• Some users have recently had their accounts hijacked. It seems that the now defunct EVGA forums might have compromised your password there and seems many are using the same PW here. We would suggest you UPDATE YOUR PASSWORD and TURN ON 2FA for your account here to further secure it. None of the compromised accounts had 2FA turned on.
    Once you have enabled 2FA, your account will be updated soon to show a badge, letting other members know that you use 2FA to protect your account. This should be beneficial for everyone that uses FSFT.

Lapped CPUs?

Do you lap your CPUs?

  • No, I'm hesitant about lapping my CPU

    Votes: 13 35.1%

  • Yeah, I've got one lapped

    Votes: 9 24.3%

  • Hell yeah, I lap all of them. Screw the warranty!

    Votes: 4 10.8%

  • I don't care about temps. I put them in and fold for teh [H]orde

    Votes: 11 29.7%
  • Total voters
    37
Axdrenalin

Axdrenalin

[H]ard|DCer of the Month - Nov. 2009
2FA
Joined
Jan 28, 2004
Messages
6,301
I'm finding a lot of the Q6600 CPU's I've ordered have concave / convex IHS mounted to them. Out of the last three I've received - all retail - My initial temps using several different HSF's have been a bit higher than I like (not extreme, but low-mid 60's). The three units I've used here is a Zalman 9500, a Scythe Mine and the TRUE.

So the question I have is simple. How many of you lap your CPU's and do you have multiple lapped CPU's installed. Do you worry about voiding the warranty, and do you think it'll have an effect on the resale value of them should you upgrade?
 
I only lap the cpu if the cores show temps like this. 50c 60c 50c 60c that is a dead tail sign that there is warps in either your HSF or your CPU lid.

Honeslty I think People that know won't mind it being lapped. As long as they can pull up CPUZ-ID etc on them and know what they are getting.

 
Sunin,
Nice thinking. So, those are the temps on the 4 cores (all folding of course)?

Fold on!

 
Axdrenalin said:
So the question I have is simple. How many of you lap your CPU's and do you have multiple lapped CPU's installed. Do you worry about voiding the warranty, and do you think it'll have an effect on the resale value of them should you upgrade?
Click to expand...
Several of my systems have lapped processors and HSFs, especially where I know heat will be a major problem. Warranty is not an issue because I rarely if ever sell a processor alone. Not many people are concerned about a warranty when purchasing used components anyway. The components are old and chances are that the warranty no longer applies, unless you have frequent upgrades.

 
I personally don't... I don't have any problem with it, and I don't think I would hesitate to buy a lapped CPU from a member here.... but I don't currently have any of my boxen OC'd enough to warrant the need to go to that extreme...

 
Celerator said:
Sunin,
Nice thinking. So, those are the temps on the 4 cores (all folding of course)?

Fold on!

Click to expand...

Yeah all my TRUE'd cpu's never break 55, but that was an example I want to lapp another I have but am waiting for the Q9450 before doing that.

If the temps are within 2-3c I'm ok without lapping. I have a killer Q6600 that is at 3.6 on 1.275v to the core and its seeing about a 9c flux, so I'm going to lap it soon. Then I'm going for 4Ghz on it. I bet it can do it before hitting 1.4v :)



 
Sunin said:
Yeah all my TRUE'd cpu's never break 55, but that was an example I want to lapp another I have but am waiting for the Q9450 before doing that.

If the temps are within 2-3c I'm ok without lapping. I have a killer Q6600 that is at 3.6 on 1.275v to the core and its seeing about a 9c flux, so I'm going to lap it soon. Then I'm going for 4Ghz on it. I bet it can do it before hitting 1.4v :)



Click to expand...

I lapped one of my TRUE HSF's today in an attempt to get the temps down on the new quad I got from Fry's. the TRUE was warped a lot worse than it looked out of the box. It also looks like the CPU might need a lap job too, because the situation you mentioned above is still an issue where the cores are showing different temps (cores 0,1 showing a 4-5C higher temp than cores 2,3) My temps are showing mid-high 50's, but I'm thinking it might be because of the CPU IHS.

I'm a bit reluctant to try to go to 3.6 right now. I run all of mine a 3.0Ghz, and my temps are all in mid-high 50's. That temp is no big deal I know, but it sure would be nice to hit 3.6 and keep the temps at / about the same. ;)

BTW - where did you go Sunin? I haven't seen you in my threat list in a few days....

 
Lets say you lap your cpu and heatsink to a nice finish. Do you still use thermal paste?
 
bigdogchris said:
Lets say you lap your cpu and heatsink to a nice finish. Do you still use thermal paste?
Click to expand...
Absolutely. Use it sparingly but with complete coverage. The razor blade technique is a popular one.
 
bigdogchris said:
Would you say it's safe to use less paste then?
Click to expand...
Yes. After a good lap on both surfaces, some users apply so little that the amount is translucently thin. The surfaces have to be very smooth, though.
 
