Found something very unusal under my heat sink/fan

[gtz101]

Thought Id clean my PC today, opened up my PC and dismantled the heatsink/fan and when i removed the heat sink fan I noticed at the bottom (facing down side) there was a big blob of greasy stuff put in the middle. Looks a bit like on of those crack fillers you get from B&Q but grey/silver in colour.

Looks like the manufacturer tried to attach the cpu with the heatsink fan with this and then everything was screwed on.

Anyone know why this stuff was pasted on my heatsink?

Had my PC for 4 years now.

 

[BigJay]

Do you mean the thermal paste?

The paste that is put on inbetween the heatsink and your CPU?

If so, dont worry, it should be there! And you would be advised to clean it off, and replace with some new thermal paste.

 

[gtz101]

yeah, I think so. Didn't know it was thermal paste. What is it for? why is it there? and how often should it be removed and changed?

 

[itsme]

yeah, I think so. Didn't know it was thermal paste. What is it for? why is it there? and how often should it be removed and changed?

Leave it there it is to keep a good contact. If you have cleaned it off replace with new? and leave it.

 

[muckshifter]

yeah, I think so. Didn't know it was thermal paste. What is it for? why is it there? and how often should it be removed and changed?

Have a read ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_grease

 

[muckshifter]

Leave it there it is to keep a good contact.

err, sorry, but, if he has taken the Heatsink fan off, then he should clean & replace the thermal paste with fresh/new stuff.

That needs to be done correctly, or one can "fry" your CPU ...

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

 

[gtz101]

Some of the grease came off when I was cleaning PC but it did have some left of the heatsink. tHERE still is some on the heatsink.

Should I still replace it on leave it on?

btw: how much thermal grease do you put on it?

 

[Anon_F]

btw: how much thermal grease do you put on it?

The tubes you buy in Maplins come as one-hit-wonders, use them then bin them.

 

[floppybootstomp]

Mucks already posted the link but here it is again:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_singlecore_expsd.pdf

Read it and understand.

 

[Abarbarian]

This is very good reading .

http://www.hardwaresecrets.com/article/274/1