"tHatDudeUK" wrote...
My pc has started getting noisy over the past month. I'm pretty certain
it's
the MOBO's NB fan... It seems to happen whenever the PC has been turned off
for a while and weirdly stops just about when the system has got into
windows.

Can I remove this safely? Is there a good way of replacing the HS and fan
or
will it function well on its own?!

On my 8IEXP I had no problems in removing the NB fan. No crashes at all.
At any rate, since it seems Europe has fallen right into the middle of
Africa these days, I helped the passive heatsink a little bit by forcing
four 50 eurocents coins through its fins.
The coins fit well the space between the fins and stand outside for most of
their surface, realizing four additional fins. (I computed the net increase
in the area and it was around 20 square cm - IIRC)

To be sure they won't fall (due to different thermal properties of fin and
coin), I made a little aluminium mask to keep them in place. But that is an
excess of prudence, I think. The coins would hardly fall, if let alone.
Placing screws at their side would do as well.

cheers,
Peltio
and its (easily recyclable) 2 euro heatsink : )