Date: 04/14/05 (Computer Geeks)    Keywords: no keywords

So I'm building a dell pc (as in, not buying one from dell, but buying parts online to build one for way less). It's a Dell Optiplex SX280. Anyways here's my situation, I'm wanting to buy a Celeron D (Lga775) processor but cannot install the cpu fan because ther is not enough room and dell uses an alternative cooling method for their CPUs (they use 2 big fans and just the heatsink on the CPU and a plastic vent over everything).  However retail stock CPUs have a fan/heatsink attached. Would I be able to just remove the fan and install the heatsink by itself? Or would I have to find a giant heatsink like what dell uses normally? Since I don't know how to use lj cuts, here are some linked pics to help you see what I'm talking about. They don't popup so just open in a new tab/window:

The main unit

Dell's stock heatsink

A good view of the cpu slot and cooling fans

An overhead view of all the internals

Thank you very much in advance. I would rather ask you then experiment with a new cpu.

Source: http://www.livejournal.com/community/computergeeks/660146.html