Question About Dell Heatsinks

[Peter Cavan]

Hi all
I have a Dell Dimension 8300 with a CPU that is cooled via a stock HS and a
ducted case fan. I am not sure if I want to replace the HS, but what I want
to know is, how do I get the bloody thing off?! It uses 2 strips of green
plastic down each side which can be pressed in, but even when pressed the HS
doesn't budge. I know stable is good, but I can't see how it can be removed
without harming the CPU itself. I have looked on Dell's Knowledge Base but
there doesn't seem to be anything relevant.
Thanks for any help or advice
Peter Cavan

 

[Sylvain Lafontaine]

Maybe the following will help you:

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim8300/sm/mprcsr.htm

I'm not sure but I think that you must have a valid service tag to logon on
this page.

S. L.

 

[Brett]

if it ain`t broke , don`t touch it.....
simple...
what`s your reason for doing this in the first place ?

brett...

 

[TC]

/\/\/\/\
Those 2 strips of green plastic on each side are retention clips. You
need to lift the retention clips up ... (don't push down on them). Once
they are open you can lift the heat sink out.

There are excellent drawings of this whole operation at Dell support.

Just go to

http://support.dell.com/home.aspx

put in the model number (8300); and look at the online service manual. I
just did and it shows the operation in great detail.

You don't have to put any machine ID or have any special registration or
membership to look at the documentation ... it is available for anyone
who wants to look.

campbell

 

[Lester Horwinkle]

Precisely. But some people insist on "If it aint broke, let's try to break
it."

 

[kony]

Precisely. But some people insist on "If it aint broke, let's try to break
it."

IIRC, he'd previously been concerned about the video card heat level,
installed a slot-fan, which significantly decreased airflow through
the Dell-proprietary ducted cooling system. As a result he saw
instability.

This was in a previous thread, maybe 2 months ago. A few suggestions
by various posters included using an active (fanned) heatsink and/or
adding an intake fan to the case.

Another option which I don't recall anyone mentioning is that if he
removed that slot-cooler but left the slot-cover off, it would be an
additional air-intake, moving air past the video card AND resulting in
more air out the rear ductwork & through the CPU 'sink. However this
likely reduces airflow around the HDD(s).


Dave

 

[Peter Cavan]

Hi
Kony, couple o' things. Instability went DOWN when I added the slot fan. It
also allowed me to OC the vid card to far higher levels. I don't have the
slot fan in anymore (In an older system which has a fanless vid card), but 2
open PCI slots below the AGP slot to let the air out. There is nowhere to
add another case fan, and I am looking at the possiblity of adding an active
HSF, that's why I needed to know how to get the HS off. So your advice is a
bit out of date.
PC

 

[Peter Cavan]

Hi
Thanks a lot for the info campbell, I was looking at the UK site. I actually
had the guide DLed, but I forgot about it, deep in my documents.
Thanks
PC

 

[S.Lewis]

Hi
Thanks a lot for the info campbell, I was looking at the UK site. I actually
had the guide DLed, but I forgot about it, deep in my documents.
Thanks
PC

And just for the record, the 43XX through 83XX case is sufficiently
ventilated for a stock configuration, but that's about it.

The rear CPU fan is forcing air out, but where is the air designed to enter
the chassis? Have a peek next to the front USB/audio connect behind the
bezel door.

That's about it, other than what little air can sneak around the optical
drives, floppy, and/or cracks in bezel panels.


Point being, if you're going to seriously mod. a system, get a case that
breathes.


Stew

 

[Peter Cavan]

Hi
Yeah, I know, cooling-wise its a crap case. The air has to go through all
sorts of bends to get in at the botom. It would make a lot of sense to add a
fan down there, on the inside of the case to get air in, but Dell haven't
put on any holes so it would be hard to get it on. I would add one of those
5.25" coolers, but I already have 2 optical drives.
Thanks
PC

 

[TC]

And just for the record, the 43XX through 83XX case is sufficiently

ventilated for a stock configuration, but that's about it.

The rear CPU fan is forcing air out, but where is the air designed to
enter the chassis? Have a peek next to the front USB/audio connect
behind the bezel door.

