7600GT Re-Paste oops?

[Comdrpopnfresh]

I have an eVGA 7600gt. Saw thermal pads under the hsf and cringed. so I got a screw driver and then took off the hsf, and applied a nice layer of AS5 tot he gpu, and the 4 ram chips.... When I put it back on, i realized the thermal pads were there so the ram could make contact with the HSF. I took of the HSF again, put the pads on the ram chips over my AS5 layer, and added a bit to the topside of the thermal pads. I then put another small dab on the gpu to refill any gaps now that i had put on and removed the HSF once. I didn't re-spread it, just left the bit on there. did the whole shimmy thing while putting on the heatsink, and then screwed it back in place. Now instead of funning in the low 50's, I'm running in the low 60's. Should I reapply? Get new thermal pads for the ram (then again why would they add to the gpu temp?)? Or do I simply need to wait for the AS5 to break in? I've tried heating it up, to help speed up the process- running it up to 90*C, then back down to 2 or so.... No luck so far.....

 

[dustmann]

You've got too much goop on there. I'd replace the thermal pads and do away with the AS. Putting too much AS on or putting it on top of a thermal pad will actually increase temperatures, and act as an insulator insead of a conductor. You started off with a good idea, but AS isn't for everything (as I'm sure you've noticed)

 

[savvy]

Thin layers are best.

 

[Bull Dog]

and AS5 is NOT for ram chips.

 

[VinDSL]

Bwahahaha! OMG!!! That's hilarious! Re-Paste was the perfect terminology!!!

Look, think of it this way... AS5 is GREASE. Thermal pads are TAPE.

Question: What happens when you put tape on top of grease?

Answer: You end up with a gooey paste!

If you don't want to use TAPE (paraffin wax actually) on your ramsinks -- use GLUE instead (not GREASE) -- and don't mix them together.

Silver Adhesive and Alumina Adhesive are GLUE... PERMANENT GLUE!

BTW, I wouldn't GLUE my ramsinks -- I'd use thermal pads. And, I absolutely, positively wouldn't GLUE my core, or use AS5, for that matter. I'd use MX-1... but that's just me...

In other words, I'd clean everything with mineral spirits (paint thinner), use thermal pads on the ramsinks and Scythe MX-1 on the GPU!

 

[Talcite]

Not to mention I don't think you properly cleaned off the thermal pad adhesive when you removed it...

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Talcite
Not to mention I don't think you properly cleaned off the thermal pad adhesive when you removed it...

Maybe the question should have been, "What happens when you put grease on top of tape?"

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

LOL. I feel i've been put in my place. lol. I had to clean such a layer of grease off the ram chips, I figured the as5 would replace whatever was originally on the pads.... lol. I'm going to compusa ot buy a new set of pads (they're all the same right- $3 for a roll of pds isn't gonna kill me?). But I do want to pursue as5 ont he gpu. I'm not sure which way i should do it- the thin layer (what i did at first with a razorblade: a thin layer spread thin, so if i went over it with the razor one more time it would take up the as5.) or the blob and twist method? The mounting screws for the 7600gt don't go through the board like i had known on the x800se. So I have to lower the board onto the hsf very carefully, then line up all four holes and screw on. It seems there will be a bit of twisting, so I'm leaning towards a small deposit on the center of the chip, and just press and twist wbefore i tighten the screws.

BTW- definitly not gonna use adhesive. I might want a aftermarket cooler later. And to the credit of the as5 i did apply- corectly, or even too much; With the stock grease, i was idling at 62, the first day i put as5 on it was 62, but i think its in the hardening stage, as with a mid-overclock it now idles at 58*C with a fan speed on rivatuner of 33-50-100 (2d-low power 3d- high 3d)

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
I'm leaning towards a small deposit on the center of the chip... the first day i put as5 on it was 62... it now idles at 58...

Yep, that's the way to apply AS5 -- and, yes, it takes a while to burn-in!

Make sure that you "cycle" your computer several times during burn-in, i.e. let it get to room temp, e.g. turn it off when you're not using it.

 

[Mogadon]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
I'm leaning towards a small deposit on the center of the chip... the first day i put as5 on it was 62... it now idles at 58...

Yep, that's the way to apply AS5 -- and, yes, it takes a while to burn-in!

Make sure that you "cycle" your computer several times during burn-in, i.e. let it get to room temp, e.g. turn it off when you're not using it.

That's a big fat NO, that is not the right way to apply AS5 unless doing so to a chip with a heat spreader on.

When you are putting AS5 directly onto the core, as the OP is doing, you should put a very small bb sized grain in one corner and then spread it out with a razor blade, credit card or something similar.

The OP isn't the only one being put in his place today ... .

 

[VinDSL]

Originally posted by: Mogadon
That's a big fat NO, that is not the right way to apply AS5 unless doing so to a chip with a heat spreader on...

