How Critical Is Replacing Thermal Interface Material?

[Hastibe]

My motherboard died (the RMA replacement will arrive on Wednesday), and I was looking at the AMD CPU installation sheet that came with my processor, and I noticed that it says:

"Note: If the heatsink is removed for any reason, all of the old phase-change thermal interface material must be removed. Then, new AMD-recommended phase-change thermal interface material must be installed on the heatsink."

I of course did remove the heatsink and processor from my dead motherboard, before RMA-ing it, and I don't have any thermal interface material on-hand, do any of you know if this is a critical step or is more a "if my CPU starts overheating, apply thermal interface material then" step?

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

You need to use TC period. Critical step.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

The TC fills in air pockets so that the HS does its job, you MUST use it.

 

[Hastibe]

Wow, okay--thanks for the info! I've been trying to figure out what type of stuff to use--I have a Athlon II X4 CPU. Any idea of where to find on AMD's website what stuff is recommended? I haven't had any luck searching on it (just found one really outdated page).

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Wow, okay--thanks for the info! I've been trying to figure out what type of stuff to use--I have a Athlon II X4 CPU. Any idea of where to find on AMD's website what stuff is recommended? I haven't had any luck searching on it (just found one really outdated page).

Just search for Thermal Compound, you will see things like Arctic Silver 5, if you can get some of that close by then just use that.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

And, just use a thin layer. More is not better when it comes to TC.

 

[IGemini]

Arctic Silver 5 is the de facto thermal compound. A small syringe goes for $10 on Newegg right now including shipping. If used properly you'll have plenty of extra should you need it.

There are instructions for application which are pretty much the same for all AMD desktop CPUs. Contrary to what people believe, you DO NOT need to spread thermal compound before attaching the heatsink, the heatspreader will do the work for you. I've had temps cooler than most and I've NEVER spread compound on a processor that wasn't a bare core (which only applies to mobile CPUs and older desktop CPUs). Make sure you clean off the heatsink and CPU with isopropyl before applying new compound.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/amd/md/amd_app_method_middle_dot_v1.1.pdf

 

[Hastibe]

Okay, great, so this will do?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2216879

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Okay, great, so this will do?

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...ductId=2216879

That'll work just fine.

 

[Patrick Wolf]

MX-2 or MX-4 (from superbiiz). Use pea method. Both beat Arctic Silver 5. Though if you don't care and can pick it up locally then go ahead. Again, pea method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK7L0Qj13Q

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Lol, I never think about Radio Shack for stuff like this. Its closer to me than both MC and Frys, not like I need any right now though.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

MX-2 or MX-4 (from superbiiz). Use pea method. Both beat Arctic Silver 5. Though if you don't care and can pick it up locally then go ahead. Again, pea method.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffK7L0Qj13Q

Why do they make videos like that? They can easily confuse people who are not computer savvy.

 

[combust3r]

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/amd/md/amd_app_method_middle_dot_v1.1.pdf

I do have a question about this. For Intel i5 processors recommended method is vertical line. That is way more TIM then a single rise size dot. And in pictures the coverage is almost the same.

My mainboard arrives this Tuesday and I have some Arctic Silver Matrix for my i5 2400, should I apply it with a vertical line or a dot method. I will use stock Intel HSF, and I'll remove thermal pad with a plastic card and clean the rest with Isopropyl.

Thanx!

 

[emblem]

Arctic Silver 5 is the de facto thermal compound. A small syringe goes for $10 on Newegg right now including shipping. If used properly you'll have plenty of extra should you need it.

There are instructions for application which are pretty much the same for all AMD desktop CPUs. Contrary to what people believe, you DO NOT need to spread thermal compound before attaching the heatsink, the heatspreader will do the work for you. I've had temps cooler than most and I've NEVER spread compound on a processor that wasn't a bare core (which only applies to mobile CPUs and older desktop CPUs). Make sure you clean off the heatsink and CPU with isopropyl before applying new compound.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/amd/md/amd_app_method_middle_dot_v1.1.pdf

I get that putting a dot on the cpu is what should be done. But are you still supposed to put any compound on the heatsink?

Or do you only put compound on the cpu, and then just put the heatsink on, with no compound on the heatsink.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I get that putting a dot on the cpu is what should be done. But are you still supposed to put any compound on the heatsink?

Or do you only put compound on the cpu, and then just put the heatsink on, with no compound on the heatsink.

One side only. Thinner is better.

 

[emblem]

One side only. Thinner is better.

Oh ok. So compound on the cpu only.

I changed my cpu yesterday after not touching it for 3 years. I forgot what method I used then.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I do have a question about this. For Intel i5 processors recommended method is vertical line. That is way more TIM then a single rise size dot. And in pictures the coverage is almost the same.

My mainboard arrives this Tuesday and I have some Arctic Silver Matrix for my i5 2400, should I apply it with a vertical line or a dot method. I will use stock Intel HSF, and I'll remove thermal pad with a plastic card and clean the rest with Isopropyl.

Thanx!

Dot method, line method, doesn't really matter, its more about not having too much or too little, the HS will spread the compound. I still to this date put plastic over my finger and spread the compound.

 

[IGemini]

I do have a question about this. For Intel i5 processors recommended method is vertical line. That is way more TIM then a single rise size dot. And in pictures the coverage is almost the same.

Go with the line approach. How Sandy Bridge is organized is it has the four cores in a row with the integrated GPU on the side. If one were to remove the heatspreader the entire "core" looks like a rectangle. If you use a dot, it'll cool it all but there's a chance that the GPU and/or one of the CPU cores would be running warmer than they could. The line approach is to ensure the TC is spread equally over all of the actual "core."

 

[combust3r]

So the line across the entire length of the core it is... Thnx. Matrix isn't conductive at all but just to make sure I'll check around the socket after mounting HSF. 300hrs to cure though

 

[combust3r]

Dot method, line method, doesn't really matter, its more about not having too much or too little, the HS will spread the compound. I still to this date put plastic over my finger and spread the compound.

I wouldn't want to spread the compound like that because of possible air bubbles. Did it like that a long time ago on my AMD Sempron.

This is why I don't like conductive TIM, even different types of TIM should spread differently depending on the ingridients. :\

 

[WaTaGuMp]

I wouldn't want to spread the compound like that because of possible air bubbles. Did it like that a long time ago on my AMD Sempron.

This is why I don't like conductive TIM, even different types of TIM should spread differently depending on the ingridients. :\

To each his own.

 

[IGemini]

Curing/Break-In can't hurt, but I think they oversell the benefit a little. It's supposed to be a noticeable drop in core temp each time you power cycle for a few hours, but I haven't seen that kind of a drop, and I'm the kind of person who reapplies compound on everything that uses it (processors, graphics cards, and board chipset coolers). I'll have to do something more controlled next computer I build.