Welcome to the MacNN Forums.

Scoo · Feb 8, 2003, 12:35 AM

Just installed the Powerlogix G4 550 ZIF in my trusty G4 PCI Yikes machine. I want to take advantage of the ability to overclock, so a new heatsink and/or CPU fan seem to be in order. On the XLR8yourmac boards I found that the "Thermaltake Volcano 7+ heatsink/fan unit...required no modifications to install since the G3 ZIF sockets have the hold-down nubs in exactly the same places as do the Athlon sockets."

Is this true of all Athlon CPU coolers? Many of the G4 OC stories I've seen involve the OCer simply buying a fan at CompUSA or RadioShack and attaching it to stock heatsink.

I'm new to this aspect of hardware, so please bear with my newbieness....

My questions:
1: It seems the fans use screws to attach to the heatsink, but where do they go exactly? Do they work like little clamps?

2: Are all fans powered with the same kind of plug? Where on my Mac does it get plugged in?

3: I also plan to pick up some Arctic Silver thermal paste. How and where is this applied, and how much?

I want to be certain I'm getting the right gear. The Volcano 7+ looks totally bad ass (and it should for the $30+ it's fetching), but If a $10 fan from any computer store attached to the stock heatsink will do I'd just as soon buy that.

Dapple · Feb 8, 2003, 09:05 AM

Get the Volcano 7+. I haven't heard anything about the nubs being in the same place, so if they're not, use Arctic Silver adhesive. The warning about not for use between the CPU and heatsink is BS for the G4. It's only intended for the Athlon users because their chips run so hot.

Here's some Instructions for Arctic Silver use.

Get Arctic Silver 3 from a reputable store like www.xoxide.com or www.highspeedpc.com. Some of the less reputable stores have "arctic silver", but if you follow the instructions there's a warning about it.

Dapple · Feb 8, 2003, 09:11 AM

Originally posted by Scoo:
1: It seems the fans use screws to attach to the heatsink, but where do they go exactly? Do they work like little clamps?

2: Are all fans powered with the same kind of plug? Where on my Mac does it get plugged in?

3: I also plan to pick up some Arctic Silver thermal paste. How and where is this applied, and how much?

1. Since the 'sink is probably a proprietary Apple HS, you need either really big or really small screws. I'm not quite sure, but I think you need small ones. The fan should go on top of the heatsink.

2. It depends on the kind of fan. If you just get a 60 or 80 mm fan with the molex power connector, just put it between a hard drive and the power connector. When you order your fan, get a Panaflo, and ASK FOR MOLEX.I don't believe that Apple makes CPU or case fan plugs for their motherboard, and if they do, it's probably taken already.

3. See my other post.

Scoo · Feb 10, 2003, 07:55 AM

Originally posted by Dapple:

2. It depends on the kind of fan. If you just get a 60 or 80 mm fan with the molex power connector, just put it between a hard drive and the power connector. When you order your fan, get a Panaflo, and ASK FOR MOLEX.I don't believe that Apple makes CPU or case fan plugs for their motherboard, and if they do, it's probably taken already.

OK, so the Molex connector is the same four prong white one used by the hard drive, right? I may need to disable something internal, probably the rarely used Zip Drive. I dont see any free connectors (have a a second HD).

Checked out the Thermaltake support page for Volcano installation instructions for AMD Socket 462 ZIFs.

I'm wondering where these two items or equivalents are on my motherboard:

Connect the Red/Black Wire Connector (Power) to the Speed Control Unit.
Connect the Yellow Wire Connector (RPM Signal) to the fan_header on your motherboard.

Any how, so far I have overclocked to 600 Mhz with no issues, having disposed of the awful Powerlogix Cache Control app. It had been freezing me up with certain apps, what a POS. It's a teriffic upgrade, Painter, the Finder and Fireworks are actually useable now, and 3D renders are FAST.

drHo · Feb 13, 2003, 08:15 PM

will that volcano 7+ also fit inside the B&W G3 case? i mean arent the Yikes! and Yosemite mobos the same thing except for the G4 in the Yikes? If that volcano could fit in my B&W it would be great!@

Dapple · Feb 13, 2003, 09:44 PM

Originally posted by Scoo:
OK, so the Molex connector is the same four prong white one used by the hard drive, right? I may need to disable something internal, probably the rarely used Zip Drive. I dont see any free connectors (have a a second HD).

Connect the Red/Black Wire Connector (Power) to the Speed Control Unit.
Connect the Yellow Wire Connector (RPM Signal) to the fan_header on your motherboard.

Um, the molex connector is a passthru. You don't need to unplug anything for it to work.

You should buy a second molex to fan type converter and plug the power from the speed regulator into there. The yellow wire is useless as your mac doesn't have fan speed control/monitoring.