What to do with leftover OEM heatsinks?

[cadder]

I always use a good aftermarket cooler, so I've got these stock Intel coolers leftover. Is there a good use for them? Throw them away? Keep the fans?

 

[JackNaylorPE]

I keep the fans.

 

[4Ryan6]

Keep the Intel coolers, Intel requires returning the the original boxed heatsink with the CPU if you have to RMA it, the heatsink coolers have a SN on them matched to a corresponding number on the original Intel boxed CPU.

You need to keep the box and the heatsink that originally came with the CPU.

As far as I known AMD doesn't do this and I don't know when Intel actually started it, but its definitely 775 series.

 

[Shadow703793]

I keep the fans, and chop them up and use them to make passive heatsinks to be used on MOSFETS/Voltage Regulators on PCs and hobby electronics. They also make good heatsinks for high power LEDs and or lasers (not the industrial type lasers lol).

 

[MRFS]

Give them to friends who are smart enough to buy
this $5 retrofit -- proven to cool even "PressHots"
quite efficiently, even when the latter are over-clocked!

http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lgbowiscsp.html
http://www.sidewindercomputers.com/lga13sobbowi.html

http://www.supremelaw.org/systems/heatsinks/warning.htm

(speaking from direct empirical experience here


MRFS

 

[MRFS]

p.s. some of the "advice" we read here is truly hilarious.


MRFS

 

[overshocked]

I agree with shadow. Keep em, there are TONS of uses for them if you have a dremel tool and an imagination.

 

[swifty_morgan]

I have about 50 of them in my scrap box. Some of them have very heavy chunks of copper in them that I knocked out with a hammer and screw driver. Money at the scrap yard for my next "goodie........... If you're processors are still under warranty by all means keep them. Good reminder there.