The AMD Phenom II OC'ers Club

[erocker]

No problem.



It's always best to follow manufacturers instructions (usually).

Regarding HDT coolers, it actually depends on the cooler. On a Xiggy S1283/DK the 2 line method on the HS works best. But on a Sunbeam Core Contact, the pea method still works best.


Please see above with your crazy eyes



If you're not using an HDT cooler the pea method usually works best. But the key is, you have to apply enough force to make it spread. This especially holds true for the thicker TIM's like ICD7, OCZ Freeze, AS5, etc.

I was part of the test bed for IC Diamond 7 at another forum and that was the most frequent problem when using it. I believe the guy from IC said that almost 80 lbs. of force is required to get it to spread when it's room temp. Putting in a cup of boiling hot water for 5 minutes helps it become more viscous.

Also, from my experience with AMD's, all of their IHS are concave.

This is stuff we all know about already. With HDT's I like to rub in some TIM first in the cracks and do the 2 line method myself. You are usually going to get different results for different coolers. IHS's can sometimes not be flat. Trail and error, whatever works best for me is the way I do it. I just wish we had nice TIM like MX-2 twenty years ago.

I do wish cooler manufacturers were more informative on how they would like you to apply TIM. That's why I mentioned the Heatkiller. Not only do they tell you exactly what they want you to do as far as applying TIM, they tell you to get the micrometer out to measure the screw in length for proper mounting!

 

[BlackOmega]

With my cooler, lapped Thermaltake Big Typhoon, and my lapped CPU I use the white pigeon poop paste because it's so thin. Works better than every other TIM I've tried.

EDIT:

I do wish cooler manufacturers were more informative on how they would like you to apply TIM. That's why I mentioned the Heatkiller. Not only do they tell you exactly what they want you to do as far as applying TIM, they tell you to get the micrometer out to measure the screw in length for proper mounting!

Yeah, most manufacturers are pretty vague. I wish there was a better way of gauging how tight cooler need to be. Something like a torque spec (I'm a grease monkey BTW).

 

[erocker]

With my cooler, lapped Thermaltake Big Typhoon, and my lapped CPU I use the white pigeon poop paste because it's so thin. Works better than every other TIM I've tried.

Lol, that's hillarious! When I first got into building computers I'd always call that stuff bird poop!

 

[Kei]

lol, I use Artic Silver Ceramique with every build (much like bird poop lol)

I usually mount and remount whatever HSF I have a few times to see how the material work out before a 'final' mounting. 99.999999% of the time I just apply the material directly to the CPU itself and thin it out over the entire surface which has provided me the best results of all.

I don't use a lot of compound regardless of the HSF to avoid turning it into an insulator. I also pay VERY close attention to the flatness of both the CPU and HSF using a razor blade as well as how the paste contacts the two surfaces after applying normal mounting pressures.

Depending on the results of those two tests I decide whether or not I'm going to lap one or both of the surfaces. If it contacts on at least 50-70% then I'll run for a while, but think about lapping though not a top priority as long as the main concentration of that was in the center. If on the other hand much like my current setup (CM V8 + PII 955) there is only 25-40% then there is no question that I will be lapping both surfaces.

The contact area of these two components was FAR from optimal in my instance regardless of how the TIM was applied, so I had no choice but to lap both. After lapping they now offer a fantastic surface area to deal with cooling the processor. You get that nice suction from having no air voids as well since both surfaces are nice and flat.

I'm a pretty big fan of lapping, just make sure you...

1) Don't care about warranty on both/either because the moment you start it's voided.

2) Take photos of the processor information (stepping, model number, etc.) for when you want to sell it...piece of mind goes a LONG way to a buyer.

3) Don't freak out when you put the two together, then try to remove them after the first mounting and it's HARD to seperate the two of them due to the vacuum effect. Don't pull harder...you'll just rip the socket out of the board (bad), just take your time and if you have to apply a little heat. Best way is to use the machine for a few minutes, then shut down after it's warmed up, and you can remove it a bit easier.

Kei

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

sadly i was unable to put up enough of a good offer for a 965 to the owner for at least considering it tho guess ill wait awhile longer and see how things change in the coming weeks

 

[BlackOmega]

lol, I use Artic Silver Ceramique with every build (much like bird poop lol)

I usually mount and remount whatever HSF I have a few times to see how the material work out before a 'final' mounting. 99.999999% of the time I just apply the material directly to the CPU itself and thin it out over the entire surface which has provided me the best results of all.

I don't use a lot of compound regardless of the HSF to avoid turning it into an insulator. I also pay VERY close attention to the flatness of both the CPU and HSF using a razor blade as well as how the paste contacts the two surfaces after applying normal mounting pressures.

Depending on the results of those two tests I decide whether or not I'm going to lap one or both of the surfaces. If it contacts on at least 50-70% then I'll run for a while, but think about lapping though not a top priority as long as the main concentration of that was in the center. If on the other hand much like my current setup (CM V8 + PII 955) there is only 25-40% then there is no question that I will be lapping both surfaces.

The contact area of these two components was FAR from optimal in my instance regardless of how the TIM was applied, so I had no choice but to lap both. After lapping they now offer a fantastic surface area to deal with cooling the processor. You get that nice suction from having no air voids as well since both surfaces are nice and flat.

I'm a pretty big fan of lapping, just make sure you...

1) Don't care about warranty on both/either because the moment you start it's voided.

2) Take photos of the processor information (stepping, model number, etc.) for when you want to sell it...piece of mind goes a LONG way to a buyer.

