MISSING MOTHERBOARD HEAT SINK - Aspire TC-885-UR12

My Acer Aspire TC-885-UR12 computer that I bought brand new less than 2 years ago starting having issues; randomly shutting down and restarting several times a week. No blue screen or any other indication of what was happening except for a critical #41 event viewer log. I replaced the hard drive with another one and did a clean install of Windows 10. I checked the memory for errors and swapped out the power supply. No peripherals plugged in except the keyboard, mouse and monitor. Nothing helped. I started to pull out the motherboard to identify it and buy a new one, and I noticed that the heat sink for the video chip on the motherboard was missing.

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ttttt

Did it try to shutdown/reboot shortly after cold boot? Have you heard the motherboard beeps other than the regular one short beep during regular boot up? What it says for critical #41 event viewed log? You still can try swapping keyboard and mouse.

StevenGen

This is your TC-885-U12 mainboard

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/a5/rzghw3x02ygz.png

What and where is this "heat sink for the video chip on the motherboard was missing"? As there is none and that should not be a contributing factor to your problems. The critical #41 event in Windows 10 is the Critical Event 41 Kernel-Power, so get that diagnosed as it’s a power issue and that is where your problem probably is.

budwiizer

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/8u/8yqwafqjicla.jpg

To the left of the battery there are 2 mounting holes for the heat sink. I'm guessing it's the video chip.

budwiizer

... and below is a photo of the new motherboard with the heat sink mounted.

Image: https://us.v-cdn.net/6029997/uploads/editor/cw/eqns0il3beqj.jpg

budwiizer

Does anybody know where I can order the missing heat sink? Thank you

Indigom

As you can see on this picture with all the components listed, I can tell this chip it is not for video, if it was it would have been listed here. The processor has graphics inside, and we can see this part has its own heat sink.
This chip could be the BIOS. If the mainboard didnt include a heat sink for this chip this means that it is not necessary.
The other mainboard could be designed to be on hot weather and that is why the other mainboard that you found has a heat sink.

budwiizer said:

Does anybody know where I can order the missing heat sink? Thank you

I think you could install it, however I don't know where can you purchase one.

billsey

I believe that chip is the Intel B360 chipset. It doesn't need a heatsink, but you can always install one. Make sure it's low profile like the one you show in your picture, so it doesn't interfere with other things around it and make sure the fins are parallel to the airflow.

budwiizer

I can touch the B360 chip and it's hot to the touch. I can barley keep my finger on it at 130 degrees fahrenheit. I'm not sure if that's too hot but the motherboard I may buy has a heat sink on it.

billsey

130F is only about 55C, which is normal running temperatures for these chips. As I said earlier you can put a heat sink on if you would like, but it's not really needed.