i ruined the fan for the processor. the clips bent

Tombi!

By that I mean: it's an Intel fan. Stock the clearish white parts that plug into the four holes, those plastic bits are bent.

I'm assuming I just need a new fan. Would any cooler work once it's compatible with my motherboard? Motherboard is an Asus h87-plus

Kencollins

I would just dump the whole fan and heatsink assembly and put in an aftermarket cooler.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/ARCTIC-Freezer-Multicompatible-pre-applied-Performance/dp/B0048F64DU/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1428829073&sr=8-4&keywords=cpu+cooler

The one above is compatible with your motherboard. It is 13CM tall, so it should fit inside most cases.

I have used that one in a few builds and it is perfect for everyday use. All you need to do is remove the old heatsink, clean the top of the processor, and apply that one above. It already has the thermal paste applied so there really is the minimum of fuss and fiddling.

duridian

As long as the new fan/heatsink is compatible with LGA1150 you should be good to go.
As it's a stock Intel fan you bent the fittings on I'm kinda wondering how badly you bent the plastic pins, because it might still be usable depending.

The Intel heatsink attaches by a fairly basic push pin system. The split white ends of the pins go through the holes first and the black centre piece then shoves through the middle and spreads out the split end preventing the pin from backing out of the hole. To remove the pins from a motherboard you must rotate the heads of the pins anticlockwise (to the left) first. To install you must ensure that they are rotated to the right first or they can pop back out again. (Also make sure that the black centre of the pins are not gone out through the split ends before you install, or you'll never be able to shove them through the holes on the motherboard)

If you haven't actually physically broken the split white ends of the pins, it may be possible to still fix/straighten out this. You can do a "dry run" of the movements of the pins without actually putting it on the motherboard at all, to test whether the various parts of the pins are moving the way they should as I outlined in the last paragraph. I would definitely try this before buying another. Also, Intel stock coolers can be a pain, especially if they have already been installed and you are trying to reuse them on a different motherboard or whatever, so believe me you ain't the first, I've cursed them many times.

Tombi!

The white pins are completely bent. I've been trying the past hour or two. But cheers for the help. So any standard cooler/heatsink works, once its compatible with the socket? If so I'll pop down to pc world and see if they have any

SterlingArcher

Brutal Deluxe wrote: »

The white pins are completely bent. I've been trying the past hour or two. But cheers for the help. So any standard cooler/heatsink works, once its compatible with the socket? If so I'll pop down to pc world and see if they have any

Ugh.

Maybe can't believe I'm saying this, maplins.

Lu Tze

There is normally a few stock heatsink/coolers on adverts at any given time, worth a look.

TerrorFirmer

How did you manage that?? Not easy, they're pretty robust! Unless you snapped them, I'd imagine it'd be easy to straighten them out as well.

Maplins sell Akasa stock-style coolers for about 20 euro, not ideal but not bad for when you're in a pinch either.

My local PC World don't sell third party coolers other than Corsair water-cooling setups, which are pretty expensive.