3) Don't freak out when you put the two together, then try to remove them after the first mounting and it's HARD to seperate the two of them due to the vacuum effect. Don't pull harder...you'll just rip the socket out of the board (bad), just take your time and if you have to apply a little heat. Best way is to use the machine for a few minutes, then shut down after it's warmed up, and you can remove it a bit easier.

Kei

I use a machinists straight edge (which is round) to measure it. If I can get a thin piece of paper to go under it then it needs to be lapped. Which IMO, is every CPU

Obviously not all of us have a machinists straight edge to measure the warp in the IHS; you can actually use a smooth pen to do the same.

There's a few things to remember when doing it though.

• 1. The pen MUST be smooth. Any irregularities like writing, even the stuff "painted" or printed on will make it inaccurate.
  
• 2. Roll the pen on a smooth surface to check for warp. If either end of the pen move up and down, you'll need a new one.
  
• 3. The paper you should use should be as cheap as possible. Reason being is that it's thinner, typically .001-.003" thick. If you can't find any you can use one of your own hairs, which is .003".
  
• 4. Lay then pen across the IHS but DO NOT apply ANY pressure. Even the slightest bit can cause the pen to bow, it is plastic after all. Your fingers are there just to keep it from moving.
  
• 5. Then slide the paper underneath. You should measure the IHS in all of these angles |, \, -, / .

A machinists straight edge is pretty much the same thing as the pen except it's metal.

At any rate, if the paper slides underneath unobstructed, IMO, it should be lapped.

And one more awesome thing about lapping, it exposes the copper which has much better heat transference properties than that coating they put on the IHS's.

 

[Chicken Patty]

I seem to be getting much better temps now. I used the Pea method but not only that, I used less. I came from the world of i7 where the IHS is bigger and you need to use slightly more TIM. I guess I still had not let go of that concept when applying it on my PH II. Temps have dropped about 5ºc just by doing that.

I'll try the spread method as that is what Prolimatech recommends anyways. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Hunt3r]

I seem to be getting much better temps now. I used the Pea method but not only that, I used less. I came from the world of i7 where the IHS is bigger and you need to use slightly more TIM. I guess I still had not let go of that concept when applying it on my PH II. Temps have dropped about 5ºc just by doing that.

I'll try the spread method as that is what Prolimatech recommends anyways. I'll keep you guys posted.

How do you get the i7 .. did you see much difference between him and the 965 and you are happier

 

[Chicken Patty]

How do you get the i7 .. did you see much difference between him and the 965 and you are happier

Bro the Phenom II feels quicker than the i7 but the i7 was awesome for benching.

 

[BlackOmega]

Bro the Phenom II feels quicker than the i7 but the i7 was awesome for benching.

Really? What was the specs of your i7 rig?

 

[eidairaman1]

Bro the Phenom II feels quicker than the i7 but the i7 was awesome for benching.

Benchmarks are good n all but i go for realworld performance, thats what made me switch from Intel to AMD back in the day.

 

[Hunt3r]

I think for those who like benching will always go intel

 

[eidairaman1]

going from a 2.4 Pentium 4 to a 2.2 athlon xp was night and day, the AXP was overall quicker.

 

[Hunt3r]

going from a 2.4 Pentium 4 to a 2.2 athlon xp was night and day, the AXP was overall quicker.

That was a years .. now things have changed

 

[Chicken Patty]

Really? What was the specs of your i7 rig?

same as my specs on the left but with a i7 and a EVGA 3x sli board.

Benchmarks are good n all but i go for realworld performance, thats what made me switch from Intel to AMD back in the day.

True that.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

hmm got luck earned a bit more money gonna send theonedub 1 last ditch offer for a Phenom II 965 i probably should make the offer but i just cant stand my 940BE anymore i think its my motherboard and ram causing the errors and limiting my stable overclock ie pass LinX at 3600cpu 2400nb multiple times yet cant play a game so i know the chip has OC room up the wazoo if the times taken to balance it and get it there anyway hopefully i can come up with something to get the 965 i refuse to call it quits haha

 

[eidairaman1]

benchmark vs real world perf, sort of like Driving a vehicle actually vs what its rating is.

 

[Chicken Patty]

benchmark vs real world perf, sort of like Driving a vehicle actually vs what its rating is.

Not bashing the i7, I loved it. Realword performance is unreal as well, but the AMD just feels snappier. I don't know why but I love it.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

well i wonder is it possible for a person to hibernate for 5 weeks?? anybody know ?

 

[Chicken Patty]

well i wonder is it possible for a person to hibernate for 5 weeks?? anybody know ?

I personally don't think so, but knowing you. You probably can.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

well i cant wait .... and 5 weeks is a long wait when your impatient ive got about as much patience as a mouse watching the cheese on a mouse trap he knows he shouldnt that he should be patient let another mouse get killed and he can take the cheese sadly i cant wait so id go for the proverbial cheese anyway and kersplat thus why i want to hibernate that way nothing bad happens

 

[Chicken Patty]

well i cant wait .... and 5 weeks is a long wait when your impatient ive got about as much patience as a mouse watching the cheese on a mouse trap he knows he shouldnt that he should be patient let another mouse get killed and he can take the cheese sadly i cant wait so id go for the proverbial cheese anyway and kersplat thus why i want to hibernate that way nothing bad happens

Why do you want to hibernate again?

 

[jjFarking]

Think of all the food & toilet paper you'll save whilst hibernating!

 

[Chicken Patty]

Think of all the food & toilet paper you'll save whilst hibernating!

he'll then have money saved up to buy the AM3 setup he wants so bad.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

its a secret CP

and not only toilet paper and food imagine the awesome dreams id be hibernating dreaming all kinds of crazy stuff and id save some trees a cow or 2 lol