where to apply the thermal paste

[jtax]

where do you buy it? If you mess up while applying, is it removable? thanks

[Barney]

You can buy it basically at any (good) computerstore. You can remove it if you mess up. You have to apply a little (that is really a tiny bit) on the heatsink and the core of the processor. It's best if you don't use your finger to apply/spread the thermal paste.

Ronald

[thekingofpain]

If yer close to a Radio-Shack thats usually a good source, or a friend that has some already is even better!!! Alittle goes along way and can be whiped off, it may even come with the h/s you purchase if yer lucky...

try this link for MUCH more info: http://www.subzeropc.com/article/thermalinterface.htm



[This message has been edited by thekingofpain (edited 01-26-2001).]

[Barney]

You only have to place the thermal paste where it touches the core.

Ronald

[thekingofpain]

Try havin a look at that link I provided, you will have few questions afterwords...

[stevenvee]

Why do you apply the paste to the entire surface of the heatsink when it only comes into contact with the cpu core? I really want to know because I am in the process of doing this now and I want to do it right.

[This message has been edited by stevenvee (edited 01-26-2001).]

[stevenvee]

thekingofpain,

I did look at the site you posted. In that article they show the "entire bottom" of the heatsink coated and they do not show the processor at all. What are you to assume?

A. Coat the whole processor since they show the entire heatsink being coated.

B. Don't follow their directions and only coat the parts that touch?

Well? What is correct?

Steve

BTW. I am using an AMD T-bird and an Alpha-Pal 6035 heatsink.

[This message has been edited by stevenvee (edited 01-27-2001).]

[This message has been edited by stevenvee (edited 01-27-2001).]

[BDAWBTP]

The examples pictured below are for an AMD K6-2 CPU which is almost the size of the base of the heatsink. For today's smaller CPUs (i.e. FC-PGA PIII, Celeron II, Socket-A Athlons and Durons) you will only need to apply thermal paste to the small area where the CPU core (raised part in center) makes contact with the heatsink.

Perhaps you missed this part.

Bill

[Fingers]

OK http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif
Here's the best thermal compound on the plant; Arctic Silver Thermal Compound Instructions (http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm) http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

Oh well, king... you tried. I guess posting a link to a page titled "How to Apply Thermal Paste, etc." just wasn't enough. http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by Fingers (edited 01-27-2001).]

[LiLRiceBoi]

thats more like it. i'm used to reading about how many ppl rave about this stuff

[Richard_Cranium72]

Use the smallest amount possible to get complete coverage.

A thick layer will act as an insulator to heat migration.

I only use it where there is contact between the CPU and the heat sink.

Arctic Silver and some others like Arctic Gold are conductive and if used improperly may lead to short circuits.

If you aren't overclocking or using a Cyrix chip, I think the Radio Shack stuff for $2 will work fine.

DrVette

[LiLRiceBoi]

i'm surprised no one mentioned artic silver

[Fingers]

I wouldn't want to disappoint LiLRiceBoi http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/wink.gif

Mosts copper, silver, and gold based thermal compounds are electrically conductive, however ARCTIC SILVER is "80% to 84% silver content by weight" but has "negligible electrical conductivity."

ARCTIC SILVER was formulated to conduct heat, not electricity. It is only electrically conductive in a thin layer under extreme compression. (http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_compound.htm)

I never heard of Arctic Gold... but as near a I can tell, it's a brand label found on frozen food (http://www.global-food.com/gold.htm) or Dinnerware (http://www.murphyshomestyles.com/china/noritake/indvpages/arcticgold.html) j/k http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif Doc is correct, even with Arctic Silver, care must be used to keep it away from electrical traces.

[This message has been edited by Fingers (edited 01-28-2001).]

[El_Brio]

Only put a very small dot (like the head of a pin) on the proc core itself on a socket A cpu. Don't spread arctic silver on the whole top cause it is conductive and can short the bridges.

[stevenvee]

Well guys, here's what I did.

Alpha Pal 6035 and AMD 1Ghz T-Bird.

Spread a very, very thin layer of silicone thermal grease on the head of the processor with a fine artist paintbrush.

The T-Bird had 4 small pads on each corner of the processor. I removed them because the Alpha-Pal instructions say not to use the pads with Athlon processors. I cleaned the oil from the bottom of the heatsink and attached the assembly to the processor.

Seem right to you guys?

[El_Brio]

Those pads are there for a reason - to keep you from cracking your core. They tell you to remove them because the clip on the hs probably isn't strong enough to compress hem to make the hs contact the core.