HSF install, what am I doing wrong?! (Pics.)

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 22:38

OK so this is my first attempt at fitting a non-stock CPU cooler, and it's proving to be a complete disaster so far

It's a Gelid Tranquillo Rev. 2, the board is an Asrock Extreme4 Gen3.

The problem is that there doesn't seem to be enough excess thread on the 4 screws pushed through from the back for the spring nut to latch onto. But I can't tighten the stand-offs any more without starting to bend the backplate or, even worse, damaging the board!

Have I even got the backplate in the right orientation?!
What the hell am I doing wrong?!

Photos below, sorry for bad quality, the light isn't great here.

Notice that the illustrations in the instructions suggest there should be plenty of excess thread for me to play with:

Thanks in advance!

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:10

Do I possibly need to remove the backplate that's already on the board? Or is that not even a backplate?!

Ginger-Menace · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:15

what mobo socket is it? do you have the screws in the right holes? can the back plate be turned over? ive never use this cooler befor just giving ideas

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:18

Ginger-Menace said:
what mobo socket is it? do you have the screws in the right holes? can the back plate be turned over? ive never use this cooler befor just giving ideas

Socket is 1155.

Cooler has holes for 1366, 1155/1156, and 755 - pretty sure I'm using the right hole! (The middle one.)

Back plate can't be turned over as there's tape on one side to stop it from shorting any contacts - this is the face which is in contact with the rear of the motherboard.

Cheers

Ginger-Menace · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:19

try turning it, put the bottom bit at the top, i remember the back plate on my megahalems was a bit tricky, can you possibly wiggle it in to place?

Ginger-Menace · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:26

also make sure you havnt use the wrong spacers

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:26

I just found a photo of the backplate in someone else's review, and they've installed it the opposite way round to what the manual says?! (i.e. with the insulation tape on the opposite side to the motherboard contacts, where it's utterly useless)

http://www.dreamwarecomputers.com/i...-review&catid=5:cooling&Itemid=2&limitstart=4 (second photo)

I wonder if mine would fit that way round.. it can't be safe though, surely? What about shorts?

Surveyor · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:33

From what I can see you just put the screws with springs straight into the backplate.

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:35

All sorted - I put the backplate the same way round as in the second photo here - http://www.dreamwarecomputers.com/i...-review&catid=5:cooling&Itemid=2&limitstart=4 - after realising that there was also insulating tape on that side where the plate makes contact.

It's now seated perfectly with no shorts and no bending.

Happy days, on with the build!

Cheers all

Ginger-Menace · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:38

nice one! happy building!

chigley · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:40

Ginger-Menace said:
nice one! happy building!

Cheers

Knew it'd have been something stupid!
Shouldn't (fingers crossed!) have any problems with the rest of the build as I've done everything else many times in the past - I'm just a bit of an aftermarket HSF noob!

Ginger-Menace · 10 Sep 2011 at 23:41

lol dont worry, took me about an hour to put mine on lol