Installing an XP-90 heat pipe CPU cooler into an AMD K8 system

The Thermalwright XP-90 (and 90C and 120) are all P4 devices. For AMD
K8 users, they provide a hermaphrodite P4 retainer bracket to replace
the K8 bracket on the mobo. This replacement bracket uses the two AMD
screwholes and is the same size as the original K8 bracket. It will
always fit.

The replacement bracket uses the conventional 4 clip-holes to mount P4
HSFs, which the XP-90 is. This is where the first "gotcha" can bite
the K8 user: something, such as a capacitor, may block one of the
four clip-holes. This is mobo dependent. The Biostar K8VGAM has such
a blockage and so cannot be used with the XP-90. The equivalent Asus
K8S-MX has no conflicts and works just great with the XP-90. That's a
uATX mobo, I'm using a mini-tower case (In-Win Z720), and there's
adequate room for the XP-90 with some to spare. I removed the mobo
with the XP mounted, and reinstalled the mobo, several times (while
trouble shooting a problem that eventually proved to be a bad PSU that
had at first been good). Didn't even have to remove the various
drives including the CDrom, nor disconnect the cables to the drives.

However: do not even _think_ of installing, or uninstalling, this HSF
unless the mobo is free of the case and sitting alone on a desk/table
(on a foam pad). Before greasing the parts, do a couple of dry runs,
esp. the part about getting the first two clips into their clip-holes
in the retainer bracket. Once you're confident you can do this,
_then_ it's time to apply thermal grease in accordance with the
instructions and proceed.

I needed no tools, not even the suggested screwdriver, to clip the HSF
onto the four clip-holes. Only a little force and my thumbs were
needed. Be sure to visually inspect to make sure all 4 clips are
completely into the retainer clip-holes when completing this step.

Now it's time to mount the cooling fan of your choice, unless you
bought the cooler with a fan, and plan to use that fan. If you use
the fan that came with the cooler, you're home free. Done, as soon as
you apply the spring-wire clips. Don't forget the two little rubber
strips.

If you select another fan, be prepared to spend a coupla hours
unhurriedly modifying one set of those spring clips to fit your fan.
I did it, and so did some of the reviewers of this cooler. You need
to be able to think in 3D, which most engineers are good at. I
suspect that Thermalright will provide replacement clips if things go
wrong.

Of course, _your_ fan may have the same configuration as their
recommended (but expensive) fan, in which event there's no problem.

Unlike many heat-pipe CPU coolers, the XP-90 is a lightweight
aluminum-fin product, weighing only 360 grams less fan. Its new
brother, the XP-90C, is made of copper instead of aluminum and is a
lot heavier but cools slightly better.

I have no commercial connection with _anybody_, I'm a retired computer
geek. ;-)