CPU Thermal paste, done right?

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 13:15

Noob moment. Just took my heatsink off and I'm curious if the TIM looks like it was applied correctly. Images attached of what it looks like right now.

First time I've ever mounted a heatsink, so I feel useless :rolleyes:

Apologies for the quality, had to use my phone camera.

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 13:25

I was thinking it looked a bit off myself. What method of application do you usually use? I spread this out using a piece of plastic over the cpu before mounting the heatsink.

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 13:29

MX-3. I was worrying when I put it together that there wasnt enough of it on the cpu.

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 13:33

Right, I'll stick it back in my system now and stick some paste on. I'll grab a pic to make sure I'm doing it right

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 13:37

Hows that look?

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 14:01

With the line method, is it top to bottom or side to side?

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 16:44

Well something went a bit wrong with the remount, IBT hit 90 degrees a few minutes ago, max'd out at 81 previously, and games never went above 70

Used the line method, btw

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 17:44

Would I be right in assuming I might have used too little compound this time? Temps went from 40 idle to 47, and load temps are 10-15 degrees up. had to back down to 3.5ghz to keep it cool

Invertigo · 1 Nov 2010 at 23:49

Just reseated again and I'm back down to ~65-70c p95 temps. Though for some reason my BIOS reckoned i was at 50 degrees idle, yet realtemp read it as 38? Either way, much happier. Got some advice from my friend and added a small amount of paste to the heatsink base, spreaded it very thin with a credit card to fill in any gaps, then used 2 lines down the cpu.

MUCH improved temps, even have the fan running slower than previously

And yes brit~XR, it's an evo

kinda looks like the heat sink wasnt clamped down strongly enough IMO. would explain the thick blobs on the cpu.

Regarding this, the screws were as tight as I could get them

Invertigo · 2 Nov 2010 at 02:14

To be fair, 80c at 4ghz is decent for an i7 on air. Very few programs will push it that far in reality. I've noticed the highest temps I see day to day are loading maps on BC2, for whatever reason. Always hear the cpu fan go spinning up to full. Left realtemp running a few times and it seems to hit 75ish, but that's literally 2 seconds work.

I think its trying to keep up with my SSD loading the maps