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Noctua NH-D14 FAQs
Is the high weight dangerous for the CPU or socket?
No. Noctua NH-U coolers possess an extremely reliable SecuFirm™ mounting system. Even transporting the pc with the cooler installed is entirely safe. Thanks to the screw connection with the backplate on the rear side of the motherboard, the exceedance of the weight recommendations by Intel and AMD common among high-end coolers is completely unobjectionable.
Is it possible to cool my CPU without a fan (passive) using the NH-U coolers?
The NH-U coolers weren't originally designed for passive operation although the cooling performance is sufficient in many cases. Unfortunately, it is impossible for us to indicate whether a certain CPU can or cannot be cooled without a fan, as this depends on various factors such as case temperature, case ventilation or the orientation of the socket. Generally, we recommend using a fan in the first instance and then lowering RPM while constantly monitoring the temperature.
Why doesn't the bottom of the NH-U coolers have a polished, mirror like finish?
Bearing in mind that the majority of today's PC enthusiasts uses high-viscosity thermal compounds, the bottom-surface of the NH-U coolers is optimised for the use with this type of thermal pastes. The micro-grooves on the surface of the NH-U coolers' base ensure that high-viscosity thermal compounds are dispersed to a uniform thin layer across the whole contact area and that no air pockets remain between the cooler and the CPU. With a polished, mirror like surface, the risk of uneven dispersion is much higher. As too thick layers of thermal paste and air pockets drastically deteriorate heat transmission, the micro-grooves are is of vital importance to the overall cooling performance of the NH-U coolers when used with today's high-viscosity thermal pastes.
Can I use Noctua fans on my fan controller?
In general, our fans can be used with any fan controller. There is a known compatibility issue with the Zalman ZM-MFC2 controller though: This product uses Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) in order to control the fan speed and the unfavourable carrier frequency of the PWM signal can create an oscillation when used with certain fans. This will result in the fan speeding up and down. We therefore recommend not using the Zalman ZM-MFC2 with our fans.
My fan doesn’t spin when I start up the PC - is it faulty?
If you've connected the fan directly (or using the supplied Low-Noise or Ultra-Low-Noise-Adaptors) to your mainboard, it's possible that the mainboard's automatic fan controller doesn't provide the required starting voltage due to the low CPU temperature. Please verify whether the fan starts spinning at higher CPU temperatures, remove any Low-Noise or Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptors, deactivate your mainboard's automatic fan controller in the BIOS or connect the fan directly to the power supply using the supplied 3:4-pin adaptor.
Can I run Noctua fans on 4-pin PWM connectors and use my mainboard’s automatic fan controller?
You can simply connect our fan's 3-pin connector to the 4-pin PWM sockets of today's mainboards so that the fourth pin that transmits the PWM signal is left blank (due to the shape of the connector, there's no danger of reversing polarity). Most current mainboards are capable of controlling fans not only via PWM, but also by adjusting the supplied voltage. In some cases, this may require you to change BIOS options like "Fan Control Mode" from "PWM" to "Voltage" or "Analog". Please consult your mainboard's manual in this regard. However, most current mainboards use an "auto" setting by default that automatically chooses PWM or voltage based regulation according to the connected fan. Automatically controlling the fan speed may not possible on mainboards that pulse the power rather than lowering the fan voltage.
 
How can I check whether my case is wide/high enough for the cooler?
In order to check whether the cooler isn’t too high for your case, please measure the distance from the motherboard tray to the side panel (tower cases) or top panel (desktop cases). If this distance is bigger than the height of the cooler + 15mm (mainboard spacers + mainboard + CPU), the height/width of your case should be sufficient.
Is the cooler compatible with LGA1366 mainboards for Xeon 5500?
Due to the custom NM-I3 backplate, the cooler can not be used on mainboards that have a backplate with screw threads for CPU cooler installation (such as the Intel reference backplate for Xeon 5500). Please choose our NH-U12DX 1366 for these mainboards.
My mainboard has more than one set of mounting holes. Which one should I use?
Please always use the standard set of mounting holes that's compliant with your socket type (e.g. 75mm LGA1156 hole spacing on LGA1156 sockets) and parallel to the sides of the socket. Don't use mounting holes which are rotated in relation to the socket.
