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Thread: Is thermal paste a "must"?

  1. #1
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    Is thermal paste a "must"?

    when attaching my heat sink to my CPU, should i definitely put some thermal paste inbetween the 2 for safety precaution?

    My heatsink has a strip of thermal tape on the underneath, will this suffice?

    or do i need thermal paste?

    suggestions please..

  2. #2
    EX Moderator-May He Rest in Peace rangeral's Avatar
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    Yes that will do for now, if you want something different you could ask in the overclocking forum, most will recommend arctic silver compound.

  3. #3
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    The thermal pad has been added in the past year to help protect the processors from self destruct. Apparently newbies building their first computers, and not having the good sence to come to SysOpt first, , were installing the heatsinks with nothing applied to help conduct the heat away from the processor core. The thermal pad will provide some heat transfer, but you may also notice an elavated core temprature. It would be probably best to remove all of the thermal pad now, before it gets hot and will be hard to remove later. Apply a very thin coat of a good thermal paste to the core and secure the heat sink while it is still out of the case...it becomes much more difficult to redo this later on after the board has been mounted

  4. #4
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    well.. i think i may have to go with the thermal strip on the heatsink only.

    I'm impatient and cant wait another 4 days for delivery of the thermal comppound by mail.

    just making sure:

    gigabyte ga7rxp (no auto shutdown for hi temps!), plus Athlon XP 2000+ with no thermal paste - just the thermal strip on the heatsink.. would i be liekly to run into any problems? I had intended to overclock to a 2200+.

    Should i really do the sensible thing and order some thermal paste? Or is this an undue worry?

  5. #5
    Ultimate Member bushmaster's Avatar
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    Properly applied thermal paste usually will reduce the operating temperature of your cpu thus providing for a more stable run as well as a longer lifespan of the processor.
    And if you really would like to shave a couple of degree's c off your operating temp's then do a search for "lapping" in the cpu forum. Lapping is a method of making the bottom of your hsf perfectly flat and true as-to provide better surface to surface contact between the cpu and the hsf. That coupled with the proper application of thermal paste ( I use artic silver 3 ) will definately show you some temperature drops.

  6. #6
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    anyone heard of Coolmaster thermal compound? is this a good alternative to arctic silver?

  7. #7
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    Originally posted by bushmaster
    Properly applied thermal paste usually will reduce the operating temperature
    that's just the problem, i never done this before, so i'm not sure whether i'll be able to apply that thin base of paste that's needed. How much exactly? too much could be bad?

    Originally posted by bushmaster

    And if you really would like to shave a couple of degree's c off your operating temp's then do a search for "lapping" in the cpu forum. Lapping is a method of making the bottom of your hsf perfectly flat and true as-to provide better surface to surface contact between the cpu and the hsf. That coupled with the proper application of thermal paste ( I use artic silver 3 ) will definately show you some temperature drops.
    yep, did a search, but lapping seems more for the hard core overclocker, i did intend on overclocking, but perhaps now i'll just settle for my normal CPU spped of 1.6Mhz, or only a slight more of an overclock...
    I dont have the tools necessary to lap my heatsink anyway..


    PS.. where can i find info on AMD CPU operating temps? so i know whether i'm hot or not?

  8. #8
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    that's just the problem, i never done this before, so i'm not sure whether i'll be able to apply that thin base of paste that's needed. How much exactly? too much could be bad?
    heres your answer:

    http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm

    and no i wouldnt advise lapping to a newbie like youself and again no id advise agains using the pad as it results in higher temps, and once its melted on its a b!tch to get offa the CPu and HS and replace with good old thermal paste...

    --Jakk

  9. #9
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    is this a good thermal paste? i bought it at the local computer store (when i say local, i mean about 30 minutes drive there and back).

    Balance Stars 700 thermal compound:
    thermal conducitivity: 7.5W/m-k
    thermal resistance: 0.06G-in2/W
    10% silver included..

    didn't come with any templates, just the syringe, red top. Lable looks real.

    I know it might not compare to arctic silver, but is this thermal compound better to use than my Akasa AK785's thermal strip?

    right now, i'm more inclined to the heatsink's thermal strip..

  10. #10
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    Use the paste, thermal strips are rubbish

    Hell i usually use cr@ppy no name stuff from maplins, it dont matter, as long as you got soem thermal paste on it and scrape of the pad with a knife or razor blade...

    --Jakk

  11. #11
    Member CrashNFreeze's Avatar
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    Are you sure it's the best move, surely the thermal strip has got to at least equal the potential of the paste.. it's hardly arctic silver 3 quality is it?

    (i'm just looking for a reason to be talked out of scraping the strip off)..

  12. #12
    Member PuterTutor's Avatar
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    Scrape the strip off, paste is much better. As for how thick of a layer, enough so that you can't see through it, and nothing more.

    I've got the 1800, and my temps usually run around 45-50. AMD specs say it won't burn up til 90, but I'd be concerned about anything over 60-65 myself.
    System Specs:
    ____________
    Athlon XP 1800
    Shuttle Ak31 v2.0
    Dragon Orb 3
    256 Mb PC2100
    30 Gig Maxtor
    32Mb Nvidia Tnt2 Agp
    Lots of Blood, Sweat, and Tears...

  13. #13
    Member Cpl_Squirrel's Avatar
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    I think even your most basic thermal paste is better than the pad, especially if you're gonna overclock your cpu any.

    The thermal pad is 'bare minimum' and does the job if you aren't gonna overclock and are feeling lazy. (Like me and my setup)

  14. #14
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    Thermal tape is cr@p, take it from someone who has used both thermal paste and tape... scrape the gunk off and put the paste on -- its hardly rocket science and you wont regret it...

    --Jakk

  15. #15
    Ultimate Member Giblet Plus!'s Avatar
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    Don't even run the thermal pad once - it'll make a mess out of your processor, and you'll need to scrape it off that, too. If you plan on overclocking, I've found that another good way to drastically reduce temps is to install a blowhole with a good case fan blowing directly on the hsf. Doing this dropped my temps about 8 degrees C. Don't go overboard with the overclocking, because you're probably overclocking via the FSB, so any increases affect all your components, not just the processor. Good luck!
    This is where my signature would go if I wasn't so lazy.

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