Lapping & polishing cpu coolers and cpus/upgrading the TIM on the mobo and GPU?

[Goldfish4209]

Although I've read alot about lapping and polishing the CPU and the heatsink bases to improve contact, I still have no idea what the wadding polish stuff is. Could someone please give me a detailed description of how this works? From what I understand, I would polish the cpu with fine sandpaper then use steel wool?

Also, is it worth the time and effort to upgrade the TIM on the mobo and the graphics card? The radeon 3870 I have has pads on the RAM chips and some unrecognizable TIM (maybe maybe glue?) on the GPU. Is it worth the effort and risk to replace this with leftover thermal goop from a small tube of artic silver?

The same goes for the mobo, will there be enough to go around?

Or is this simply not worth doing?

 

[WoodButcher]

Read more.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...key=y&keyword1=lapping
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...key=y&keyword1=lapping
No "buffing or polishing" the surfaces need to be clean prior to using TIM.
Yes, cleaning and replacing stock TIM on mobos and vid cards is generally beneficial.

 

[thecoolnessrune]

While a mirror shine is pretty, it provides less cooling efficiency compared to an eggshell like sheen.

 

[Goldfish4209]

Thanks for the information, but as I understand it lapping invalidates your warranty? What about upgrading the TIM?

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Goldfish4209
Thanks for the information, but as I understand it lapping invalidates your warranty? What about upgrading the TIM?

You can usually wipe off most tims. The only exception to this would be the liquid pro crap from coolit.

And i like mirror finishes. You can determin how flat the base is though a mirror finish better then a non mirror finish.

Theres a lot of debate on this area, because some people say the micro groves allow tim to mold into the bubbles better. I just like shiny things.. I think i picked it up from my last gf who also liked shinny things.


Heres one of my first quadcores.
http://i125.photobucket.com/al...aigomorla/IMG_0569.jpg

And heres my other: <thats a reflection of my mobo off the CPU IHS>
http://i125.photobucket.com/al...aigomorla/IMG_0703.jpg

If you cant tell that those two cpu's are DEAD flat, then i think you shouldnt be lapping. :X

 

[BonzaiDuck]

What you do with the CPU thermal interface, you can usually do with the GPU thermal interface, especially if you want to replace the stock cooler with an after-market model that performs better.

We had some long discussions last summer about TIMs, and I did some rather methodical testing with regard to TIMs utilizing THE ONE particulate substance that has double or triple the thermal conductivity of silver.

Rather than point to my numerous bar-charts from earlier in the year, here's the discussion that's brewed recently on "CPUs and OverClocking." [Personally, I don't mind if the forums over-lap with various discussion topics, but it's interesting to see, especially when it appears justified.]

Specialty Synthetic Crystalline Carbon -- Gray Poop that doesn't look like "Girl's best friend."

Scroll to my posts on that thread.

Just as an afterthought: I'm speculating that any "superior" TIM is going to show its performance best with the most thorough contact between the heatsink base and CPU heatspreader. That would mean both surfaces should be as flat and uniform as possible.

 

[Goldfish4209]

Does this screw up the warranty?

 

[WoodButcher]

Originally posted by: Goldfish4209
Does this screw up the warranty?

Only if you lap the chip or oveclock. If you don't overclock you don't need additional cooling so I would say voiding the warranty is a moot point,,, No?

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: BonzaiDuck

Specialty Synthetic Crystalline Carbon -- Gray Poop that doesn't look like "Girl's best friend."

AHAHAHAHAHAHa i built my EX her computer using ICDIAMOND. She seemed pretty shocked when i told her it was a 7.5 carrot TIM. But she got mad because she thought it was a fortune.


Later on she told me its the real shiny bling stuff girls prefer. We cant win them all guys. :T

 

[Goldfish4209]

Sweet, thanks guys. Now to convince my parents lapping+overclocking doesn't equal a pile of burning silicon. Oh well, thanks for the advice.

 

[BlueAcolyte]

Don't worry, I convinced my parents from a laptop to a desktop to a DIY. So far the only warning they've given me is a small paragraph disclaimer on the retailer site...

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: BlueAcolyte
Don't worry, I convinced my parents from a laptop to a desktop to a DIY. So far the only warning they've given me is a small paragraph disclaimer on the retailer site...

ahahahahahahaha...

warning the use of these products may increase your gaming performance and also your nerd image but does not account for the lack of real life social skills. Sunlight is advised?