Processor without cooler?

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Princess Morgiah

Hi,

I have a Pentium III-500Mhz from which the processor cooler has started to
make a lot of noise. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep the
machine running without the cooler.

Can anybody tell me whether or not this is possible? The machine has a
heatsink (is this the right word?) of about 10x5x2 cm, with the cooler on
top.

Thanks in advance,

Princess Morgiah
 
If the fan fails completely, you will be buying a new processor as well, if
the computer does not shut down fast enough. I have seen this in
environments where they let these go until they die. For the cost of a
processor, and possibly for a damaged mother board, you can have many new
fans installed!

--

Jerry G.
======


message Hi,

I have a Pentium III-500Mhz from which the processor cooler has started to
make a lot of noise. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep the
machine running without the cooler.

Can anybody tell me whether or not this is possible? The machine has a
heatsink (is this the right word?) of about 10x5x2 cm, with the cooler on
top.

Thanks in advance,

Princess Morgiah
 
DaveW said:
No, the processor will overheat and destroy itself.

Bah. The processor needs upgrading anyways. The OP should just let it
die and keep a video camera handy. :)
 
GFree said:
Bah. The processor needs upgrading anyways. The OP should just let it
die and keep a video camera handy. :)

Nice suggestion - and I almost did that. In an effort to find out what was
happening to the fan, I lifted the fan off the processor (while running) and
tried to see what was the matter with it.

Within ten minutes, I could feel a big difference in temperature in the heat
sink, so I put it back on. I've moved all the stuff to another machine and
now I keep that one running.

I'm not going to upgrade the machine - it's just one of the many machines I
have around the house for testing and stuff, it's not my main machine.

Sorry GFree, but you'll have to find your video somewhere else :)

Thanks everyone for your advice!

Princess Morgiah
 
Hi,

I have a Pentium III-500Mhz from which the processor cooler has started to
make a lot of noise. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep the
machine running without the cooler.

Yes, but not for very long. Less than a second, actually, at which
point, either the thermal protection will kick in (assuming the CPU
has it) and shut it down, or it fries in a plume of white smoke. With
the stock heatsink and a dead or removed fan, it might run longer, but
it still probably won't be able to dump enough heat unless you can get
some air flow over those fins (that's what the fan was doing).
Can anybody tell me whether or not this is possible? The machine has a
heatsink (is this the right word?) of about 10x5x2 cm, with the cooler on
top.

Thanks in advance,

Princess Morgiah

You should probably stop using it and buy yourself a new cooler. If
this is the slot-1 version, it is still possible to replace the
cooler. I've seen instructions on websites for removing the stock
slot-1 cooler. It's actually much easier to put the aftermarket
coolers on than it is to remove the stock cooler. The only problem I
see at this point is that the slot1 replacement coolers might be tough
to find now, given that intel doesn't make slot1 CPUs anymore.
 
MCheu said:
Yes, but not for very long. Less than a second, actually, at which
point, either the thermal protection will kick in (assuming the CPU
has it) and shut it down, or it fries in a plume of white smoke. With
the stock heatsink and a dead or removed fan, it might run longer, but
it still probably won't be able to dump enough heat unless you can get
some air flow over those fins (that's what the fan was doing).

Thanks - I'm looking for a new cooler at the moment. But I just wanted to
reply because the timeframe you gave is WAY off.

I've removed the cooler and let the processor run without it, and it ran
just fine for over 15 minutes, after which I reattached the cooler on a
slightly warmer heatsink, so I guess the second is a bit too far fetched.

Regards,

Princess Morgiah
 
Thanks - I'm looking for a new cooler at the moment. But I just wanted to
reply because the timeframe you gave is WAY off.

I've removed the cooler and let the processor run without it, and it ran
just fine for over 15 minutes, after which I reattached the cooler on a
slightly warmer heatsink, so I guess the second is a bit too far fetched.

Regards,

Princess Morgiah

You say you reattached the cooler on a "slightly warmer heatsink",
which suggests that we might not be talking about the same thing.

A CPU cooler (specifically an air cooled CPU cooler) is the heatsink
and fan, not just the fan.
 
