How do I apply Thermal Paste (AC5) to a dual core Opteron 170?

[vertigofm]

Hi all, well I remember applying it with my Pentium 4, I just put a dab on the denter of the cpu and pressed the heatsink on it and that was that. I don't know if its different with dual cores... Here are the ways I've heard to do it and I don't know which is best:

1. put a small amount on the middle of the CPU and press the heatsink down on it, twisting it a few times to get out the air bubbles.

2. Put some on the cpu and use a plastic glove and rub it all over the cpu till it has a thin coat

3. I've heard you can leave it as a thin layer or you can take a credit card and scrape as much off as possible so it just fills in the grooves.

4. Then I've heard of applying a dab to the cpu and then applying a thin layer all over the bottom of the heatsink and then scraping it off with a credit card..


I always have trouble with the thermal paste- I never know whats the best way and I don't want to mess it up on my dual core opteron! Thanks for your help guys!

Frank

 

[markkleb]

I just went online at arctic silver and they show how to do it in pictures. I have been doing it wrong, on new( 939,754) you put a small dot in the center. On the older (socket a) you put it on than spread it with a razor or credit card covering the whole top of chip.

 

[Diogenes2]

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Diogenes2
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

 

[Mogadon]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Diogenes2
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

That is the only way you should ever consider doing it ... .

 

[vertigofm]

ohhhh ******

"Don't put it in your mouth. ."

 

[vertigofm]

See that is my concern! With a dual core wouldn't I need to apply much more to the CPU since their are two cores?

 

[aigomorla]

no u wouldnt. Because if you think about the properties of metal, the heat will be drawn away to a colder part of the metal. The main concern tho is contact, hence why u need to get the bubbles away. The real point of AS5 is the ensure a complete air tight contact from cpu to heatsink. Having a layer of AS5 will cause the 2 metals of the cpu and hsf to not have proper contact. This is why applying too much AS5 will increase temps and not decrease it.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
See that is my concern! With a dual core wouldn't I need to apply much more to the CPU since their are two cores?

Not really. X2s and Opterons have one physical die instead of two.

 

[vertigofm]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: vertigofm
See that is my concern! With a dual core wouldn't I need to apply much more to the CPU since their are two cores?

Not really. X2s and Opterons have one physical die instead of two.

oh makes sense


Well thank you everyone for all your help!

 

[StrangerGuy]

Originally posted by: vertigofm
See that is my concern! With a dual core wouldn't I need to apply much more to the CPU since their are two cores?

Well, the heatspreader is the still the same for both single and dual-cores, so there is no need to apply more for dual-cores.

 

[JustStarting]

the die on a dual core is almost 2x larger than a single core.

I'd make sure to spread the AS very thin across 2/3 the area of the IHS, ie.- leave about 1/4" all around the IHS bare w/ no AS. with a single core maybe 1/3 of the IHS would suffice.

The outer 1/8" of the IHS is kinda beveled and will not contact the HSF no matter what unless you lap it. The beveling prevents the HSF from getting marred up with the force on it.

 

[Avalon]

Originally posted by: JustStarting
the die on a dual core is almost 2x larger than a single core.

I'd make sure to spread the AS very thin across 2/3 the area of the IHS, ie.- leave about 1/4" all around the IHS bare w/ no AS. with a single core maybe 1/3 of the IHS would suffice.

The outer 1/8" of the IHS is kinda beveled and will not contact the HSF no matter what unless you lap it. The beveling prevents the HSF from getting marred up with the force on it.

The heatsink will spread it across the entire IHS, so there's no need to spread it out yourself.. OP, just apply a rice grain sized dot like the arctic silver instructions say. You'll be fine.

 

[Pens1566]

Originally posted by: Diogenes2
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

 

[Centoros]

Just apply it the same way as you would a single core. It will spread out once you drop the HSF on it.