Need to install thermal paste?

[CDdude55]

Gonna get a Q6600 OEM version(with no hsf included). I have a Arctic Cooler Freezer 7 Pro, But the thermal paste is already messed up(Using it on my Intel C2D E4400). So what should i do? Get more some thermal paste(if so, how do i apply i and do i put some on the HSF to?). Or should i install it bear with no paste?.

I hear good things of Arctic Silver and MX-1. BTW: I'm not OCing.

 

[Kursah]

You should ALWAYS have thermal paste between a modern CPU and modern CPU Cooler. Arctic Silver 5 and Arctic Cooling MX-1(and MX-2) are the top choices.

Take some cotton swabs and some rubbing alcohol (I use 91%, cheap stuff at grocery store/WalMart) and clean the CPU and Heat Sink surfaces. Then follow provided directions for installation of the TIM (Thermal Interface Material). AS5 usually recommends a small half-BB sized dab for single cores and a small line down the middle for dual cores, but brands and types can vary. I usually spread a thin layer on the CPU surface and then "haze" the cooler surface.


Hope that helps!

 

[Namslas90]

Either one ould be fine.

Lots of ways to put on the paste. I usually start with cleaning eveything with alcohol and putting on a small (half grain rice) ammount on and securing the HS. Then I wait a bit and take the HS back off and check the "spread". If it covers, all ok. If not, I add a little where needed. I always recheck it to make sue it's enough and not too much. If too much, just clean up excess with q-tips and alcohol and let air out a bit and reseat HS.

 

[CDdude55]

Need to put any on the HSF? And is any rubbing alcohol ok? And what would happen if i put on to much or to little?

 

[Kursah]

Too much and too little could both cause overheating due to inefficient heat transfer, too much if using a highly conductive TIM (AS5 for instace) could cause a short on the MB or CPU. But for most, especially that look at the pics in the instructions will do just fine. I've used one small tube of AS5 for about 8-9 times and still have plenty left over (yes the $6 tube iirc), doesn't take much to use.

Take a practice at it if you need to just to get an idea, I clean the CPU and HSF with rubbing alcohol until I cannot get any gray/black residue on a dry Q-Tip. Just google around for some pics, or use TPU Forum Search as there are some pics on here somewhere showing TIM application, go find the AC MX-1 site and AS5 site for their instructions (probably PDF format) and check those out for an idea. Really it's not hard, but it's a very crucial step in proper cooling of vital components that need such a procedure. After a few times it's a cakewalk and you won't even think about it!

 

[CDdude55]

Thanks. Which should i pick the $15 or $5 one?http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=artic+silver+5

 

[AphexDreamer]

Thanks. Which should i pick the $15 or $5 one?http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=artic+silver+5

Technically you get more for your money with the 12 Grams then the 3.5 Grams.

5.99 x3 which is the 3.5x3=10.5 grams for $17.97
15.99 divided by 3 = 5.33 when you can get 12 grams for $15.99

 

[CDdude55]

don't tell me i have to do this:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drwH08jP0-k

 

[CDdude55]

This helped:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFjh2Hkfj74&feature=related

 

[CDdude55]

Do these work well? http://www.arcticsilver.com/arcticlean.htm

There also on newegg.com

 

[Hawk1]

I found the application directions on AS website worked best for me for temps(with my dual core anyway). Heres the directions for a Quad:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf

 

[Kursah]

Thanks. Which should i pick the $15 or $5 one?http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Description=artic+silver+5

I got a $5-$6 dollar tube of AS5 that has lasted a long time through building my PC, my G/F's PC, 2 of my buddies PC's, my sister's PC, and amont the times I've reseated my HSF after a thourough cleaning, and I've got plenty left to use. You might get a better deal with more, but if you don't rebuild a lot...you don't need a lot imo, so in the end you don't need to spend more on stuff that you might not use before you lose or destroy (hey, things happen).

 

[CDdude55]

So with the Quad i should put a line across it, instead of putting a tiny drop in the middle?

 

[Mussels]

since i can never remember which sides to use, i draw an X between the corners (reaching about 2/3 of the way to the corners)

Spreads out quite well and hasnt caused me any problems with temps.

 

[Wile E]

Do these work well? http://www.arcticsilver.com/arcticlean.htm

There also on newegg.com

Yeah, that stuff is amazing.

 

[Mussels]

Yeah, that stuff is amazing.

+1.

i never grease anything without it.

 

[trog100]

i took my artic freezer pro on and off my 6000+ about four times. by the last time there was literally no paste left.. it didnt make the slightest difference to the running temps..

way way too much is made of this paste stuff.. try putting it on with none and see exactly what happens.. the heat spreaders on current cpus are that large i think it would work perfectly okay..

purely as an experiment.. u can always do it again if the results aint good..

trog

ps.. the job of the paste is to fill air gaps.. if its doing more than fill air gaps its of negative value.. direct contact between the two mating surfaces is ideal.. gloop in between makes heat tranfser worse..

