Atom - fan = cool?

[MindoverMaster]

I have this Intel Atom Mini-ITX board: Newegg.com - Intel BOXD945GCLF2 Atom 330 Intel 945GC Mini ITX Motherboard/CPU Combo

As you can see, it has a 33mm fan on it, cooling the NB. I have taken that fan off and had a 120mm case fan blowing straight at it. I use this board for a small home file server. Not doing anything drastic. Does it really need to be air cooled? Or with adequate air flow, it should be fine? I know some other Mini-ITX boards are fanless.

Slay did suggest, before, getting a new heatsink and some adhesive grease pads. I had forgotten what he said, and can't seem to find the thread, though.

Any insight?

 

[Peter.Cort]

atom's are fine passively cooled, as long as you have a good heatsink on it and some amount of airflow.

 

[MindoverMaster]

Any suggestions?

 

[aspire]

Only one way to know for sure. Just try it.

 

[MindoverMaster]

Was afraid of that...

 

[Peter.Cort]

just take the 33mm fan off of it and see what the temps are. chances are you'll be fine.

 

[Slaymate]

I've thought more about this also. But I couldn't remember the thread or who started it.

From what I've read the Atom can get pretty hot even with the stock cooler. This would be a great heatsink for it though, or I think it will be.
Thermalright HR-05/IFX Heatpipe Chipset Cooler - FrozenCPU.com.

Here's a link to the mounting guide, I think the retention mechanism is just what your looking for.
HR-05 Installation.

Plus, I bet you could add a 80mm fan to it and do a little overclocking

 

[MindoverMaster]

Ok, only problem, the case that I am getting to put it in, doesn't have a 105mm clearance.

Elite 100 - Cooler Master - Leading Provider of Computer Case | Cooler | Power Supply

Though, it does have holes on the top, where it looks like right where the NB is. I can probably easy cut out a hole for it.

AFAIK, OCing is blocked on my board. For a server, I don't need that.

Edit: Or should I just go water cooling? Wouldn't be a humongous loop like you desktops freaks. Should be relatively cheap.

 

[Slaymate]

Ok, only problem, the case that I am getting to put it in, doesn't have a 105mm clearance.

Get a different case?

Edit: Or should I just go water cooling? Wouldn't be a humongous loop like you desktops freaks. Should be relatively cheap.

I have some old watercooling parts you can have. You'll have to make your own retention system but I bet one of these blocks will work with a little modification.

 

[MindoverMaster]

Get a different case?

I already bought that case off BST, from Aria

I have some old watercooling parts you can have. You'll have to make your own retention system but I bet one of these blocks will work with a little modification.
[/IMG]

Oh my, it was so long ago since I asked help about this stuff. It was on some other forum. I've seen some chipset heat sink. But with a thermal adhesive, that should work fine, right?