Newbie Question: How can you actually be SURE that the heatsink is touching the amd xp CPU?

[jinduy]

it seems like many people have screwed up because they didnt get the heatsink to properly make contact with the cpu......sooooo how can i be sure sure that the heatsink is touching my xp1800 cpu? I'll be installing tomorrow with a volcano 6cu and using artic silver II, also do i gotta clean up the remaining compound that will squeeze out from the contact between the cpu and the heatsink, or can i just leave it there?


thanks all in advance

 

[TheCorm]

Hammer it on!

Nah...you'll know, it should go on pretty tight, just be careful not to "swivel" it around, AMD cores don't like that, if it ain't on straigfht take it off and put it back on rather than trying to twist it into place.

If there is any Thermal paste on the heatsink, you may wish to replace it in favour of your arctic silver, scrape it off with something not too sharp, be careful not to scrape the base of the heatsink.

Corm

 

[jinduy]

how do i clean off the compound that came with my heatsink? water and towel?

 

[corkyg]

I have cleaned it off with moistened cloth . . . handkerchief, whatever. Lots of elbow grease and a final cleaning with alchohol.

Then apply the new thermal compounds, but remember . . . thin layer! Then mate the pieces together tightly and slide them ever so slightly to assure a good rolling bond. Then wipe off any excess and fasten the clips.

The most common mistake is too much compound. All you are trying to do is fill up surface imperfactions in both the CPU case and the heatsink. Think thin.