Heatsink Loose on GigaByte GA-MA78GM-S2H

[i_am_jim]

I just installed a GigaByte GA-MA78GM-S2H mainboard.

The heatsink shown in the picture below is loose. If you touch it with the board vertical it wobbles toward and away from the board. That's a beefy heatsink so I assume handles a lot of heat and is important -- I think it's the sink for the north bridge. In my experience a heatsink needs to be tight against the part it's cooling. Any comments/suggestions? Should I return the board, contact GigaByte, ignore it . . . what?

PS I couldn't find any forums on the GigaByte website. Don't they have any or did I just miss them?

 

[auscanzukus]

I wouldn't worry about it if the cpu isn't overclocked. The manufacturers always cheap out on chipset cooling for their budget boards.

 

[RapidBuild]

What was the outcome of this. I just bought one of these boards and both the northbridge and southbridge heatsinks are moving.

Thanks

 

[i_am_jim]

I found that one of the white plastic spring-loaded pins (see picture) which hold the heatsink down had not been seated (pushed through the board). It took a little force but once I pushed it through the heatsink no longer wobbled/tipped away from the board of it's own weight. I could pull it away but it didn't fall away. If the pin moves up and down while the heatsink is pressed against the board the pin is seated -- if not, it probably isn't.

I kept the board. I checked the processor temperature regularly for the first few hours of operation, then less and less frequently. I still check it occasionally. It runs a little warm and I'd worry about this if I overclocked but I don't.

 

[RapidBuild]

Thanks.

RB

 

[RapidBuild]

Just as an update for those that may encounter the same problem and are searching for an answer on this.

I installed my mobo and it is working fine. All temps seem normal and it is very stable. Gigabyte wasn't too concerned about it and said to run the board for a few weeks.

The OP's board had a loose mounting pin and his heatsink would fall away under its own weight. That needs to be fixed before using (which he did and it is now apparently working fine).

My board the pins are fully seated - I could however "slide" the heatsinks back and forth. This apparently is OK.

RB