Zalman CNPS9700 CPU cooler on Intel X38BT install issue

In a previous blog post, we had mentioned a configuration having the Intel X38BT motherboard with the Zalman CNPS9700 CPU cooler: Intel QX9650 Quad Core Extreme has a new cooling solution.

When it comes to installing the Zalman CNPS9700 onto the CPU that is integrated on an Intel X38BT Extreme Board we run into a problem:

Intel X38BT Bottom with Components

There are two electronic components that are stuck to the board right in the path of the Zalman's bottom bracket. When the bracket is placed on the spot it needed to be in on the back of the motherboard, the bracket would not sit flat.

The component on the left does not pose too much of a problem since there is enough wiggle room to get it to sit inside the bracket.

The one on the right however, is sitting right where the outside edge of the bracket runs. There is not enough wiggle room to have the component either fully inside the bracket or outside of the bracket altogether.

So, we needed to make a slight modification to the Zalman's bottom bracket:

Zalman Bottom Bracket with cut out

We shaved a bit of the plastic off of the outside edge of the bracket.

Once in place on the bottom of the motherboard with the cut out lined up with the electronic component, the bracket sat completely flat.

We were able to proceed with mounting the actual heat pipe cooler from there.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.