? New CPU Thermal Pad

[TMTupper]

Bought an Intel P4, there is a black square on the heatsink, about the size
of the cpu, I assume that this a thermal pad???

 

[LiveWire]

Bought an Intel P4, there is a black square on the heatsink, about the
size

of the cpu, I assume that this a thermal pad???

Yes, and unlike Mr. Toad, I have had great results with Intel supplied
thermal pads. The only time I bother to use paste such as Arctic Silver
with a retail P4 is if I have to move the CPU from one motherboard to
another.

 

[MrB]

I always use the supplied thermal pad....with good results.

 

[Myron]

Bought an Intel P4, there is a black square on the heatsink, about the size
of the cpu, I assume that this a thermal pad???

The general rule is when using the supplied pad, place the heatsink on
the processor and clamp the heatsink onto the CPU socket without
moving the heatsink. It "might" be permissable to move the heatsink
slightly during installation.

Once you get round to power up the CPU then after that the next time
you remove the heatsink from the CPU, scrape off the thermal pad and
apply silicon paste.

This peocedure has NEVER failed me.

 

[Some One]

The general rule is when using the supplied pad, place the heatsink
on

the processor and clamp the heatsink onto the CPU socket without
moving the heatsink. It "might" be permissable to move the heatsink
slightly during installation.

Once you get round to power up the CPU then after that the next time
you remove the heatsink from the CPU, scrape off the thermal pad and
apply silicon paste.

Don't know which general you got this rule from. It's *WRONG*!

This peocedure has NEVER failed me.

....and it WILL eventually.

Use the pad or don't... Do NOT put paste on an existing pad. Clean ALL
compound off of a CPU and heatsink if you are using paste, and every
time you remove the heatsink.

 

[Myron]

Read what I typed in the first place and read what you typed. You are
saying that I'm wrong, then you repeat what I typed, but in your
choice of words.

Read before you bark at someone as you may be barked back with
interest.

 

[kony]

Bought an Intel P4, there is a black square on the heatsink, about the size
of the cpu, I assume that this a thermal pad???

If you consider "pad" to be a generic word describing any pre-applied
substance, then yes. In the past a pad was a piece of (silicone
rubber or aluminum, etc) material that could be removed as a whole,
while today it's often just a machine-applied waxy substance similar
to thermal grease except for a high wax content.

It's a perfectly adequate interface for running at stock voltage and
speed, but as another poster mentioned, if you ever remove the
heatsink after that first time you turn the system on, you'll have to
remove that original interface material and apply a new coat of
thermal grease. In general it's easier to apply this to the top of
the CPU, not the heatsink.


Dave

 

[Some One]

It's still wrong to "warm up the CPU" with the pad, then turn around
and TRY to clean it off.

Clean it off BEFORE you install the heatsink, or leave it on. Don't
double the chances of failure (more because you also hope you don't
break something while cleaning the gunk off) just to "warm up" the
pad.

 

[TMTupper]

Thanks to all who replied, I understand that the "pad" is just that, a
thermal "pad" . And I understand the theroy of removing all the pad if the
CPU is ever removed and applying a thermal paste. And I undderstand some
peoples opinions of the "pads" and their prefrence to using thermal paste
"artic silver" for instance.

I do plan to overclock a little, so I assume the stock "pad" will allow some
room on my 2.4b cpu.

Thanks again folks!

 

[kony]

Thanks to all who replied, I understand that the "pad" is just that, a
thermal "pad" . And I understand the theroy of removing all the pad if the
CPU is ever removed and applying a thermal paste. And I undderstand some
peoples opinions of the "pads" and their prefrence to using thermal paste
"artic silver" for instance.

I do plan to overclock a little, so I assume the stock "pad" will allow some
room on my 2.4b cpu.

Some overclocking, yes.. the CPU will be most sensative to heat near
it's ceiling frequency. Since the P4 has the heat spreader the
reduced efficiency of the stock TIM is offset by the larger surface
contact. The choice of interface material is MUCH more important on
an Athlon, particularly the Thoroughbred.


Dave