Cooling lapped my q6600 (pics and temp results)

Well, after lapping my HS, I've had this nagging little voice in my head telling me to do the same from the CPU. I did the job with 800 grit sandpaper. Initially, I told myself I'd just buff what's there right now just to see if it's level. After about 30 laps in one direction and 30 in the other direction I discovered I had quite a concave IHS. So I just kept at it. Two 9x11 pieces of 800 grit later paper later I was left with a darn flat layer of copper looking back at me. I finished the job and put a mild shine on it with a sheet of 1000 grit I got from the local auto parts store just for the f*ck of it.

Here are a few pics and the temp. results I got from lapping both my CPU and HS. I would recommend that anyone wanting the best $20 decrease in temps should consider lapping both the CPU and HS.

Hardware details: Q6600 @ 9x333 and vcore of 1.2625V in the BIOS, P5B Deluxe (vdroop modded) cooled w/ an Ultra-120 Extreme (lapped) with Scythe/s-flex SFF21F 1600RPM fan, in a P182 case:

Temp results:

Each temp. point represents an average of data collected over approx. 1 h time period during the 2nd pass of a 2-pass x264 encode of a 720x480 DVD source using a high quality video profile. Data points were logged by Coretemp every 3-4 seconds over this time period. The average CPU usage was >99 % on all 4 cores throughout the experiments. Also room temp was between 20-22 °C.

After about 5 minutes of lapping in each direction with 800 grit. You can see how the nickel plating has come off around the edges first which shows you just how concave this thing really was:


After more lapping most of the nickel plating has been removed expect in the really low areas (the camera flash fired so close to the chip makes all the scratches show up much more so than they do under normal light):


Switched to 1000 grit, here's the result:


Another angle shows the nice dull reflection, still very so slightly concave at the extreme edges, but good enough for me:


I would recommend that anyone wanting the best $20 decrease in temps should consider lapping both the CPU and HS.

 

Wow, that's some improvement!

 

Seconded, I'm tempted to check the IHS's on all the processors I've got. I'm not brave enough to try lapping them myself though so kudos, and nice to see the results.

 

I might do that to the E2160 in my second rig, but no way I'd have balls to go lap a Q6600. Did you use some tape to cover the bottom side? And wet/dry sanding?

 

You can cut the IHS off of those like you could with the X2/Opteron line.

Go grab a couple of thin razors, some acetone and google it up

 

don't think i would be brave enough to do it to a q6600, not even my 6550!!! but nice work! seems the effort is worth it for that few extra degrees!!!

 

Only problem with an un-IHS'd chip is that you need an adjustable height mounting cooler.

One thing I've always wondered though, can you use the same tension with no IHS? Assuming even core pressure, of course...

 

The wink was to show sarcasm, as the guy had already said he wouldn't lap a Q6600, I very much doubt he'd have run off to grab the blades lol.

But on a serious note, you make a good point Krikkit. It's something I tend to either not worry about or forget, as I'm on water and generally, most water blocks are "height adjustable" in essence, as default. As for core pressure, the greatest risk, as you stated is uneven pressure. Exposed dies are suprisingly easy to crack or chip (yes, I've done it ). The essential thing is to ensure that the block/hsf is tightened as evenly as humanly possible and only until it feels "tight".

Obviously the term "tight" isn't particularly useful in this context and probably the least helpful piece of advice I can give . What I mean by tight though, is not to overtighten it. Once you feel the fittings starting to get tight, just "nip" them up a little and see how secure your fitting is by trying very gently to move it (taking care not to crack the core with uneven pressure). If it doesn't move, you're set. I'd genrally go quite a bit tighter on a chip with an IHS than one with an exposed die (or dies).

 

I used to run an opteron 165 nekkid. Bolted down the waterblock just as tightly, maybe even a bit more so to ensure that it stays in place. So long as the pressure is even you're pretty safe - the second you get a bit of uneevn pressure on the core you can chip one of the corners (which is a bad thing).

I'm running a P4 server naked as well (needed to steal the IHS to use on a naked P-M with a non-adjustable heatsink), but I tend to not care about that one as if it breaks its cheap as chips (pun not actually intended) to replace, the opteron was around £250 at the time though IIRC, so I was quite careful with that'n

I did consider de-lidding my Q6600, but my block would probably fare better with the IHS than without.

edit: and beaten to the punch as well - what he said ^^

 

Lol @ me and Tad having a completely different view on the "tightness".

Maybe you have bigger balls sir?

 

Hmm... Food for thought perhaps... I've been thinking about delidding this X2 for a while now, but I can't decide if it's worth the effort... I suppose it's not really, seenas it works perfectly well as-is.

 

I did tighten it until it felt "right", as you say, but I noticed that there was some tension from the connected tubing that was trying to tilt the block a little to one side. I worried that a bump to it could crack the core, so tightened a bit more and it was sorted.

and my balls are huge xD

Krikkit - do it! It really is a lot easier than it sounds. Just make sure you get the realy thin and flexible razor blades, and have a couple drinks before hand if you're a bit shaky

 

Ah, that explains it

And Krikkit: only do it if you stand to gain something from it - be it lower temps, higher overclock etc. That said, I think my personal reason was just to see if I could.

 

That, and they grow slightly every time you de-lid, voltmod or otherwise physically hack hardware

 

Lol, so the volt-modded GTX must've boosted them up somewhat? One more hardware hack and it'll be new pants for me!

 

motherboards are the best for that, smallest solder points. Though I've not found anything that needs attacking the P5K Premium

 

Smaller? Tad, you have a GTX. Take a look at the size of the resistor for the vGPU mod when you get home and show me a smaller one on a motherboard for any vCore/vDrop/vDroop etc modification. That primarion chip is like 5mm^2 at most.



I had to file my soldering iron to a point to get that bad boy on! It was the crowning glory of my (admittedly short) modding experience.

And yeah, the P5K Premium is a sweet board (apart from the sata positioning!)

Oh and sorry for the completely off topic tangent this thread has headed down.

 

WA. Come and do my GTX's for me. CBA to break them myself.

 

If I'm honest I'd be too scared to touch somebody else's (that sounds odd)

It took a couple of beers and some clapping to get myself ready to do my own and even then I was convinced I was going to break it.

EDIT: Oh good lord, and I've just remembered I still haven't sent you that I/O panel. Even though it's free it's kinda taking the piss now. You still need it Alex?

 

The difference being that in oppys the core is in contatc with the HS by some thermal paste whereas the C2Ds are welded to the HS. Also if someone decides to take the couple of drinks and attack their processors with razor blades then I'd recommend to see some guide. Preferrably already before drinking. There are also some SMD parts under the HS, and most likely you don't want to cut those away.

(ummh not like I had experience of either oppys or removing the HS, but I've seen some guides... )