Installation Manual

Thermal Overstress

Proper cooling of AMD processors is mandatory to avoid damaging the processor. Damage can

occur very quickly if the processor is powered up without a heatsink present. AMD Processor-In-

a-Box (PIB) includes a validated heatsink and fan.

If AMD processors are purchased without an AMD approved heatsink, the heatsink must be

carefully chosen to ensure its rated heat dissipation capability meets or exceeds the power

consumption of the processor. In addition, a good thermal interface material should be applied in

a uniform layer over the surface of the processor lid to maximize the effectiveness of the

heatsink. Good cooling ensures stable operation of the processor and prevents premature failure

due to excessive operating temperatures.

Please see the following video for a proper installation of a new processor and heatsink/fan.

Prior to powering up the processor, the following checks should be made to ensure good cooling.

 Ensure an AMD approved heatsink/fan (HSF) is being used with the processor

 Ensure the HSF unit is properly installed on the processor

 Ensure the bottom of the HSF is leveled on the top of the processor

 Ensure a proper amount of thermal grease is installed between the HSF and processor

 If the heatsink is removed, ensure that there is still a good coating of grease and that the grease

has not dried up since dry grease has poor heat transfer

 Ensure that the fan on the graphics card and processor’s heatsink is connected correctly and

that it is spinning when the system is powered on

 Check whether there are any loose cables stopping the fan(s) from spinning or blocking the air

flow within the system case

 Verify that the airflow within the system case is circulating correctly

o Air should flow in from the front of the case and out through the back of the case

 Make sure the HSF is locked down

Overclocking

Overclocking is the process of forcing a computer hardware component to operate faster than

intended. It can boost the overall performance of the system, which can help improve benchmark

scores and increase the number of frames per second (FPS) in 3D games. Unfortunately

overclocking increases power consumption which leads to more heat generation and eventually

processor damage. AMD does not support overclocking and cannot be held liable for any

damage caused by the overclocking. Other side effects of overclocking include:

 System instability and/or lower performance

 Reduction of the lifespan of overclocked hardware