HDT coolers and thermal paste

[fluffmyster]

I read in a thermal paste application article from benchmark reviews not to apply oxidizing "white-grease" type TIM's, since they can tarnish the copper surface and bleed out.

I have an OCZ Vendetta 2 HDT cooler and have been using the white paste it came with for 3 months now. Should I be concerned?

 

[JonJ678]

Nope. Silicon grease isn't going to tarnish copper any faster than the other things available. Leaking out is only an issue if you put it on with a spade.

This said, if you lap a copper surface, so the protective lacquer is gone and don't replace it, fingerprints will attack the surface. As will just about anything, with the possible exception of tim.

I don't know what HDT stands for, is it just part of the name of the product?

 

[fluffmyster]

HDT stands for Heatpipe Direct Touch. The copper heatpipes are exposed and make contact with the CPU.