Incompatible HSF size

I bought a boxed Intel motherboard D945GCZ (which is a microBTX form
factor) and a boxed Intel D 920. The intel support website says these
are compatible, and both boxes cite a program compatability guide of
"05A". Besides, i placed the processor on the motherboard
and know it fits. However, when i tried installing the heatsink fan,
it would not mount because it is clearly a different size. I think
the CPU fan that came with my processor is for an ATX motherboard
because it is shaped like a square. the 4 pegs which go into the
motherboard are about 2 inches apart on each side. When i measured my
motherboard's pegs, i noticed its a rectangle (about 3x5 inches). Can
anyone please help me with this issue? Do i just have to buy a btx
heatsink or is my processor incompatible and how would i know the
correct size of the HSF which i should buy?

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 18:31:52 GMT, lid (ekadziela) wrote:

I bought a boxed Intel motherboard D945GCZ (which is a microBTX form
factor) and a boxed Intel D 920. The intel support website says these
are compatible, and both boxes cite a program compatability guide of
"05A". Besides, i placed the processor on the motherboard
and know it fits. However, when i tried installing the heatsink fan,
it would not mount because it is clearly a different size. I think
the CPU fan that came with my processor is for an ATX motherboard
because it is shaped like a square. the 4 pegs which go into the
motherboard are about 2 inches apart on each side. When i measured my
motherboard's pegs, i noticed its a rectangle (about 3x5 inches). Can
anyone please help me with this issue? Do i just have to buy a btx
heatsink or is my processor incompatible and how would i know the
correct size of the HSF which i should buy?

This is the ultimate and guaranteed cure for your problem:

1. Return both the board and the CPU
2. Buy any Socket 939 board fitting your case (there are boards
fitting even SFF). Buy any Athlon 64 fitting your budget (you'll be
better off with X2 IMHO).
3. Let this be a lesson for you and others: never buy anything from
Intel, at least until they change their ways. D920 is not a good buy
because equally or even somewhat less priced A64 (that should be 3700
or 3800, can't tell off the top of my head) will outperform it hands
down, and the board it goes into will cost less as well. Oh, yeah,
you'll be also saving on the electricity bill for the life of your PC.
As for Intel-branded boards, they are always overpriced and
under-featured, and made these days in Taiwan anyway, if not in
mainland China, so you'll be better off with any offering of any
reputed board maker such as Asus or MSI.

NNN

On Mon, 17 Apr 2006 18:31:52 GMT, lid (ekadziela) wrote:

I bought a boxed Intel motherboard D945GCZ (which is a microBTX form
factor) and a boxed Intel D 920. The intel support website says these
are compatible, and both boxes cite a program compatability guide of
"05A". Besides, i placed the processor on the motherboard
and know it fits. However, when i tried installing the heatsink fan,
it would not mount because it is clearly a different size. I think
the CPU fan that came with my processor is for an ATX motherboard
because it is shaped like a square. the 4 pegs which go into the
motherboard are about 2 inches apart on each side. When i measured my
motherboard's pegs, i noticed its a rectangle (about 3x5 inches). Can
anyone please help me with this issue? Do i just have to buy a btx
heatsink or is my processor incompatible and how would i know the
correct size of the HSF which i should buy?

It sounds like you purchased the ATX version of the Intel Pentium D
920 boxed processor, you would require the BTX version of the Pentium
D 920. From Intel's notes about processor compatibility for this
motherboard:

"These Intel boxed processors currently include either a BTX Thermal
Module or an ATX Thermal Module. A BTX Thermal Module is required for
this desktop board."

The product code of the processor you need is: BX80553920T. It is
likely that the product code you purchased was: BX80553920 which is
FAR more common. You might be able to exchange the processor through
your retailer for the correct boxed kit. Alternatively you could try
to find yourself a BTX Thermal Module, but those are VERY rare (even
more rare than BTX motherboards, BTX retail processor kits or BTX
cases).

-------------
Tony Hill
hilla underscore 20 at yahoo dot ca

The product code of the processor you need is: BX80553920T. It is
likely that the product code you purchased was: BX80553920 which is
FAR more common. You might be able to exchange the processor
through
your retailer for the correct boxed kit. Alternatively you could
try
to find yourself a BTX Thermal Module, but those are VERY rare
(even
more rare than BTX motherboards, BTX retail processor kits or BTX
cases).


Yes that is true, my product code is: BX80553920SL94S. If i buy the
BTX Thermal Module, do you think my processor will still work?

As for the other CPU/Motherboards, i bought all this stuff on ebay and
opened it already so that will probably be a hassle to return and
since i've spent some money i don't want to go through that process
all over again. I'd just like to find the cheapest and easiest
solution to my problem. I've found a couple places online that sell
the BTX thermal module, i just wanted to know if my processor will
work cause i don't feel like sending it back unless i really have to.

ekadziela wrote:
the BTX thermal module, i just wanted to know if my processor will
work cause i don't feel like sending it back unless i really have to.

Yes.

The processor is the same; you just need a compatible HSF. The Intel fans
are pretty good, and right now as far as I can tell they're the only game in
town on BTX - but you might see if anyone (Zalman, Arctic, etc) in the
quality aftermarket game has started making a BTX fan kit - odds are it
would be better, and when sold as a one-off probably no more expensive.

--
Nate Edel http://www.cubiclehermit.com/

"What's the use of yearning for Elysian Fields when you know you can't get
'em, and would only let 'em out on building leases if you had 'em?" (WSG)