That's about it, other than what little air can sneak around the
optical drives, floppy, and/or cracks in bezel panels.


Point being, if you're going to seriously mod. a system, get a case
that breathes.


Stew

/\/\/\/\/\
Actually, these cases are pretty cool (intended pun). There is quite a
large amount of area grill under the front flap as indicated. The top
(ceiling) grill area behind the flap is not that obvious .. and just
looking in there it appears that everything is flowing through the rear
of this of this compartment.

Also, there is an open grill area in the rear of the chassis next to the
card slot tops (about 1x4 inches).

The power supply fan exhausts air directly out of the chassis as does
the ducted CPU fan (instead of just recirculating air the air around it
.... many aftermarket cases offer direct extraction of CPU heat via a fan
mounted in the left side of the cabinet .. directly on top of the CPU
heatsink but the duct has a "DELL" patent).

In addition .. the P4 protects itself against overheating ... as it
nears critical temp it begins skipping clock cycles (this is how some
people discover they have non-working fans) and ultimately it will halt
completely (at "thermtrip" - 135 degrees centigrade).

campbell

references:

microATX Thermal Design Suggestions Revision 1.0 - and -
microATX Small System Thermal Acoustic Design Guide Revision 1.1
copies available at -
http://www.formfactors.org/FFDetail.asp?FFID=2&CatID=9

Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with 512-KB L2 Cache on 0.13 Micron Process
Thermal Design Guidelines Design Guide
copy available at -
http://intel.com/design/pentium4/guides/252161.htm

 

[kony]

/\/\/\/\/\
Actually, these cases are pretty cool (intended pun).

Actually they aren't, or this thread wouldn't exist.


Dave

 

[Peter Cavan]

Very true, dave.
PC

 

[TC]

Actually they aren't, or this thread wouldn't exist.


Dave

/\/\/\
Well ... everybody is different and needs to do whatever works for them.

The referenced thermal recommendation PDF speaks for itself ... Any
expert who's abilities exceed those of the document authors should have
no problem removing the "DELL" disk on the side panel and making it an
air intake. Otherwise they will find the cooling solutions presented in
the documentation extremely similar to this Dell case.

There are plenty of clone cases around for anyone who wants them (the
holes will line up on a 4550 motherboard and others in this case style)
but then I don't see the point of hanging around a Dell forum.

My error ... I thought the thread was legitimate ... not a troll.

campbell

 

[S.Lewis]

/\/\/\
Well ... everybody is different and needs to do whatever works for them.

The referenced thermal recommendation PDF speaks for itself ... Any
expert who's abilities exceed those of the document authors should have
no problem removing the "DELL" disk on the side panel and making it an
air intake. Otherwise they will find the cooling solutions presented in
the documentation extremely similar to this Dell case.

There are plenty of clone cases around for anyone who wants them (the
holes will line up on a 4550 motherboard and others in this case style)
but then I don't see the point of hanging around a Dell forum.

My error ... I thought the thread was legitimate ... not a troll.

campbell

My point is that the case provides more than sufficient cooling for the
system in its' default configuration, or likely even if an additional hard
disk or video card upgrade is performed.

In the case of actual overclocking, as with retail boards, I wouldn't
consider purchasing such a case (if such were possible) due to the lack of
ventilation. It's not designed for that. Sure, the case could be cut,
hacked, drilled, etc. But that seems pointless given the great number of
quality cases out there with plenty of designed vents. Different animal from
an OEM system.

The thread is not a troll, but I feel sure you know that.


Stew

 

[Peter Cavan]

Hi
This thread is DEFINITELY NOT A TROLL. Just thought I should make that clear
for anyone who was wondering. Also, I don't see what removing the side plate
on the case has to do with the Original Post (how to get the HS off).
PC

 

[S.Lewis]

Hi
This thread is DEFINITELY NOT A TROLL. Just thought I should make that clear
for anyone who was wondering. Also, I don't see what removing the side plate
on the case has to do with the Original Post (how to get the HS off).
PC

The graphic is actually pretty close:

http://docs.us.dell.com/docs/systems/dim8300/sm/mprcsr.htm#1104414


Stew