Is too much Arctic Silver a problem?

[whattaguy]

I was so used to spreading a thin layer of regular thermal grease on P4 processors or AMD AXP processors. This Arctic Silver stuff was so thick, so I applied it to get the thinnest layer possible over the whole AMD64 processor. I just looked at the website and saw that you were supposed to only apply about a bb size drop on the center and clamp down the proc on top of that. Well, I put on a lot more than a bb size to get it over the whole processor.
My temps are stable at 49-50C before and after gaming without a crash.

Do you recommend that I pull out the processor, clean it, and start over? Or should I be ok, and take this as a valuable lesson to read instructions BEFORE I attempt anything?

 

[Etruscan]

Too much arctic silver seriously reduces the performance of a heatsink. Also, if you're looking at temperatures after the game has left full screen mode, you don't have a realistic idea of load temperatures. Run prime95, or something else if prime is unstable on your system. That will give you a better idea of load temperatures. These processors are quite small, they drop in temperature very quickly after they stop being stressed.

 

[MustISO]

You should be okay. You just want to use just enough to fill the microscopic (or not) areas.

 

[whattaguy]

Originally posted by: MustISO
You should be okay. You just want to use just enough to fill the microscopic (or not) areas.

Thanks.

 

[Gnoad]

If I were you, I'd clean it off and start again. Mostly nrcause temps and overclocking are very important to me, and If I can spend 20 minutes of my life to drop my temps ~5 degrees, I will.

 

[curtisbouvier]

i usually tend to put alot.... i dont think it matters really becuase once i put my water block and tighten it with the ratcheting tool.... it gets very tight and it doesnt matter how much is on there it will get squeezed out to the sides leaving just the amount it needs...

is this correct?

 

[DyslexicHobo]

I always use my mom's driver's liscense to spread it. Since it's bendable, I can run part of it over the CPU with thermal paste on it leaving a VERY thin coating, but not taking it completely off like with a stiff credit card.