Grease or no grease on TBird?

[AC]

Since the grease compound would dry out sooner or later, would it be wise to use none at all?

 

[Viperoni]

Re-apply ever 6 months.
AS grease is way better though.

 

[jsbush]

It's always better to have it. If you don't plane to overclock then I guess it would be ok. I have a retail intel heatsink fan on my duron (until I get my alpha) with no grease and it runs cool. 33C with a 80mm fan blow right on top of it.

 

[Klosters]

Gotta use thermal paste. Aluminum or zinc oxide can dry out over time. Better to have it dry out than none at all. If you use it, I'd check the state of its health once a year. RS sells two kinds of thermal glop. The kind that comes in a pen doesn't dry out. I don't think Arctic Silver dries, but it hasn't been available long enough to know. Durons die in 14 seconds without a HSF. With paste, less IS more.

 

[Supradude]

Never start your CPU without thermal interface material !!!

 

[Usul]

If yor hsf comes with thermal pad, keep it.
Itàs not the best but is good more then enough for not-extreme o/c.
I use it w/ Duron 700 @950.
Otherwise, go for AS!

 

[Brian48]

Yeah, you have to use some kind of interface material. AMD does NOT recommend using normal silicone based, thermal compound because it doesn't hold up against the extreme heat as well (this is for their faster running T-Birds). They recommend you use the phase-change stuff that normally comes with the pads. They suck compared to regular thermal compound, but at least they'll last.

Personally, I use silver grease from Circuitworks. Works just as well as the ArticSilver stuff, but IT IS electrocally conductive and is a bit dangerous to handle if you don't know what you're doing.