What's a good method to lap a heatsink? I can't seem to think of a way to be able to hold it perfectly flush with the sand paper.
 
bigdogchris said:
What's a good method to lap a heatsink? I can't seem to think of a way to be able to hold it perfectly flush with the sand paper.
Click to expand...

well there are specialized machines that do this kinda stuff, they have a electromagnet to hold the part to be "lapped".
 
leSLIe said:
btw, why is this thread on Distributed Computing? :confused:
Click to expand...
Good question. Systems that fold 24/7 use more processing power than just about any other system. Too much heat production is always a major concern. With the SMP client especially, anything that would increase stability even if it's relatively minor is welcome.

bigdogchris said:
What's a good method to lap a heatsink? I can't seem to think of a way to be able to hold it perfectly flush with the sand paper.
Click to expand...
I just use circular motions with successively finer grit paper. I used to employ figure-8 motion, but that wasn't nearly as effective because it tended to produce uneven results with rounded off edges and was slower overall. YMMV.
 
Kendrak said:
Because this is a practical application of many different skills
Click to expand...
Totally agree. Folding is a project that utilizes every computer hobbyist skill one can think of from case modification, to elaborate cooling techniques, to creative use of work space (a la Sunin and others) to software optimization etc. It runs the gamut.
 
APOLLO said:
I just use circular motions with successively finer grit paper. I used to employ figure-8 motion, but that wasn't nearly as effective because it tended to produce uneven results with rounded off edges and was slower overall. YMMV.
Click to expand...
I could set my heat sink upside down, which steadies it. Then get a small block and wrap a piece around that and go in a circle and just keep replacing the sand paper as needed.

Thanks.
 
bigdogchris said:
I could set my heat sink upside down, which steadies it. Then get a small block and wrap a piece around that and go in a circle and just keep replacing the sand paper as needed..
Click to expand...
Sounds good, I might give that a try. Actually, I was going to do another set of CPU+HSF soon. Let us know how it goes.
 
The best way to lap the heatsink is to use a flat surface, put the sandpaper on it and then rub the base of the heatsink across the sandpaper keeping the base flat on the sandpaper. Doing it any other way is likely to leave parts of the base uneven.

I lapped the heatspreader on one of my Q6600s just because it was out as I was lapping the TRUE at the time. It didn't need it as it was flat to begin with but I said to hell with it. I voided the 3 year warranty in the process but I don't really care about that. The CPU has been running just fine for a while with perfect stability so it's highly unlikely I would ever need to RMA it anyway.

 
Well for my heat sink, I can't lap it on a flat surface because of the push pins. What I am doing is getting a 2x4 and having the edge ripped so it's square. Will tape the sand paper to that and hold the cooler flush to that and lap it that way. I tested it and it works, I just need to get the 2x4 piece squared and more wet/dry sand paper. When I get my cpu back, I'll do that by just taping the sand paper to the table. I read somewhere to use distilled water for the lube on that so it won't damage the cpu in case it's not fully dried when you reinstall it.
 
bigdogchris said:
Well for my heat sink, I can't lap it on a flat surface because of the push pins. What I am doing is getting a 2x4 and having the edge ripped so it's square. Will tape the sand paper to that and hold the cooler flush to that and lap it that way. I tested it and it works, I just need to get the 2x4 piece squared and more wet/dry sand paper. When I get my cpu back, I'll do that by just taping the sand paper to the table. I read somewhere to use distilled water for the lube on that so it won't damage the cpu in case it's not fully dried when you reinstall it.
Click to expand...

Last CPU I lapped got dried out good with a hair dryer before about 10 minutes before I reinstalled it...just in case. ;)
 
Axdrenalin said:
Last CPU I lapped got dried out good with a hair dryer before about 10 minutes before I reinstalled it...just in case. ;)
Click to expand...
I've heard that can seriously damage CPU's. Silly I know since they run hotter than that. I'll just use a little bit of water, and keep the cpu tray on, just in case.

My goal is the run <30 @ idle and low 40's @ load and @ <55 @ 3.6ghz (3ghz stock)
 
Personally, I think everyone who folds should at least lap the HSFs. There are so many imperfect HSFs out there that most have room for improvement, even models considered the best coolers such as the TRUE. Modern processors are not as crucial for lapping, but lapping both can result in tangible gains in applications running full bore 24/7 like F@H. Every little bit helps.
 
That digital_exhaust, he has ways of making you... fold!

 
I had someone trying to selling me a lapped P4 3.2EE, however when he showed me a screenshot it only had 512kb of L2, this was years ago so my memory is vague on it, but I think I even remotely logged in to the PC and checked CPU-Z myself. (he gave me the username/pass, etc) He was trying to tell me he thought maybe it was a BIOS issue, anyway, I didn't buy the thing, b/c it was a 3.2C he was trying to pass off.

Thats my only issue with lapped CPU's. Sometimes people are trying to pass things off they're not. But you can't hide the name string thats embedded in the CPU!!
 
Thought about lapping my Quad, but there is only 3-4C temp disparity and all cores are still under 60C. Overclock is unstable over 3.4, not due to temp so I left it alone.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top