Prerequisites

Before you buy, you need to know a few things. First, you must be comfortable opening up a computer. I suggest opening up your case and closing it a few times so you are not confused with a case when quickly opening and closing. Next, get compressed air. Compressed air blows away dust and debris from your computer. Dust can cause heat that builds up and blocks airflow. You also need to figure out what kind of processor you have. Go here to find which socket your processor is. Once you know your socket, you can go online to see which Heatsink/Fan (HSF) you want. Before you buy, you must look at the retaining module. This piece is at the base of the HSF. It is usually black. Also, before touching ANYTHING inside a computer, you must be grounded. That means that you should touch the computer case before working or get a grounding strap. This prevents Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). ESD is the same thing as walking across a carpet and getting shocked when touching the door handle. The shock is actually thousands of volts of electricity. Even though you might not feel any shock, you might still be sending thousands of volts of electricity into a computer. That is why you must take great care when going inside a computer.