes onto, or draws significant
> airflow past the northbridge heatsink?
>
> If it does, chances are you'll be fine with the NB fan, but try and
> monitor the temps for a while before making any assumptions.

Oops. That should, of course, have read "you'll be fine with*out* the NB
fan"...
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

Soon to launch the amazing typo autocorrect tool: www.dabs.com

I have pretty good airflow and am willing to give it a try without the NB
fan. After a week everything seems to be stable so we'll see.

"Richard Hopkins" <> wrote in message
news_...
> "Richard Hopkins" <> wrote in message...
>> This heatsink/fan assembly you've got; would it be safe to assume
>> that the CPU fan actually downwashes onto, or draws significant
>> airflow past the northbridge heatsink?
>>
>> If it does, chances are you'll be fine with the NB fan, but try and
>> monitor the temps for a while before making any assumptions.
>
> Oops. That should, of course, have read "you'll be fine with*out* the NB
> fan"...
> --
>
>
> Richard Hopkins
> Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
> (replace nospam with pipex in reply address)
>
> Soon to launch the amazing typo autocorrect tool: www.dabs.com
>
>

After reading all of your input I've decided to keep running it without a
fan. Since there is no room for an aftermarket heatsink due to the size of
my CPU heatsink and fan assembly replacing it with anything other than one
of the original size is out of the question. I have real good airflow in
my case and will monitor the temps daily. I may pick up a good fan that
will replace the abit one just in case the temps get out of hand this
summer. If anything changes I'll post back later.

Thanks to eveyone for all your advice. I appreciate it.

Sorry you feel that way sulfuric <G> but I spent about $2700 building my
machine so $21 doesn't seem like an unduly large expense to keep it healthy.

"h2so4" <> wrote in message
news:txZGf.99206$ k...
>
> "Ed Forsythe" <> wrote in message
> news: ...
>> Hi David,
>> I have an IC7- Max3 and about a month ago my NB fan started making noise
>> (intermittently). Twice it stopped completely but it would restart when
>> I warm booted. I called ABIT and was told that it was not advisable to
>> run without the fan. I was told that the fan was free but I'd have to
>> pay shipping. I had it shipped 2nd day and it cost $21. I haven't
>> installed the new fan yet but the fact that I have a new fan is a warm
>> fuzzy <G>. My advice is to buy the fan and install it when all else
>> fails.
>>
> 21 dollars to replace the Abit bling fan and it gives you a warm fuzzy
> feeling? I think someone should have a quiet word with your carer.
>

"Ed Forsythe" <> wrote in message...
> Sorry you feel that way sulfuric <G> but I spent about $2700 building my
> machine so $21 doesn't seem like an unduly large expense to keep it
> healthy.

Hey Ed, we already know how much you spent on your PC, you told us in
another thread. Please don't try and boast in front of the locals like this,
it makes them jealous, and, fwiw makes you look like a bit of a knob. :-)
--


Richard Hopkins
Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
(replace nospam with pipex in reply address)

The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com

Must have been another Ed Forsythe ;-) Anyhoo, I consider $21 trivial when
it come to keeping my baby happy <VBG>. BTW, sometimes I subsist on peanut
butter sandwiches and buy $500 transmitters for my RC models - No one to
spend my limited loot on except my pooch and I and he likes peanut butter .
Nirvana! I'm hopeless ::-))

"Richard Hopkins" <> wrote in message
news:1u-...
>
> "Ed Forsythe" <> wrote in message...
>> Sorry you feel that way sulfuric <G> but I spent about $2700 building my
>> machine so $21 doesn't seem like an unduly large expense to keep it
>> healthy.
>
> Hey Ed, we already know how much you spent on your PC, you told us in
> another thread. Please don't try and boast in front of the locals like
> this, it makes them jealous, and, fwiw makes you look like a bit of a
> knob. :-)
> --
>
>
> Richard Hopkins
> Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom
> (replace nospam with pipex in reply address)
>
> The UK's leading technology reseller www.dabs.com
>
>