Identify chip with heatsink

[evotz]

Can anybody help me to identify what kind of chip this is?

It's not the CPU, you can see the CPU in the pictures.

It had a heatsink on it, but the heatsink and the clips fell off. It was an old Compaq Windows XP computer. I was going to repurpose it with Linux, but I am not sure if it will operate or how wise it is to operate it without the heatsink on there.

If it's some type of graphics processor, I don't plan on using a lot of graphic intense programs on Linux - No games or anything, just web browsing and the like. I actually have one potential repurpose where I could set this up as a server and not even have the intention of using a monitor.

But I don't know how wise it is to operate it without the heatsink on there.

I still have the heatsink, but the clips that were on the motherboard that held the heatsink in place also broke off. Would some thermal adhesive tape work? It is a tower case, so ideally it would be sitting upright, although I suppose I could sit it on it's side.

As far as I know, it was a decent enough computer, would definitely work as a Linux machine. It is a lot newer than my current Pentium 4 that I run Linux on and it operates just fine for me.

 

[johnb35]

Most likely the northbridge heatsink. You will need to reattach it in order to use the system.

 

[evotz]

Any suggestions on how to reattach it?

It had some clips, where the heatsink fastened onto the motherboard. Unfortunately, those fasteners, the ones glued or soldered to the motherboard, fell off.

Is there any type of thermal adhesive tape that I could put on the heatsink and possibly hold it onto the chip?

I may not be able to do anything, just thought I'd check. It may be more trouble than it's worth.

 

[Okedokey]

Get double sided thermal tape like this and a heatsink like this and put it on the northbridge.