PC slow after renewing thermal paste

[Evenodd]

I just learned how to put new thermal paste in my laptop using this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCAP9DpCYvQ

My computer boots fine, but after I log-in, the stuff on the taskbar load slow and surfing the web is very slow as well.

What could be the problem?

 

[alzan]

I wouldn't think re-applying thermal paste would affect OS operation. I'm assuming all ran properly before pasting.

Does the laptop freeze up, bluescreen or shutdown suddenly? Is it possible the CPU heatsink/fan connector didn't get hooked back in to the motherboard. Also possible that not all of the screws for the heatsink/fan assembly got set and tightened down.

Just curious, why did you re-apply the paste? The paste from the factory normally lasts the life of the laptop unless you swap out the CPU.

 

[Ketchup]

First order of business here would be to get a program like CPUID HWMonitor to tell you what your CPU core temps are.

 

[Evenodd]

@alzan

No the laptop didn't freeze, get a blue screen or shutdown by itself. I wanted to reapply the paste because I wanted experience and I recently learned that you should always renew the thermal pasting every 9-12 months. The thermal paste was also solid and dry before I added some fresh paste, and I heard that was bad.

@ketchup

HWMonitor

 

[Ketchup]

OK, you temps look fine. But thermal paste will last years with no re-apply needed. Basically, if you never break the bond, you never need to re-apply.

Are those temps while you are experiencing the slowness?

Slowness can come from all sorts of things: viruses, disc fragmentation, low memory. But I don't think it is heat unless that screenshot wasn't during a time of slowness.

What model laptop do you have?

I would start with a scan by MalwareBytes Antimalware and see if it finds anything that needs to be removed.

 

[Evenodd]

Thanks for the information!

Yes these are the temps right now, I just took that screenshot. The model of my laptop is a Sony VAIO VPC-F11LFX/B.

MalwareBytes didn't catch anything.

 

[Ketchup]

OK, look at the Windows information page (Control Panel/System) and make sure that, if you removed the RAM sticks, your computer is still recognizing all the RAM in the laptop after re-assembly. Looks like it comes with 4 GB.

 

[Evenodd]

Yeah, I did remove the ram before I put the paste on.

It says "Installed Memory (RAM): 2.00 GB".

I'll shut down and reseat the ram.

 

[Evenodd]

Awesome!

I checked back and it said "Installed Memory (RAM): 4.00 GB". My laptop is as fast as it used to be and it's all thanks to you, ketchup!

Nice job!

 

[Ketchup]

Good deal. Glad it's working!