A guide to upgrading cpu cooler / heatsink in Dimension E521

Nice rig you got there, and great news that i can change the cooler of my e521!

Going to buy the new cpu cooler ASAP, then my Ati Sapphire 4850 will finaly fit !  :emotion-1:

But i have a question, what do  you mean with : 'Use two mounting brackets' ?

@ this photo , http://img362.imageshack.us/img362/4920/hs2hb5.jpg

Gr, Bart (from holland ! :emotion-1: )

Thanks,

The mounting bars fit the Dell motherboard with some adjustment (bending and shortening them with pliers). But the distance between them is longer than it would be on most motherboards. The regular installation will not fit, the heatsink with mounting brackets will not reach the mounting bars on the Dell board. I solved this problem by connecting two mounting brackets on top of each other on each side of the heatsink. (I also had to bend them somewhat to screw them on to the mounting bars). I only used parts included with the cooler.

http://noctua.at/pdf/manuals/noctua_nh_u9b_manual_en.pdf

D. Ellison

Hi, thanks for the quick respons!

So if I understaind correctly, everything you need (except for some tools and bending 'skills') is included with the cooler ? :emotion-1:

My rig btw,

Dell e521,

Amd X2 5000+ @ 2,6Ghz

4 GB Team-Elite PC6400

(for the moment) 8600GTS OC

320GB intern HDD, 160GB extern HDD.

OCZ 600 Watt

2 80mm out-take fans.

Greetings from holland, Bart.

Yeah,

You just need a screwdriver, a pair of pliers and; 2 screws, 2 washers and 2 nuts (http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/2507/scvz9.jpg)

to put the two mounting brackets together.

/

Hi, thanks for the quick respons!

So if I understaind correctly, everything you need (except for some tools and bending 'skills') is included with the cooler ? :emotion-1:

My rig btw,

Dell e521,

Amd X2 5000+ @ 2,6Ghz

4 GB Team-Elite PC6400

(for the moment) 8600GTS OC

320GB intern HDD, 160GB extern HDD.

OCZ 600 Watt

2 80mm out-take fans.

Greetings from holland, Bart.

Hi, thanks for the quick respons!

So if I understaind correctly, everything you need (except for some tools and bending 'skills') is included with the cooler ? :emotion-1:

My rig btw,

Dell e521,

Amd X2 5000+ @ 2,6Ghz

4 GB Team-Elite PC6400

(for the moment) 8600GTS OC

320GB intern HDD, 160GB extern HDD.

OCZ 600 Watt

2 80mm out-take fans.

Greetings from holland, Bart.

Hi, thanks for the quick respond!

Allright, so if I understaind correctley, everything (except tools and bending 'skills') is included with the cooler,

needed to get it on the dell mobo?

My system btw,

Dell e521

Amd x2 5000+ 2,6Ghz (stock speed, no bios updates done yet, so no over clocking ..)

4 GB Team Elite PC6400

GeForce 8600GTS (going to be a Ati HD4850!)

320GB HDD

OCZ StealtXtreme 600 Watt

2 80mm out-take fans.

Greetings from Holland, Bart.

Hi!

Strangly i cound't post a reply last night, i think the dell forum was down or something like that.

Anyway, thanks for the info again !

So if I understaind correctly, everything I need (except for some bending 'skills' and a pair of pliers) is included with the cooler?

My system :

Dell e521

Amd x2 5000+ @ 2,6Ghz (no bios update done yet, so no overclocking)

4 GB Team-Elite PC6400

(for now) Geforce 8600GTS OC (going to be a Ati 4850)

320 + 160GB HDD

2 out-take fans on the back

OCZ StealthXtreme 600Watt

Greets from holland, Bart !

EDIT: Holy , my messages got posted like 4 times! Oops, sory!

I know. Every time I try to post a message, I receive an error message. MY MESSAGES GOT POSTED ANYWAY, so I posted my first message three times... (how do you delete posts?)

Yeah, you got it.

BTW: The Dell motherboard uses a non-standard 5-pin connector for its case fan.

Anyone using this cooler with the E521 basically have three options regarding the cpu cooler fan (I have used both 1 and 2 myself):

1) Connect the cpu cooler fan to the psu

2) Not use the fan (My overclocked 6000+ 125 W barely reaches over 50 C, this option should work for most systems)

3) Connect the cpu cooler fan wires to the dell 5-pin connector and connect it to the motherboard (losing the case fan)

Remember to clean the cpu and apply thermal compund before installing the cooler/heatsink.

D. Ellison 

Yes, thermal compound is included with the cpu cooler.

BTW: I forgot something that might be worth mentioning (I did this a while back for a previous upgrade - installing a 8800GTS):

To fit dual-slot cards inside the E521, one row of the motherboard heatsink needs to be shortened:

http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/2676/ov33iw1.jpg

Again, use a plier/cutter and shorten the bottom row of the board heatsink about 1/3.

D.

I noticed the 5 pin fan connector on the motherboard, i want to keep the case fan, so I will connect the fan of the cpu cooler to the psu.

One last question, is there a thermal compound/paste included with the new cooler?

(and I don't now how to delete the post, i've been looking for it myself aswell :emotion-4: )

 Bart G.

Thanks, i was planning to do so, because otherwise my 4850 won't fit, thanks for the picture =)

This wont affect the heat of the (northbridge?) chipset?

Gr, Bart.

No, I have seen no adverse effects from reducing the system board heatsink.

Best of luck with your upgrade!

D.

Thats good to hear, thanks again for all the info!  =)

I'm also planning to cut out the dell logo, place plexiglass behind it, and pout a cclf above it,  that must look nice i think.

Bart.