Applying Thermal paste, Line or dot? That is the question

[DragonQ]

Any lint free cloth will do. Just as long as it doesn't leave fibres behind
Personally I use coffee filters.

I use kitchen towel. :/

As long as you don't use toilet paper!

 

[.Ox.]

As long as you don't use toilet paper!

You don't use toilet paper?

 

[crackerbear]

I've always done the cling film over finger or credit card spreading method also I use toilet paper to clean and my CPU is still going

/shrug

 

[SouthEastBlue]

A small little blob (smaller than a pea but bigger than a grain of rice) seems to do the job fine.

 

[franco_22]

Okay I don't understand this and I'm starting to get confused.

I got this cpu and initailly i just put the cooler in (artic freezer pro rev 2) with the paste that came with it, the temperatures kept rising until it got to 47 degrees and i shut it off.

So I ordered some MX 4 and cpu cleaner, i did everything right, watched loads of videos and I had done this before, be it on an intel processor and not an amd but I have.

41 degrees and temperatures rising. What the hell am i doing wrong?


Should i try reseating the HSF again or is this normal? To be fair on the little thing, apart from the cpu fan, its an Fractal R3 and it only has 2 whisper quiet fans to cool. Still, im not doing anything besides watching the temperatures in the BIOS.


Edit again: The cooler is barely getting hot while the cpu is at 40 degrees, could this mean that th hsf is not sitted properly? I dont see how i could have screwed it up considering it has 2 screws to hold it in place and they are very tight. Surely the screws would automatically move it to the best position anyway right?

 

[franco_22]

Erm okay, I don't know if my BIOS is taking the **** out of me.

I just downloaded this thing called CPUID hardware monitor:

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html


The CPUID thing is saying the CPU core 0 and core 1 is at 20 degrees.

Is the bios just not reading properly or what should i believe?

Okay just downloaded CoreTemp and it's also reading the same thing, 18-20 degrees. I think the BIOS is not reading properly, true?

Erm okay, I don't know if my BIOS is taking the **** out of me.

I just downloaded this thing called CPUID hardware monitor:

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/hwmonitor.html


The CPUID thing is saying the CPU core 0 and core 1 is at 20 degrees.

Is the bios just not reading properly or what should i believe?

Okay just downloaded CoreTemp and it's also reading the same thing, 18-20 degrees. I think the BIOS is not reading properly, true?


Edit: So I got this one called SpeedFAN and now it says Temp 1 36 degrees, Temp 2 36 Degrees, Temp 3 43 Degrees, Core 17 degrees. I don't even know what it means by temp 3, it's a dual core not a triple :S

 

[PhillyDee]

different chips have temperature monitors. As do your hard drives.

Go by CPU / Core temperature reading.

CPU's are fine up to 60-70 degrees. Personally, I would go for 80 degrees maximum load temperatures. Put a load on it to test. Use Prime95/orthos etc.

 

[franco_22]

Okay, i guess. I dont know, I had a E8500 Core 2 Duo and it always averaged around 35-40 degrees and about 45 on load. So to see this little chip going so high idle kinda worried me. Then again, I literally just put the heatsink in, so i dunno if that affects it, although i heard MX 4 should be instant and i shouldn't have to wait a week to see temperatures dropping.

 

[3t3P]

vertical lines for quads IMO

 

[Steves1982]

It will rise fairly quickly at first but should slow down and level out at a max temp. Leave it running prime and see what it reaches and follow the guidelines on temps in the posts just above.

 

[Stop It Rawr]

I'm using some Tuniq TX-2 (It was £2, couldn't resist!) and used the small grain of rice shape, seemed to work fine in my case, although I have plenty more of the stuff in case it didn't!

 

[franco_22]

thanks i ll try leaving it for a week or so and i guess if it doesnt get better i ll have to think about what might be wrong mhm..

i should probably order some more case fans, i dont think 2 is gonna cut it. Man, you pay £95 for a case and it only come with 2 fans

 

[bainbridge]

Tinting the mating surfaces before the main application is really effective IMO.

Then I use a garden pea sized blob, not one of those big Marrowfat peas.

 

[LaurenceGough]

A small little blob (smaller than a pea but bigger than a grain of rice) seems to do the job fine.

Same, I feel this is ideal. Best of all worlds .

 

[pingu666]

ive always used the nozzle to spread it about :x, might try the pee method, but ill haveto clean up cpu abit :x first, mines currently nearly completed rebuild, pee method is one ive avoided as i was worried it wouldnt spread enough

 

[Columbo]

I've always the cling film spread method but after reading this thread I'm now not sure.

Problem is I have a Corsair H50 on a q9550 which when you attach the cooling plate you push down onto the chip then twist to lock it in.

Is the twsiting action going to cause problems what ever method I use to apply TM?

 

[LaurenceGough]

I've always the cling film spread method but after reading this thread I'm now not sure.

Problem is I have a Corsair H50 on a q9550 which when you attach the cooling plate you push down onto the chip then twist to lock it in.

Is the twsiting action going to cause problems what ever method I use to apply TM?

Nope, good to twist it a little bit to get rid of air bubbles. Just keep it centred when you apply it and at all times until you bolt it down.

 

[C64]

Blob in middle just a smidgeon bigger than the size of a black pepper ball for quads.
Line or spread for dual or single core.

Best really to try all methods yourself and compare so you know what works best for you and your cooler and way of installing it.
Every chip can be different some are more concave than others as are heatsinks no two are the same.

For my q6600 I found a blob in middle and pushing straight down (no twisting) gave me best results.

 

[Skellig]

I did the line method for my E8500.

 

[franco_22]

Well I used the blob method and I should just have let the temperatures settled before panicking so much . Temperatures are now 30-32 degrees which I understand is good enough for a 45nm chip like this one?