Can you use a socket 939 cooler on a am2/am3 motherboard?

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erehwon6811

Limp Gawd
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Aug 5, 2004
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I looking at building a new computer. The motherboard I'm choosing is the GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-UD4P. I already have some of the components and one of the things I'm missing is a new cpu cooler. I don't want to use the stock cooler that came with my cpu.

My brother has a Zalman CNPS9500 LED that he's never used. I think it's the 939 version. I was wondering if there is any chance of that being compatible with that motherboard I'm looking at? I doubt it, but I thought I'd ask. He would probably like to get rid of it.
 
chances are good you will be able to use it.....to my understanding the mounting bracket between the AM3 and 939 arnt very different and should work......My dad has a Zalman 9500(dont know if its a 939 version) but it works with his AM2+ mobo, giving great temps.

edit: looks like I was sniped :(
 
Well one thing no one has mentioned yet is if your heatsink doesnt use the bracket (yours might but others reading this should know).

In that case it might not work. 754 and 939 use a 2-hole pattern in the mainboard while AM2 and AM3 use a 4-hole pattern to allow for heavier heat sinks.

Good luck.:)
 
I'll have to check the bracket then. I imagine it would have the 4 hole bracket. This is a large cooler. Well, if it doesn't have the right one, I'll just have to look for another cooler.
 
the bracket shouldnt make a difference if its held in with 2 or 4 screws...the mounting "tabs" should be in the same place regardless, the newer ones just wont fall off as easy :p my 754 system does have only 2 on it to hold it, my AM3 and AM2 both have the four as you mentioned, yet the HS's have the same spacing(by eyeballign it, I dont want to remove the HS on my 754 to test thing :p)
 
I think most of the heatsinks are backwards and forwards compatible because a lot sell it to more than one socket
 
Zalman coolers use the AMD lever for mounting. It'll work, and it's actually not that heavy of a heatsink. I used a 9900, which is a bit heavier than the 9500, with the lever method and it worked just fine. There wasn't any concern of it breaking the clips or falling off.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
Zalman coolers use the AMD lever for mounting. It'll work, and it's actually not that heavy of a heatsink. I used a 9900, which is a bit heavier than the 9500, with the lever method and it worked just fine. There wasn't any concern of it breaking the clips or falling off.
Click to expand...

Problem is I've seen stock coolers bust off the clips before. It is really rare but it happens.

I think people just need to be careful upon installation and not jerk it around too hard and it should be fine.
 
I've seen the clips break off too, but generally it was because the HS was not actually on the heatspreader but was hung up on the side of the plastic bracket and a little cockeyed. If it takes too much pressure to flip the clip, you're doing it wrong.
 
I have just fitted my old 939 Zalman 9500 onto my new Gigabyte AM3 board.

It fits fine. The only difference is the fan and heatsink face down pushing air up.

I just used the exact same clip.
 
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