Dell CPU cooling - no paste

[Deskstar]

I took apart my new Dell CPU-heatsink and found the Intel heat spreader on top of the chip. The heatsink had a layer of black paste substance and then some metalic foil that contacted directly with the chip's heat spreader. Why would the foil not be applied with thermal paste to the chip's heat spreader?

 

[oldfart]

Never looked at a Dell HS, but a retail Intel HS/F has the foil with the black stuff on both sides of it.

 

[Amorphus]

the foil has a thin layer of (one would assume heat-conductive) adhesive on it. its all good, don't worry about it.

 

[Deskstar]

Many thanks.

 

[BentValve]

Of course if you took it off then you should reapply it because I doubt the compound will be effective anymore.

 

[DannyBoy]

Originally posted by: BentValve
Of course if you took it off then you should reapply it because I doubt the compound will be effective anymore.

Which is the mistake I made with my Athlon XP 🙁

 

[Antoneo]

Yep, the retail Intel heatsink for P4's came like that. Thermal pads I think they are called and they do their job, but thermal paste is better. If you've taken the pad off of the heatsink (or even pulled the heatsink off of the CPU) it's a good idea to remove it entirely and replace it with thermal paste. I assume that its been "melted" or warped since that is what often happens to them. Don't try to use it as part of a combo (ie thermal pad + thermal paste), that doesn't work.