For some reason the thermal glue they used on (at least) the
pentiumIII's that I have is some intense substance intended to
permanently adhere the CPU to the heatsink. The cheesy little fan sits
on top. ('natch) Pentium III's usually take a fan which is 50mm or 60mm
square. (whichever size the heatsink is.) You could try the same
manufacturer, maybe AAVID, or whatever.

On a side note, Pentium II 333Mhz (slot something) were built to run
without fans, just the heatsink. I like that. It's quiet.

If you try to take the heatsink off the CPU, and succeed, please
re-post. I'd like to know your method of seperation. I've had no luck
in this regard, and I would not recommend trying it.

-Homer
 
For some reason the thermal glue they used on (at least) the
pentiumIII's that I have is some intense substance intended to
permanently adhere the CPU to the heatsink. The cheesy little fan sits
on top. ('natch) Pentium III's usually take a fan which is 50mm or 60mm
square. (whichever size the heatsink is.) You could try the same
manufacturer, maybe AAVID, or whatever.

On a side note, Pentium II 333Mhz (slot something) were built to run
without fans, just the heatsink. I like that. It's quiet.

If you try to take the heatsink off the CPU, and succeed, please
re-post. I'd like to know your method of seperation. I've had no luck
in this regard, and I would not recommend trying it.

Run the computer until the heat sink is warm/hot. Turn off the
computer and immediately remove the heat sink clamp. Then rotate the
heat sink slightly clockwise and counterclockwise. This should break
the adhesion between the CPU and heat sink.
 
For some reason the thermal glue they used on (at least) the
pentiumIII's that I have is some intense substance intended to
permanently adhere the CPU to the heatsink. The cheesy little fan sits
on top. ('natch) Pentium III's usually take a fan which is 50mm or 60mm
square. (whichever size the heatsink is.) You could try the same
manufacturer, maybe AAVID, or whatever.

On a side note, Pentium II 333Mhz (slot something) were built to run
without fans, just the heatsink. I like that. It's quiet.

If you try to take the heatsink off the CPU, and succeed, please
re-post. I'd like to know your method of seperation. I've had no luck
in this regard, and I would not recommend trying it.


IIRC, after you get the back plastic casing cover off, there
are a couple of sping-tension clips that catch on slots, the
slots on studs that are pressed into the heat spreader and
pass through the CPU PCB. Once the clips are released
(perhaps the trickiest part, holding them down while prying
up a little tab on each end) the whole spreader + fin
assembly should slip out.

On 3rd party 'sinks there might just be little claws or a
spring clip that passes through the PCB the opposite
direction, catching on the 'sink itself instead of on the
springy part. Once you get the back plastic cover off it
should be easy to see what you're dealing with. If you've
gotten that far and it's still stuck, running it for a few
minutes (or heating the 'sink fins with a hair-dryer) should
soften up the thermal interface pad.
 
I have a Pentium III-500Mhz from which the processor cooler has started to
make a lot of noise. I was wondering if it would be possible to keep the
machine running without the cooler.

It will run for an hour or two at most with just the heatsink and no fan, but it
will get very hot..

Just use a 7v hack for the fan to slow it down:
http://freeweb.siol.net/jerman55/HP/fanStuff1a.htm (20 cents worth of components
and a little soldering)

Also clean the dust off the fan, peel off the sticker on one side, and squirt in
some WD-40 or simmilar spray lubricant (this will quiten it for a little while).

Regards,
Chris
 
Also clean the dust off the fan, peel off the sticker on one side, and squirt in
some WD-40 or simmilar spray lubricant (this will quiten it for a little while).

no no no ! Better to use some "heavy" non abrasive oil or better dense
lithium grease! Those old Intel ball bearing fans if lubed with light
oil or worse with WD-40 became after few weeks even noisier than
before !!! (that irritating high pitched noise!)

If the fan starts w/o problem with only +5V, maybe that would be the
best way to go /more schematics are there under electronics on my
site/... :-) ... 1/3 of RPMs should be enough for that CPUs cooler
IMHO ...
 
It will run for an hour or two at most with just the heatsink and no fan, but it
will get very hot..

