Arctic Silver 5

[MasterTN]

Correct if I'm wrong...my understanding from reading the instructions on their website is that if I am applying arctic silver 5 to my p4 processor, then I only have to put a tiny amount in the center and then lower the heatsink onto the processor?

 

[mindwreck]

put a tiny bit, spread it, then attach your heatsink

 

[TRUMPHENT]

That's exactly what the instructions say. It will rely on heat and pressure to flow the compound out to the area needed. The P4 uses a heat spreader which is much larger than the cpu underneath. Arctic Silver provides excellent illustrations as well.

I always boot up into the BIOS temperature monitering screen to watch the temperatures for about an hour the first time after a heatsink replacement.

 

[Corporate Thug]

i would spread it all across the heatspreader because the pressure from the HSF may not throughly spread it

 

[MasterTN]

There's a silver/grayish square on the bottom of my copper heatsink...is that the thermal pad? If so, I would have to scrape it out before putting in the arctic silver?

 

[Thor86]

Originally posted by: MasterTN
There's a silver/grayish square on the bottom of my copper heatsink...is that the thermal pad? If so, I would have to scrape it out before putting in the arctic silver?

Yes. Use Xylene-based cleaner such as goof-off with cotton swabs or a lint-free paper towel, and then use rubbing alcohol to completely clean off any/all residue.

AS5 is hard to spread as it is denser/thicker compound than previous AS compounds. I personally used a plastic zip-lock baggy, wrapped my fingers in it and blotched the compound on the P4 heatspreader. Works like a charm.

 

[kamper]

i've got another question about masterTN's original question

are you allowed to lift the heatsink back off the processor after squishing the compound down or will that allow air bubbles in when you put it back down?

i'd be a little concerned that there might be too much space between the processor and hs and that you wouldn't be able to tell if the compound got spread at all without looking

 

[Slogun]

Originally posted by: kamper
i've got another question about masterTN's original question

are you allowed to lift the heatsink back off the processor after squishing the compound down or will that allow air bubbles in when you put it back down?

i'd be a little concerned that there might be too much space between the processor and hs and that you wouldn't be able to tell if the compound got spread at all without looking

No, you can't lift it off and check, only if you intend to clean it off and reapply after checking.

As to just putting a dab in the center of the heatsink and let pressure spread it...yes, I have seen those directions. Their rationale is that this method will eliminate possible air bubbles and is ok because the actual CPU die is only under the center of the heat spreader. Having said that.....I prefer to spread the paste across the entire surface of the heat spreader.

 

[kamper]

Thanks Slogun,

I actually just did my first cpu install (before reading your post). I didn't pick the hs back up but I could feel the compound squishing around underneath. I'm now running at 44c cpu and 32c mobo after 23 hours of prime95 (no oc yet) so I figure I haven't done anything stupid yet. I was actually easier than I thought.

 

[beatle]

Dab and squish, just like the instructions say. Much easier too!

 

[mastertech01]

I used a flat blade knife to spread it. I applied several drops to get complete even coverage. Its more like spreading epoxy than paste. So far running a new CNPS7000A-CU Im seeing about a 6C improvement over the retail heatsink under full load. Good enough for me.