Installation
Test Rig:
AMD Phenom II X3 720
ASRock M3A785GMH/128M AMD 785G mATX motherboard
Kingston HyperX DDR3-1600 2GB Dual Channel Kit
Asus Matrix GTX 260 video card
BFG Tech EX Series 1200 watt power supply
NZXT Tempest extended midtower
Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit
The TherMax Pro is packaged with AMD hardware already installed so I didn’t have to put a thing together. Prep the CPU by cleaning the surface with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth. Apply thermal compound to the CPU surface. When using an exposed heatpipe cooler the thermal compound needs to be manually spread across the CPU surface because the base will not properly spread the compound by itself.
Prep the cooler surface by cleaning with isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth.
Determine the direction you want the cooler to be mounted.
Install the cooler by placing the cooler base onto the CPU surface. Insert one mounting lug or the other into the corresponding retention bracket. Note the nice large devices to press the retainer. Rather than the lever that many AMD CPU coolers have, the TherMax Pro is spring loaded on both sides.
Slightly wiggle the cooler on the CPU surface to eliminate any bubbles and to seat the compound. Press the other side of the retainer onto the other mounting lug. Place the fan power connector onto your motherboard’s FAN_CPU header if you are not going to be using the included fan controller.
Install the memory onto the motherboard. Install the motherboard into the case.
Wire things up, install your video card, double check your work, and you’re done.
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