When to apply thermal past

Z

zeppelin03

New Member
I removed the heatsink from my cpu. But the factory paste sticks back to the cpu when i place it back on. Should i remove the existing paste and put some new stuff on since it has been taken off.
 
General rule of thumb is to re-apply TP every time you remove the HSF. This will allow for the best heat transfer and prevent overheating.
 
^Correct, if you remove the HSF and then reapply it, without reapplying thermal paste, there could be bubbles/gaps and the thermal paste won't be as effective...although (if I were you) I wouldn't reapply TP (as long as you don't see any weird temps).
 
You can buy it at Circuit City or best Buy, or online from Tiger or Newegg.

There are many different kinds, but the generally-accepted best is Arctic Silver 5 (AS-5)

There are various ways to apply it, and everyone will give a different answer. If you go to AS-5's website, you'll see application instructions for your type of CPU. I've found the coolest temps obtained by spreading a thin layer over the entire CPU, then placing an additional BB-sized dab in the center and installing the HSF. The pressure from the HSF will spread the dab of compound evenly.
 
I also heard a thin layer of thermal paste was a good practice. Careful. Not too much. You certainly do not want excess thermal paste spilling out on the mother board, it could damage the circuit board.
 
Yes, you should remove it. You can scrape the old paste off both the CPU and heatsink with a credit card or razor blade. After most of it is gone, you can wipe it down with a paper towel, then if you really want to get rid of all residue, take a coffee filter and a bit of rubbing alcohol and rub the heat spreader of the CPU and the heatsink until no more gray stuff wipes away.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top