2.3.3 Installing the heatsink and fan

The AMD Athlon™ 64 processor requires a specially designed heatsink and fan assembly to ensure optimum thermal condition and performance.

Make sure that you use only qualified heatsink and fan assembly.

Follow these steps to install the CPU heatsink and fan.

1.Place the heatsink on top of the installed CPU, making sure that the heatsink fits properly on the retention module base.

• The retention module base is already installed on the motherboard upon purchase.

•You do not have to remove the retention module base when installing the CPU or installing other motherboard components.

CPU Fan

CPU Heatsink

Retention Module Base

Retention bracket

Retention bracket lock

Your boxed CPU heatsink and fan assembly should come with installation instructions for the CPU, heatsink, and the retention mechanism. If the instructions in this section do not match the CPU documentation, follow the latter.

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Chapter 2: Hardware information