Thermal Paste

UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
edited August 2004 in Off-Topic
This is my first time that I have actualy used it, and I realized that I'm not completely sure that I did it right. The picture isnt great, but is this spread around enough, or does it have to completely covering the CPU?


Btw, its Artic silver paste and a A64 3500+ cpu.

edit: it will have a thermaltake copper fan/heatsink, and is on a asus 18v mobo if that makes a difference.
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Comments

  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    edited August 2004
    Gah, I had an awesome link for this favorated, but I lost it when fire fox screwed up, I just need to dig up the thread I got it from... If I'm not mistaken you don't acctually have to spread artic silver around on Ath 64 at all, they have a heat spreader that means any contact with AS will be direct contact.
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  • WindelkronWindelkron Join Date: 2002-04-11 Member: 419Members
    i dont know myself, but as long as you made the thread i'd like to ask the question,
    is thermal paste necessary?
    my new processor came today and the heatsink/fan aren't attached to the processor. It's got this little sticky square on it, and 4 rubber bumper thingies attached to the cpu... is that good enough? or do I need to get extra cooling.
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  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    edited August 2004
    that sticky sqare is a peice of thermal tape, almost as good. If you have a decent heatsing/fan, and tape is allready on there, you shouldnt need to change it.


    edit: spelling
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Windelkron+Aug 13 2004, 06:29 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Windelkron @ Aug 13 2004, 06:29 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> i dont know myself, but as long as you made the thread i'd like to ask the question,
    is thermal paste necessary?
    my new processor came today and the heatsink/fan aren't attached to the processor. It's got this little sticky square on it, and 4 rubber bumper thingies attached to the cpu... is that good enough? or do I need to get extra cooling. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Thermal paste is a must if you plan to do even the slightest bit of overclocking, but if you bought a CPU pack it should come with everything you need to run it at default specs.
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  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    Dude thermal paste is a very big requirement. Its how heat enters the fan. Anyway thats enough coverage, and make sure you didnt put too much because that can be just as bad
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  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    So if I've allready done it, I can leave it, ad will just be redundant?
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  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    It looks ok, but if you get heating problems take it off and add a smidgen more. (The stock paste should be fine alone btw)
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  • XythXyth Avatar Join Date: 2003-11-04 Member: 22312Members
    Also if you wish to overclock I super-highly reccomend lapping the bottom of the heatsink. Lapping is basically useing very fine grit sandpaper to sand down the base of the heatsink until it has a mirror finish. Lapping+thermalpaste will equal the best possible cooling out of your heatsink.
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <a href='http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm' target='_blank'>Tutorial for the aplicationizing of artic silver</a>
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    edited August 2004
    I was right, you weren't supposed to spread it out like that on the Ath 64, just put on a small dab and use movement from the heatsink to spread it around.

    [edit]bleh, I could have edit ammended that, sorry
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  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    So is what I did bad, or just more than is needed/helpfull?
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  • CommunistWithAGunCommunistWithAGun Local Propaganda Guy Join Date: 2003-04-30 Member: 15953Members
    Try it out, worst case scenario itwill over heat and shut off, then just try again. I had to apply thermal paste twice to my AMD 2700+
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  • UnderDOGUnderDOG Join Date: 2003-04-05 Member: 15221Members
    Ok, ill try it out. It wont be for a few days though, still waiting on other parts to arrive.
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-UnderDOG+Aug 13 2004, 06:55 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (UnderDOG @ Aug 13 2004, 06:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> So is what I did bad, or just more than is needed/helpfull? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    not bad, a little wasteful maby... Like commie says, worst case scenario, you have to try twice. All you would do is wipe the excess off and aply again.
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  • BaconTheoryBaconTheory Join Date: 2003-09-06 Member: 20615Members
    THis is funny because I was going to ask the same question as unerdog here. It seems that the sticky sqaure will be fine since I don't plan to do any overclocking.
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Skidzor+Aug 13 2004, 07:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Skidzor @ Aug 13 2004, 07:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> THis is funny because I was going to ask the same question as unerdog here. It seems that the sticky sqaure will be fine since I don't plan to do any overclocking. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Don't take my word for it though, the only heatsinks I have ever played with in congunction to CPU's were like 10 years old, they didn't even have fans. Worst case scenerio is you try without paste over heat, card shuts down, and you have to go find some paste somewhere before you can get it running, not exactly tragic.
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  • Vahn_PaktuVahn_Paktu Join Date: 2002-10-28 Member: 1666Members, Constellation
    edited August 2004
    <!--QuoteBegin-Skidzor+Aug 13 2004, 06:03 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Skidzor @ Aug 13 2004, 06:03 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> THis is funny because I was going to ask the same question as unerdog here. It seems that the sticky sqaure will be fine since I don't plan to do any overclocking. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Sometimes the paste is pre-applied. That may be it.? Check the manual to be sure. I don't think I have any paste on/left on my AMD Athlon 900( .9 gig ftw) and it's still running. Though it does run at 120 F.
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  • SandrockSandrock Join Date: 2002-12-16 Member: 10905Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    Any type of thermal paste, even the crappy white stuff, is 10x better than those sticky pads. Yes, thermal paste is a requirement, even if you aren't doing any overclocking. If you dont want to use thermal paste, prepare yourself for a burnt up processor. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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  • MrPinkMrPink Join Date: 2002-05-28 Member: 678Members
    edited August 2004
    <a href='http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/DownloadableAssets/section5-high.wmv' target='_blank'>http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_ty...ction5-high.wmv</a>

    note: artic silver doesn't "wear out" over time like they say it does
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  • MantridMantrid Lockpick Join Date: 2003-12-07 Member: 24109Members
    Do I need thermal paste? I've got a fan and heat-sink, and no problems in years...
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  • WheeeeWheeee Join Date: 2003-02-18 Member: 13713Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    usually thermal tape is fine if you're not overclocking. so if it's been working for you, let sleeping dogs lie <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif' /><!--endemo-->

    anyway, another caution on applying thermal paste: spread it evenly, and not too thick! you just want a thin layer on the chip. use a straightedge or something to scrape off lumps and stuff. the better your contact between the HS/fan and the chip, the better cooled the chip will be, and the longer it will last.
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  • SwiftspearSwiftspear Custim tital Join Date: 2003-10-29 Member: 22097Members
    <!--QuoteBegin-Mantrid+Aug 13 2004, 11:44 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Mantrid @ Aug 13 2004, 11:44 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Do I need thermal paste? I've got a fan and heat-sink, and no problems in years... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Are you planning on overclocking in the next little while? If you're gonna overclock, go for a copper heatsink and fan, and yes you do need thermal paste, if your gonna leave your CPU the way it is, don't worry about it, if it worked in the past it will work in the present. Thermal tape/paste doesn't wear off, they just say that so suckers will buy more and they get more buisness.
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  • UnCriticalUnCritical Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 73Members, Constellation
    Whenever I've used it I tried not to use alot. As little as possible infact.
    You want as much of the metal of the processor and the heatsick to be touching. Nothing conducts better than metal to metal.

    The thermal paste is there to fill in the tiny tiny gaps.
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