Applying the Thermal compound right?

[chaudharymic]

Now, I have built around 15 boxes so far, for friends and family, and not one has run hot. After letting a younger brother watch, I let him do the thermal compund. Around a year later, I am tired of the heat, so this afternoon, I popped off the heatsink and found he used a bit much. Just want to confirm I am not out of my mind, as he said when he saw howI I did it.

Old Heatsink.
Old CPU

Current Core
Current Heatsink

 

[edmundoab]

wow that looks alot that has been spreaded.
Normally a thin even layer should be applied to have best results.

that looks like too much honestly.

i know the ceremique probably needs a little bit more.

 

[Pr0d1gy]

That is way too much. What were you guys using, Artic Silver or something else? That looks like a cake that caught on fire & burned up the table below it, nasty.

 

[imported_Kensai]

Too much.

 

[chaudharymic]

So take some off the HS? Just scrape it off?

It really isn't that much, must be the angle. Unless I have been always putting too much on....

Antec Silver

 

[edmundoab]

clean it and reapply
this time only a thin even layer.
use a bank card or ATM card to assist your spreading.

 

[chaudharymic]

On the HS only?

 

[Pr0d1gy]

Originally posted by: chaudharymic
So take some off the HS? Just scrape it off?

It really isn't that much, must be the angle. Unless I have been always putting too much on....

Antec Silver

Go to their website. I know with Artic Silver 5 you are supposed to put an amount equal to a grain of rice on & that's all. It seems like nothing but it works perfectly. Find out how much you should use for the version you're using & follow their directions step by step.

 

[chaudharymic]

Yeah, it says a half a grain of rice on the CPU. Ill try again. Thanks.

 

[ericlala]

Just a tiny dap. Picture a tiny piece of dough that can be spread out to make a pizza.

 

[IEC]

And use isopropyl to clean the old paste. 90% and greater isopropyl is best.

 

[chaudharymic]

http://img274.echo.cx/img274/4959/dsc012400ah.jpg
So is that too thin?
I spead what is left in that pic out a bit better. Little purple is showing now.

 

[ericlala]

take all of it off with a lintless towel or mcD tissue.
then further clean it with some rubbing alcohol.
do the same on the heatsink.
once you have both cleaned, add a tiny drop of the paste onto the CPU only and clip the HS on.

 

[chaudharymic]

I did that, Have my 91% alcohol right next to me. I used one of those glasses cleaning cloths. I put a dab on, and spread it the best I could.

 

[ericlala]

oh no, you dont have to spread it. just a tiny drop and when your HS goes on, it will compress it into a thin layer from the center out so no air will be there.

edit: you might want to clean the compound around the chip as well incase you short anything.

 

[chaudharymic]

Oh. Mmmk. Would it be okay to take the heatsink off afterwards to see if it is enough?

 

[ericlala]

no dont take it off because the point is not to expose it to air.
if you are really paranoid, just boot it up and go in bios to check your temp and wait a min or two to see if thee is a drastic increase. if not, it is fine.

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: chaudharymic
http://img274.echo.cx/img274/4959/dsc012400ah.jpg
So is that too thin?
I spead what is left in that pic out a bit better. Little purple is showing now.

if that mess around the cpu core is your doing, you shouldn't be allowed to to build a computer.

 

[mdchesne]

jesus, enough! only use it to fill in the minor holes and imperfections in the cpu core and HSF material. spread it clean with a credit card

 

[chaudharymic]

The mess is left over from my younger brother, my fault, shouldnt have let him. After I get the paste on the core right, Im going to clean it up. I have been using a credit card, then tired a razor.

So spread it or not spread it?

 

[rickn]

Originally posted by: chaudharymic
The mess is left over from my younger brother, my fault, shouldnt have let him. After I get the paste on the core right, Im going to clean it up. I have been using a credit card, then tired a razor.

So spread it or not spread it?

either way generall works. most heatsink clips exert a lot of pressure, that thin paste doesn't offer any resistance and any excess gets squeezed out the sides of the core.

 

[ericlala]

dont spread. it is very hard to get a perfectly level surface with your hands. Just put the HS on the drop and it will spread AND fit to the curves of your HS

 

[imported_Kensai]

Don't spread it. A tiny drop on the core will be okay since the pressure from the heatsink will spread it out on the core.

 

[chaudharymic]

This thing has a hell of a pressure. Takes most of my strength to get it off. I was worried when I built it that it would crush the CPU...

 

[Pr0d1gy]

DO NOT spread it. Put the tiny amount on there it says to & then sit the heatsink on the chip. Then turn it one degree to the right & left. This will do all the spreading you need for you. Remember one degree is just BARELY moving it in each direction. Then strap down the HSF & you're good to go.

If you already started doing it & didn't do it this way, clean chip & HSF & follow the directions from Artic Silver (the ones I gave above).