I can't open the socket due to the mounting bars!
Please first loosen one of the two thumbscrews that hold the mounting bars in place. Then untighten the second screw so that you can swivel the mounting bar and open the socket. Depending on the position of the mounting bars, you may need to swivel both.
Can the cooler be installed turned by 90° on AMD sockets?
No. The new SecuFirm2™ mounting system for AM2, AM2+ and AM3 uses the same standardised hole spacing as the Intel system and thus allows for a much easier installation, but the cooler cannot be installed turned by 90°.
Does the package include a backplate for AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3?
No. As most AMD mainboards come with a stock backplate preinstalled, the cooler doesn’t include an AMD backplate. If your mainboard doesn’t have a backplate, please contact our support team at support@noctua.at.
How much clearance for RAM or chipset coolers does the NH-D14 provide?
The NH-D14 provides 44mm clearance for near-socket components:
Can I use Corair Dominator RAM with the NH-D14?
The NH-D14 is a large cooler that extends over the RAM slots on most mainboards. While DDR2 Corsair Dominator don't fit underneath the cooler, DDR3 Corsair Dominator do fit when the removable top heatsink is taken off as shown below. Please also note that the NF-P12 fan can be moved upwards or taken off in order to improve RAM compatibility as shown here.
Can I install 3 fans?
The cooler doesn’t include mounting hardware for a third fan as most setups will have a chassis fan right behind the cooler. In this case, adding a third fan to the heatsink doesn’t offer a measurable performance benefit and can lead to acoustic disadvantages.
Can I install 38mm depth fans?
As the distance between the two radiators is only about 28mm, you can’t install fans with more than 25mm depth. It’s possible to install such fans on the front side of the cooler though.
The y-split cable that came with the cooler is missing a wire!
While the black and red power cables lead to both fan connectors, the yellow cable transmitting the speed signal only leads to one of the two fan connectors. This is necessary because mainboards are unable to process more than one speed signal on a single fan header.
The fan clips are almost touching my VGA card!
On some P55 mainboards, the fan clips may be very close to the rear side of VGA cards installed in the first PCI-E slot. Please insulate the fan clips using duct tape or shrink-on tubes in this case.
The fan doesn’t start with the Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptor (ULNA)!
Unfortunately, many Gigabyte mainboards use a special control circuit that can lead to start-up problems in conjunction with the Ultra-Low-Noise Adaptor (ULNA). This control circuit remains active even when automatic fan control is disabled in the BIOS. In these cases, please use the fan without the ULNA or connect it directly to the power supply (or an external fan controller) in order to ensure reliable operation with the ULNA.
I get a CPU fan error despite the fan is running!
Some mainboards display a CPU fan error when the fan speed falls below a certain threshold, e.g. 900rpm. If you want to run the fan below this speed (e.g. using the supplied U.L.N.A.), please adjust the threshold in the BIOS or disable CPU fan error warning.
Do you have a question concerning one of our products? Please use this form to pose a question!
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10.09.2010 - DreamwareComputers.com NH-U9B SE2
Test verdict: "The Noctua NH-U9B SE2 is the perfect candidate as a choice for a CPU cooler in a HTPC or mATX system. It delivers very good performance even though it has a very small footprint inside of the case, and does so extremely quietly as well. Also, it is backed by Noctua's awesome 6 year warranty, so you can be sure that this cooler will last you a very long time." (Jonathan Wen, DreamwareComputers.com)
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06.09.2010 - Hardware-Infos.com NF-P14 FLX
Test verdict: "Wer die bestmögliche Luftkühlung für sein System sucht, darf den NF-P14 FLX ins Visier nehmen. Er ist ein überragender Kühlgigant, der in sechs von acht Disziplinen den ersten Platz erreicht." (Zafiris Kalantzis, Hardware-Infos.com)
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06.09.2010 - Tech-Kings.net NF-P14 FLX
Test verdict: "I've spoken with many people who have commented that these fans 'couldn't possibly be that much better.' Well, they really are a step above the rest, and despite their hefty price, those who are truly passionate about silent computing will surely find these worth every single penny!" (Evan Hiner, Tech-Kings.net)
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