URGENT! Build advice required please

Papillon · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:28

Hi,

I'm putting together the motherboard for my new computer. I've installed the CPU (Athlon 3800 64 X2) onto the motherboard, and now I'm trying to install the heatsink and fan. I've got some Arctic Silver compound for this, and the instructions state that compund should be used. I have the retail kit so have the standard AMD fan. It looks like there is some kind of thermal pad on the base of the heatsink, and the instructions per Arctic Cooling say that any heatpads should be removed. Should I remove this from the heatsink?

Also, I have just offered up the heatsink and fan to the CPU to check how to attach it before applying compound, and it has left aresidue on the top of the CPU from the heatpad! I presume I now need to clean this off.

Please can you advise me what to do next, as the instructions aren't very clear. Thank you.

SiriusB · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:30

Yeah, get shot of the heat pad - theyre a load of rubbish. You should then use a solvent to clean off any of the gunk left behind. Yes, you need to get rid of the gunk on the CPU too. You should be cleaning it before hand anyway so dont worry about having to clean it now

SiriusB

semi-pro waster · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:35

If you are going to use Arctic Silver then yes you need to remove the thermal pad, clean it very carefully and if using an alcohol based solvent make sure all traces of the solvent are removed before proceeding any further. If you have got some of the thermal pad on the CPU then you will need to clean it off. When I haven't had solvent before I've been able to do it with tissues and elbow grease but it was a bit of an effort.

I'll disagree with SiriusB though on thermal pads being rubbish per se, they are fine for using at stock speeds.

Papillon · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:38

Thank you very much for your help :-)

I was getting in a bit of a panic there for a sec!

Papillon · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:45

Any ideas on what kind of solvent I can use? Sorry to be stupid, but I don't really know what I can use from the stuff in the house. Thanks again.

lee87 · 25 Apr 2006 at 17:50

I usually use a few drops of alcohol to clean the hsf.

wilders · 25 Apr 2006 at 22:32

Yep, a little bit of alcohol will do the trick!

BigDom · 25 Apr 2006 at 22:45

semi-pro waster said:
I'll disagree with SiriusB though on thermal pads being rubbish per se, they are fine for using at stock speeds.

Agree, in fact for mild overclocking their ok and in some cases the provided compound is BETTER than AS. The most notable being that on the Arctic Freezers.

Zefan · 25 Apr 2006 at 22:47

Papillon said:
the instructions per Arctic Cooling say that any heatpads should be removed.

Nazbit · 25 Apr 2006 at 22:50

I agree with what has been said to be honest, if your not overclocking and im guessing your not as your using the standard heatsink then the standard pad will be good enough.

However seeing as you have already attached it to the CPU and unsettled some of the......whatever the gunky stuff is......then just remove it altogether and use some as5.

Go easy on the AS5 though, you really really only need a tiny amount, too much and it will actually increase rather than lower your temps (and it does not take much, take it from someone who knows) so easy does it.