Yes, on an unlidded CPU that would be correct, however, he's using AS5 on a GPU -- which is a 'big fat NO', IMHO. Since there's no heatspreader, if that AS5 squeezes out over the edges, he's screwed!

He shouldn't be using AS5 for that app, but since he's inclined to do it anyway, I *think* a little dab in the center would be preferable to spreading it, but once again, that's just me.

A little bit of AS5 is better than too much...

 

[customcoms]

I'm using AS5 for that app, and on my chipset. Both temperatures are down at least 5 degrees from the thermal pads that were on them!

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
I'm leaning towards a small deposit on the center of the chip... the first day i put as5 on it was 62... it now idles at 58...

Yep, that's the way to apply AS5 -- and, yes, it takes a while to burn-in!

Make sure that you "cycle" your computer several times during burn-in, i.e. let it get to room temp, e.g. turn it off when you're not using it.

I had read that new cpus like p4's and k8's with integrated aluminum die's are supposed to have the drop in the center witht he twisting motion. but ones without it like gpus, and the thunderbird cpu for example, are supposed to have a thin layer spread accross.

::EDIT:: Sorry mogadon- got giddy and went ahead and addressed that before i read your reply. I'm a noob at some things, but i try my best to do my research. lol. I didn't realize the corner thing though- I'll do that when I get ym hands on some pads- freakin compusa is out- i doubt thermal pds are in high demand.... they tried to tell me paste would do the same thing. i'd call them dumbasses, but..... obviously i thought the same!

 

[Mogadon]

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Mogadon
That's a big fat NO, that is not the right way to apply AS5 unless doing so to a chip with a heat spreader on...

Yes, on an unlidded CPU that would be correct, however, he's using AS5 on a GPU -- which is a 'big fat NO', IMHO. Since there's no heatspreader, if that AS5 squeezes out over the edges, he's screwed!

He shouldn't be using AS5 for that app, but since he's inclined to do it anyway, I *think* a little dab in the center would be preferable to spreading it, but once again, that's just me.

A little bit of AS5 is better than too much...

Think what you like buddy, I can't even remember how many GPU's (amongst other chips) i've applied AS5 too and i've never had a bad result. Sure if you put too much on and it squeezes out of the edge it's gonna be bad but if you do what i say it's gonna be good.

Oh yeah, and what's the logic behind not putting AS5 on GPUs?

 

[Mogadon]

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh

Originally posted by: VinDSL

Originally posted by: Comdrpopnfresh
I'm leaning towards a small deposit on the center of the chip... the first day i put as5 on it was 62... it now idles at 58...

Yep, that's the way to apply AS5 -- and, yes, it takes a while to burn-in!

Make sure that you "cycle" your computer several times during burn-in, i.e. let it get to room temp, e.g. turn it off when you're not using it.

I had read that new cpus like p4's and k8's with integrated aluminum die's are supposed to have the drop in the center witht he twisting motion. but ones without it like gpus, and the thunderbird cpu for example, are supposed to have a thin layer spread accross.

::EDIT:: Sorry mogadon- got giddy and went ahead and addressed that before i read your reply. I'm a noob at some things, but i try my best to do my research. lol. I didn't realize the corner thing though- I'll do that when I get ym hands on some pads- freakin compusa is out- i doubt thermal pds are in high demand.... they tried to tell me paste would do the same thing. i'd call them dumbasses, but..... obviously i thought the same!

You're right about the way to apply AS5 directly to chip cores, like GPU's.

Thermal pads with the RAM sinks are the way to go, probably difficult to find in local stores, you may have more luck online.

edit - just to confirm. The corner thing with the AS5 is for the GPU core itself. If you had thermal pads on the HSF that you took of the video card and you've added thermal paste on top of them one of your better options would be to totally clean the RAM chips and the fan base itself and then apply thermal pads to the RAM chips, along with the AS5 on the GPU core.

If you're willing to spend $30 you could just buy one of these. It would give you better cooling and allow to overclock the card highly, if you'd want to, not to mention the quiet factor.

Just another option, i'm not sure how much you want to spend. I haven't played with a 7600GT myself so don't have hands on experience with that card specifically.

 

[Comdrpopnfresh]

if i fall into money- i'll look at it closer- the specs look awesome. but is the grease for the ram grease? or adhesive? In my old computer I put a heatsink on what i guess was a southbridge or something other than the cpu or chipset.... and it slid off and i smelled the worst burning smell- it had connected the paths between two capacitors and they were discharging through the paste- so i had thermal paste burning.... luckily no damage. I like my heatsink- and the what i now guess to be sloppy application of as5 its idling at 56 now, with light overclocking, one case fan (adding more with a vga+cpu duct for my case and a 120mm intake), and stock amd heatsink+fan. I'll see how things shape up after i add my a64 freezer (i figure a drop in ambient case temp, and therefore a drop in vga temps), and then maybe an intake fan....

 

[VinDSL]

Mama always said, "Life is like a box of chocolates..."