 

[Mussels]

i took my artic freezer pro on and off my 6000+ about four times. by the last time there was literally no paste left.. it didnt make the slightest difference to the running temps..

way way too much is made of this paste stuff.. try putting it on with none and see exactly what happens.. the heat spreaders on current cpus are that large i think it would work perfectly okay..

purely as an experiment.. u can always do it again if the results aint good..

trog

ps.. the job of the paste is to fill air gaps.. if its doing more than fill air gaps its of negative value.. direct contact between the two mating surfaces is ideal.. gloop in between makes heat tranfser worse..

never, ever, ever run without the paste.
You're making several faulty assumptions here, i'll cover a few of the big ones only.

"no paste left" - the paste is burned into the gaps already. clean it with arcticlean and you'll see a massive difference.

You seem to assume you had a perfect thin layer to begin with - the freezer 64 comes with too much paste as a precaution. 1-2 removals later, you might have actually had a perfect layer, thus no changes to temps.

If you want to run with no paste go ahead, but do NOT advise other people to do it.

 

[hat]

You do NOT need that arcticleen stuff. I sold a pentium 4 which I cleaned off with 50% isopropyl alcohol. Never heard any negative feedback so I assume it works just fine for the guy I sold it to.

Also, I reccomend cleaning off your cooler with whatever rubbing alcohol you have laying around, it will work fine. Then apply Arctic Silver 5, MX-1, MX-2, or just use whatever you have laying around. To apply it, just put slightly more than a grain of rice at the approximate center, and put the heatsink on. Pressure will do the rest of the work (spreading it out), and will actually create better contact than the spread it out yourself with a sandwich bag method, since there will be virtually no air pockets anywhere.

 

[Mussels]

dont NEED arcticlean, but if you've ever used it its damn well worth it. Quick, fast and it cleans off ALL the thermal paste - not just this modern 'easy wipe' stuff, but the old stuff that was like a melting plastic (some mobos use this still), and the fibrous crap that intel used to use, and NV now uses on the 8 series on VRM/HSI chips, and memory.

Its not a necessity, its just the best there is and its fairly cheap.

 

[Wile E]

never, ever, ever run without the paste.
You're making several faulty assumptions here, i'll cover a few of the big ones only.

"no paste left" - the paste is burned into the gaps already. clean it with arcticlean and you'll see a massive difference.

You seem to assume you had a perfect thin layer to begin with - the freezer 64 comes with too much paste as a precaution. 1-2 removals later, you might have actually had a perfect layer, thus no changes to temps.

If you want to run with no paste go ahead, but do NOT advise other people to do it.

And what if you are like the legions of people that get a concave IHS from Intel? (I seem to be in that category) Using no TIM would only make matters worse.

 

[trog100]

i didnt recommend anyone run without thermal paste.. i simply suggested it be tried temporarily as an experiment..

the other point i was making was about criticality.. i broke all the commonly spouted rules..

first rule breach.. use the thick stock gloop that comes stuck on the bottom of the artic pro..

second rules breach take off and put back with just a finger smearing of the existing gloop.. no careful cleaning..

do this a couple of more times over a two week period..

results absolutely no detectable deference in overclocked cpu running temps.. in all instances it ran cooler than i expected and temps remained consistent..

my current nicely overlyclocked intel cpu has a similar artic pro cooler complete with similar stock artic pro gloop stuck to its bottom.. soon it will be removed the gloop smeared around a bit with my finger and a new wolfdale 8400 cpu fitted which will then be overclocked to over 4 gig..

so lets assume i first start off with tooo much gloop and the wrong gloop.. i eventually end up with too little gloop and the wrong gloop.. a very wide variation with no detectable temp difference.. this means something to me even if it dosnt to others..

course if i did have a cpu shaped like soup dish or a volcano i might take extra precautions

i must keep out of these magic potion threads.. i must keep out of psu threads.. i must keep out of amd is crap threads.. i must keep out of quad is wasted for most folks threads..

dont leave a lot left does it..

trog

 

[Mussels]

And what if you are like the legions of people that get a concave IHS from Intel? (I seem to be in that category) Using no TIM would only make matters worse.

quoted the wrong person?

trog: whatever you meant, and whatever luck YOU had, you advised something dangerous. At least give warnings in your post.

I *have* seen systems literally catch on fire from screwed up cooling, and many more that crashed or throttled (p4 systems) due to crap cooling.

 

[CDdude55]

So with the Quad i should put a x shape on it with thermal paste? Or is a rice size grain in the middle good?

 

[Mussels]

any way is good so long as it SPREADS.

you can paste it on in a big circle if you want, so long as its thin - the heatsink will spread it out, but its a lot easier if you help it.