HSF replacement question...

[elitney]

I left my comp in a very cold apartment for a week, and when I got back my CPU fan is noisy in a gentle vacuum cleaner sort of way...basically it still is running at the RPM i want, and my cpu is running cool, but the fan is loud...I ASSUME THE BEARING IS RUINED/NEEDS LUBRICANT

I was thinking the cheapest thing would be to replace the fan for my cpu...I was just curious, kinda a noob question...

1) How does one discern what "type" of fan one needs for a stock heatsink fan replacement? (3200+ 939 venice retail in this case)
2) Do I have to replace the heatsink as well? Most online tutorials suggest that one needs to replace contact coolant (e.g. artic silver paste) when replacing the fan, but there isnt any paste between fan and heatsink amirite?

Thanks

 

[Zero82z]

1) How does one discern what "type" of fan one needs for a stock heatsink fan replacement? (3200+ 939 venice retail in this case)

By the size and thickness. Measure the existing fan (in terms of millimetres, not inches) and find a replacement with the same dimensions.

2) Do I have to replace the heatsink as well? Most online tutorials suggest that one needs to replace contact coolant (e.g. artic silver paste) when replacing the fan, but there isnt any paste between fan and heatsink amirite?

Replacing the heatsink isn't necessary, nor is replacing the thermal paste since there is certainly none of that between the heatsink and fan. Just leave the heatsink mounted to the CPU and remove the fan, then replace it with the new fan and you should be good to go.