Depends quite a bit on whether PIII Katmai or Coppermine,
the former produced over 60% more heat than the latter. A
P3-500 Coppermine is relatively easy to cool passively,
especially if the PSU or rear exhaust had a ductwork/snorkel
directing airflow as many OEMs used.
Just use a 7v hack for the fan to slow it down:
http://freeweb.siol.net/jerman55/HP/fanStuff1a.htm (20 cents worth of components
and a little soldering)

Also clean the dust off the fan, peel off the sticker on one side, and squirt in
some WD-40 or simmilar spray lubricant (this will quiten it for a little while).

Regards,
Chris

Not WD40 which isn't actually a lubricant. Use high
viscosity (think) lube, thick oil approaching (not quite)
grease is preferred, and only if it's a sleeve bearing.
Spraying WD40 into a ball bearing will not only make it
louder (if any actually made it past the bearing seal) but
might ruin it over time.
 
Not WD40 which isn't actually a lubricant. Use high
viscosity (think) lube, thick oil approaching (not quite)
grease is preferred, and only if it's a sleeve bearing.
Spraying WD40 into a ball bearing will not only make it
louder (if any actually made it past the bearing seal) but
might ruin it over time.

Works for me as a quick fix when I have nothing.. tho after a week max it's
worse than before.. so maybe not a great idea..

What about using white grease ? (I have a tube full of the stuff)

Regards,
Chris
 
Works for me as a quick fix when I have nothing.. tho after a week max it's
worse than before.. so maybe not a great idea..

What about using white grease ? (I have a tube full of the stuff)

Regards,
Chris

Well if there were some emergency and the box *HAD* to keep
running and all I had was a can of WD40 and a pair of
galoshes, the WD40 seems like it'd work better.

The ideal lube for a sleeve-bearing fan already worn out
enough to need lubed, evidenced by increase in noise, would
displace the "slack" worn into the bearing, and be thin
enough to seep into the bearingway but thick enough to not
all run back out. Generally when something is called
"grease" it's too thick, but most readily-available oils are
too thin. Between the two I'd choose the thickest oil
possible but as mentioned I chose another alternative, a
synthetic grease that's already fairly thin mixed with just
a little oil. It is more effort than most would need to go
to for a typical 80x 25mm fan but quite beneficial on
difficult fans like those small and thin or non-vertically
mounted, as found on northbridges, video cards, etc.
 
The ideal lube for a sleeve-bearing fan already worn out
enough to need lubed, evidenced by increase in noise, would
displace the "slack" worn into the bearing, and be thin
enough to seep into the bearingway but thick enough to not
all run back out. Generally when something is called
"grease" it's too thick, but most readily-available oils are
too thin. Between the two I'd choose the thickest oil
possible but as mentioned I chose another alternative, a
synthetic grease that's already fairly thin mixed with just
a little oil. It is more effort than most would need to go
to for a typical 80x 25mm fan but quite beneficial on
difficult fans like those small and thin or non-vertically
mounted, as found on northbridges, video cards, etc.

I used a year ago on all my 7 fans (oldest has around 8 years!) an
automotive heavy lithium grease (very thick!), no problems anymore!!!
 
I used a year ago on all my 7 fans (oldest has around 8 years!) an
automotive heavy lithium grease (very thick!), no problems anymore!!!

My success with only grease depended a lot on how much oil
was left in the bearing still... if it was dry already the
grease didn't do so well. A good lubing certainly can make
a difference though, I've pulled fans out of power supply
exhausts that had seized up, the whole PSU baked till it
failed, and after relubing the fans twice (once to flush out
debris) most still work pretty good. I'd not rely on such a
fan for anything important though, but that could also be
largely because I have plenty of fans.
 
kony said:
My success with only grease depended a lot on how much oil
was left in the bearing still... if it was dry already the
grease didn't do so well. A good lubing certainly can make
a difference though, I've pulled fans out of power supply
exhausts that had seized up, the whole PSU baked till it
failed, and after relubing the fans twice (once to flush out
debris) most still work pretty good. I'd not rely on such a
fan for anything important though, but that could also be
largely because I have plenty of fans.
Plenty of fans> A rock star in the making I reckon youd be a pretty cool
guy too huh? Oh please
 
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