P4 Fans & Heatsinks

[biggtn]

I have recently bought two P4 motherboards and processors and heatsinks.

When I came to install the parts I realised that the mounting brackets on the mbd. are differnet sizes and only one heatsink will fit.

Can anyone explain the differences and what information you need to match the motherboard to the heatsink?

[jcnoernberg]

I imagine as long as the socket was the same, it should be universal?

[saphalline]

Standard mobo's come with the standard heatsink mounting bracket. If one mobo is different, the first thing I would check is the socket type, like jcnoernberg said. I know it sounds silly, but it's easy to get confused here because there are 3 different sockets that have been home to various versions of the P4 - Socket 423, Socket 478 (mPGA 478), and Socket T (LGA 775). Do the processors fit into the mobo's? If everything else matches up, then I'd say the one mobo that is different is simply a rogue. I would return it and get a standard mobo. No sense dealing with this cr@p if you don't have to.

[biggtn]

Thanks for your comments but they do not really address my problem.
Both the motherboards I have bought are socket 478 but the mounting brackets are different sizes and as such I need different size heatsinks. Information about matching motherboard to heatsink is required.
Returning motherboard is not an option.

[pop pop]

biggtn,

With all due respect, your question has been answered.

Originally posted by Saphalline
Standard mobo's come with the standard heatsink mounting bracket.

If both those motherboards sport 478 sockets, and both motherboards are "standard", heat sinks made to be compatible with 478 socket motherboards should mount normally and without problems. If there are "unusual" design considerations, such as with the brackets that come with some Zalman HSF's, then it is wise to check the HSF vendor's website for possible compatibility issues before purchasing. Zalman provides this information for exactly that reason. If the heatsink is a stock Intel HSF and does not mount, the motherboard is not standard, it is rougue or defective. In that case, if returning the item "is not an option", then you may well be out of options...except one...water cool it.