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How to apply thermal paste?

Thanks for all this guys. I also bought some Arctic Silver 5 paste as I heard it was the dogs balls. Line down the middle here we come :)
 
Sorry to ask a silly question but how do you check your temps. I just built a new machine with a E6850, on Vista.....

Thanks
 
Rumours vs Imagination ....

Before anyone gets carried away by the idea that some secret technique or technology is involved in applying/using TIM, thereby fuelling an imaginary TIM entreprenuerial scramble, the aim of using such an interface material is to remove any air pockets between the mating surfaces. That’s ALL there is to it. In summary, unless the TIM is better at conducting heat than either or both mating surfaces, it’s job is just to remove/reduce the negative effects of any air pockets. If the TIM is not any better or only slight worse at conducting heat than both mating surfaces, do as you please, secret techniques and 30thcentury TIM potency included. Should an optimal TIM be used, most problems experienced are related to issues with the mating surface/s and/or their interfacing thereof.

All those pretty graphs and ”testing” are merely to uncover the error probabilities within the TIM potency “envelope” much like someone going to their dustbin and recording the hourly baterial count. OK if you are after a 0.0337 sec “superiority” to determine pole positions but useless when you are going to Asda/Orcado [heavens, they are so sophisticated] for the shopping run. Ever seen the pages and pages of “****-talk” regarding mobo-CPU superiority at default FSB? The stupidity is not the authors. Its the readership who maintain these “lab-testers” on their pedestal. Dumbness is that entity who does not recognise itself.
 
Ok u've put too much 'goop' on your CPU its not a total loss. i made this mistake. HOWEVER when removing your CPU i will _STRONGLY_ advise you to find either a very thin piece of plastic or something. To slide in between your CPU and your cooler.

2 years ago I bought everything for a new PC. I had a massive cooler on my cpu, put too much goop on, PC wouldnt boot as it needed the older version of CPU to update the bios. So i tried to take the cooler off. Just with a lil nudge on the cooler, i heard a crack. Looked around and didnt see anything snap off. But to my horror I couldnt see my CPU any more. Looked at my hand and saw my CPU still stuck onto the bottom of my cooler. So basically i managed to rip my CPU out of the socket without lifting the lil arm that locks it in place.

I then spent the next 2.5 -3 hours with a manifying glass and a paper clip; slowly pushing the pins back straight. CPU is still working now :) but it doesnt overclock ^_^ :D

hth
 
This the method I use, and it seems weird (proly is) but it works quite well by giving me a smooth, thin coating:
Get a small plastic bag, like a food bag, or a latex glove if you have one (I won't ask any questions).
If it's a small bag you have, stick a finger in it so there's a stretched skin of plastic over your index finger.
Put a small blob of AC5 in the middle of your CPU (maybe 2mm across).
Use your plastic/latex covered finger to spread the blob of AC5 over the whole heatspreader in a circular motion until you have it all spread and even. You might even see a shiny coating appear.

Kind of weird, but it works.
 
I've always used the Artic Silver 5 since it came out.

Intel - small blob in the center (2/3ds the size of a pea). I then use a finger to smooth it all over the processor heatsink ensuring it is flat, thin & evenly covered. Try to minimize movement of the heatsink while assembling...

QX6850 idling at 34 deg C.

Regards
 
I prefer my way:

1) Get some sterile latex gloves (dont have to be sterile i guess, but if you have some :p )
2) Spread a tiny amount over the surface so that the surface is tacky, but the entire surface is covered. Bung on HSF and your done!

Im running a 6600 at 1.4v @3ghz with temps at 38 while folding. Orthos peak was something like 45.

edit - appears im not alone in the spreading of thermal paste :p
 
spread a thin layer accross the surface or
thin line down center i have done both methods
many times and found temps to be the same
i think thin line in middle works best if you have a slight concave
Here's mine thin layer method tuniq tower 120

capture_27072007_223143.jpg
 
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Depends a lot on the heatsink base if it's perfectly flat then i put a small amount of compound in the middle and smooth around very thinly with my finger in a polythene bag if the heatsink base is a direct contact joby like the fenrir i use a shed load of compound to fill in the gaps on the base and push out any air.
 
I saw a youtube video on various methods he used clear plastic sheet to show effects.

pea size and it spread out kinda ok
thin line did ok but not too great
then a cross which looked to do better
thin sheet and it created air bubbles

i wish i could find the video again but i forgot how i ran across it.
 
hi peeps. thought i would add my pennies worth. last time i used artic silver it was on an AMD XP2500 chip... spent ages applying the paste on the slug,,etc,,

any way seen a lot of people having heating troubles with theere i7 cores, and the way they descibing the application of the thermal compound, doesnt seem right, but couldnt comment till i done mine,,

http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2intelcmq.html

i followed the instructions above, and i get 36c [email protected] ghz and 45-50c using prime. ive ramped it to 3.10ghz i think it was and still only getting 50c in prime,

admitedly these are only 5 minute tests and need to do some hardcore burning in, but i think so far the above method of applying the paste is working..... :)
 
i had trouble with thermal paste, i put too much on; it leaked out all over mobo...i cleaned it all off with nail varnish remover and reapplied only a small amount.... it's ok now.
 
MaDMaX** said:
hi peeps. thought i would add my pennies worth. last time i used artic silver it was on an AMD XP2500 chip... spent ages applying the paste on the slug,,etc,,

any way seen a lot of people having heating troubles with theere i7 cores, and the way they descibing the application of the thermal compound, doesnt seem right, but couldnt comment till i done mine,,

http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2intelcmq.html

i followed the instructions above, and i get 36c [email protected] ghz and 45-50c using prime. ive ramped it to 3.10ghz i think it was and still only getting 50c in prime,

admitedly these are only 5 minute tests and need to do some hardcore burning in, but i think so far the above method of applying the paste is working..... :)
Click to expand...

i'm no expert but those temps seem alright...my FX64 is 32 and 35 idle...on a stock cooler..........case side open.

i've seen a max of 46 on full load....make sure you degrease the cpu/ cooler with Alcohol/nail varnish remover .... dont just clean it, REALLY REALLY CLEAN IT :D

i've tried both and using Alcohol decreased the idol by a degree............Antec Skeleton ?.....yea' maybe, it runs 10 degrees cooler
 
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ocz extreme thermal paste is amazing, highly recommended!

I used it on both CPU/GPU and I just put a small amount in the middle, oh and as a review site pointed out the whole pea size is kind of wrong, a pea is pretty big :D its more like one of those little metal edible balls you can put on cakes :D
 
i put a small blob in the middle then spread it about with my finger in a tesco bag xP works pretty well
 
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