Applying thermal compound correct.

[J-Man]

I was wondering what the "die" is and also for the dual core Intel and AMD CPU's, all you need is a small blob like the size of a rice grain? Am I correct?

 

[d44ve]

correct

Also, the "die" is basically the actual "CPU".... it sits underneath the metal plate that you are putting the compound on

 

[Mediocre]

Just put a small blob as you said, slightly larger than a grain of rice, and put the Heatsink/fan on top. Twist the HSF a little in each direction, and tighten it down. Piece of cake, should take ~2 minutes.

I believe the 'die' is another name for the IHS (Integrated heat spreader). The IHS is the silver cover on the top of the CPU and has the processor's specs printed on top.

Mobil CPU's (Pentium M's) DONT HAVE AN IHS. This makes heatsink/fan application tricky

 

[J-Man]

Will the heatsink spread is for me?

 

[d44ve]

Yeah, when you tighten down the HSF it will spread it for you.

I typically like to spread the majority myself and let the HSF do the rest

 

[J-Man]

Ah nice one. I also want to ask is compound and the word grease mean the same? Or are they different - mean differently?

 

[KennyT772]

CPU with IHS or intagrated heat spreader

GPU with IHS

GPU without IHS

For IHS application, rice grain sized blob, and press heatsink on.

For application on DIE or non IHS, smaller amount yet, spead over the whole surface of the die with a creadit card, razor blade, finger-in-plastic-bag, etc.
End result should look like this:

 

[d44ve]

They can mean something differant.... but for the most part, it is the same

 

[error_f0rce]

Google "Arctic Cooling", go to their website and check out their step by step guide. Good stuff!!

 

[anticlutch]

Actually, for the G80 cores (8800 series GPUs), you can't use a rice-grain sized blob as it simply isn't enough. I tried it once and the heatsink only made contact with about 10% of the total surface area of the GPU IHS and gave me idle temps of around 75C (before was 64C). After using pretty much the whole tube of AS5 on the IHS, the temperatures went down to ~60C before being broken in.

edit: I forgot to add that the above only applies to stock heatsinks for the 8800 cards; aftermarket heatsinks will obviously need a lot less compound than the stock HS.

 

[J-Man]

Ohhh.

 

[hat]

Small dot, maybe the size of a grain of rice, then spread it around with your finger in a sandwich bag until it pretty much covers the whole thing.

 

[nora.e]

Ah nice one. I also want to ask is compound and the word grease mean the same? Or are they different - mean differently?

If both have the words "heat sink" in front of them and are desined for electronics then they will both be fine to use interchangably. No other substitusions should even be considered! No "toothpaste", or cooking grease. nor any thing else that wasn't desinged an being sold for use on a heat sink!!!!!!

 

[Polaris573]

An excellent guide written by our own Djbenn. Thermal Paste and How to Use It

 

[hat]

I reccomend these:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=arctic+silver+5
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100009

bottom link highly reccomended

 

[PaulieG]

I have never needed to use more than a grain of rice size blob on any cpu or gpu. The compound will spread itself with the hsf installed, along with the heat created when the system is running. Resist apply more. If you don't notice a significant drop in temp, try to be patient, as you will need several hours of cpu use and down time before it will cure.