I am about to replace the stock Intel cpu cooler on my Asus P5Q Pro motherboard. I am concerned about a cooler backplate touching the contacts on the back of the board.
this quote from a xbitlabs.com review of the P5Q Pro - has a photo of the back of the board
[COLOR="Blue"]"However, I have to stress that there are a few standing out contacts on the reverse side of the PCB right beneath the processor socket, which may cause certain problems if the CPU cooler requires a backplate."[/COLOR]

I would prefer a cooler that uses a backplate. However, I don't wan't to buy a cooler and discover too late that the exposed contacts are a problem.

Anyone have a P5Q Pro and installed a cooler with backplate?

Thanks

Ausus P5Q Pro
Intel Q9550
16GB G.Skill RAM
PowerColor ATI Radeon 4670
Two 500GB Seagate HDs
2 DVD drives
Corsair 650W PSU
Antec Solo case

Since you posted the warning about possible problems using a backplate on this motherboard, you better not use one. Or risk trashing the motherboard...

On the other hand, If it is a true LGA775 board, go with a quality cooler like the ZeroTherm Nirvana. It has an insulated metal backplate

Well, you have pointed to one of issues I was wondering about - how insulating are the insulated metal backplates? I read postings on silentpcreview forum describing suspected shorting out of an Asus board with the backplate from a Thermalright HR-01 Plus. I wanted to get the Thermalright SI-128 SE - same backplate. Don't know if the insulating strips are OK to have pressing against contacts. Don't know if different backplates would have less effect - such as the Cooler Master shown in attached photo. Images from xbitlab review of the SI-128 SE and Cooler Master V8.

I know I can get a cooler that doesn't use a backplate - OCZ Vendetta 2 for example. But after wrestling with the intel style push pins in the past, I swore that I would never get another cooler that didn't use a backplate. Also, backplate lessens stress a heavy cooler puts on the mb.

Attached Images

	Thermalright SI-128 SE backplate.JPG (43.1 KB, 3 views)
	cooler-master-backplate.jpg (78.6 KB, 3 views)

My Nirvana backplate is like your pictured Cooler Master... I can't imagine that either of these will cause trouble with the P5Q. I too despise those "push pins", although I have gotten good at installing them. For my own builds I always use a backplate type cooler