[QUOTE=Batalov;342501]One thing that got me (I've used the stock cooler just now on the 3570K for a week while the CM612 cooler came in the mail*; and then before that, last time I used the similar stock cooler was 5 years ago ... so I forgot the trick) was that you are only supposed to [URL="http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2047683"]push the pins[/URL] and [B]not do[/B] anything else, when you mount.

Instead I also turned the thingies 90 degrees according to their arrows. (And apparently I am not the only idiot who doesn't RTFM - see some "manuals" on the web: they say that these are the arrows that will help you make it "[URL="http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/338655-28-intel-stock-cooler-installation-guide"]tight[/URL]".) That's not what you want to do - this is for dismounting. Luckily it worked fine for the week and the cooler didn't just pop off in the middle of the night.[/QUOTE]

This idiot just did exactly the same thing - luckily I made sure to re-read the thread before mounting the mobo in the ATX case. What a stupid design - obviously you first stick the 4 thingies in the 4 thingie-holes, then these 4 loud "turn here!" arrows obviously are telling you "lock things down" via the 90-degree turn. It even looks kinda like the corners of the 90-degree-turnie-thingies are "catching" the edge of the heatsink ... and the $^$@!!@^ install manual being almost entirely pictorial ain't very helpful. Hey, idiot manual writers, how about a couple of big pictorial "don't!" X's over the 4 90-degree turn thingies in the install picture?

Man, if these same morons had written the Kama Sutra, there would be a worldwide epidemic of "broken bones", if ya know what I mean. "But dear, the manual clearly shows for me to turn 90 degrees sideways and squeeze very forcefully after insertion..."

...I liked somebody's comments about that stock cooler:
"There's still a dent on my basement wall where I threw that damn thing."

[QUOTE=Batalov;343467]...I liked somebody's comments about that stock cooler:
"There's still a dent on my basement wall where I threw that damn thing."[/QUOTE]

Don't get me wrong, the one on the Sandy Bridge quad I got prebuilt from Mike has worked just fine for 6 months of 24/7 ... but the *install* instructions and "guide arrows" could be just a little less counter-intuitive.

Also, they could have a little fun with the pre-applied strips of "dry" thermal goop on the nickel-sized copper center of the heatsink, maybe form them in a smiley face, or random inspirational messages, or even better, make them like those prize deals inside soda bottle caps: every 10th one has a code that wins the lucky buyer a fabulous prize. (Like a pocket Kama Sutra, perhaps.)

[QUOTE=ewmayer;343468]Don't get me wrong, the one on the Sandy Bridge quad I got prebuilt from Mike has worked just fine for 6 months of 24/7 ... but the *install* instructions and "guide arrows" could be just a little less counter-intuitive.

Also, they could have a little fun with the pre-applied strips of "dry" thermal goop on the nickel-sized copper center of the heatsink, maybe form them in a smiley face, or random inspirational messages, or even better, make them like those prize deals inside soda bottle caps: every 10th one has a code that wins the lucky buyer a fabulous prize. (Like a pocket Kama Sutra, perhaps.)[/QUOTE]

+1 on this. I scraped off the dry thermal paste, applied some of my own. Then had to remove the back side of the case to verify that the stock cooler pins were all twisted the right way. (It felt at any given time like three of them were correct--but they were all seated properly)

But, the cooling results were good if not spectacular. I would have appreciated a Don't Panic symbol.

[QUOTE=chappy;343470]+1 on this. I scraped off the dry thermal paste, applied some of my own. Then had to remove the back side of the case to verify that the stock cooler pins were all twisted the right way. (It felt at any given time like three of them were correct--but they were all seated properly)[/QUOTE]

Have you found the DIY paste to work better than the OEM stuff?

OEM paste is better than toothpaste! ;-)
But other than that, it is the cheapest gunk they can find.

[QUOTE=ewmayer;343513]Have you found the DIY paste to work better than the OEM stuff?[/QUOTE]

Have I done actual tests? No.

Did the other idiot on Legion of Evil for buy an expensive jar of Arctic Silver 5 that has to be better because it's expensive! and comes in industrial sized peanut butter jars? Yes.

So I used it because I have it. And it seems to work great. So at least I know it works.

[QUOTE=Batalov;343517]OEM paste is better than toothpaste! ;-)
But other than that, it is the cheapest gunk they can find.[/QUOTE]



seems to imply that Batalov is correct Toothpaste is better than Chocolate though.

[QUOTE=Batalov;343517]OEM paste is better than toothpaste! ;-)
But other than that, it is the cheapest gunk they can find.[/QUOTE]

A sincere question...

Silver based paste is considered superior.

Are there yet available pastes based on the carbon forms which show remarkable thermal and electrical connectivity; which we humans have recently discovered we can produce (Buckminsterfullerene, nanotubes, graphene, etc)?

[QUOTE=chalsall;343525]A sincere question...

Silver based paste is considered superior.

Are there yet available pastes based on the carbon forms which show remarkable thermal and electrical connectivity; which we humans have recently discovered we can produce (Buckminsterfullerene, nanotubes, graphene, etc)?[/QUOTE]

IC Diamond 7 Carat claims to be mostly powdered industrial diamond. I have it on my CPU heatsink right now. I can't say it's better than Arctic Silver 5, but the break in period is stated as 2 hours, instead of 200 with a number of heat-cool cycles for AS5.

[QUOTE=kladner;343530]IC Diamond 7 Carat claims to be mostly powdered industrial diamond. I have it on my CPU heatsink right now. I can't say it's better than Arctic Silver 5, but the break in period is stated as 2 hours, instead of 200 with a number of heat-cool cycles for AS5.[/QUOTE]

plus, it's diamonds! which are a thermal's best friend.