question about seating stock cooler to Intel Pentium Dual-Core E6500Wolfdale 2.93GHz

[pez]

I haven't built a PC from scratch in years. I just got my Dual-Core
E6500 from new egg. It did not come with any themal paste. But the
cooling unit looks like it may have some compound attached to the
surface that will be pressed against the processor. My question is,
do I need to get thermal paste before I seat the cooling unit? I just
want to make sure I don't install it incorrectly leading to my
processor getting damaged. If this is a rudimentary question please
be kind, it's been a long time since I actually build a PC on my own.
Thanks

PDZ

 

[david]

I haven't built a PC from scratch in years. I just got my Dual-Core
E6500 from new egg. It did not come with any themal paste. But the
cooling unit looks like it may have some compound attached to the
surface that will be pressed against the processor. My question is, do
I need to get thermal paste before I seat the cooling unit? I just want
to make sure I don't install it incorrectly leading to my processor
getting damaged. If this is a rudimentary question please be kind, it's
been a long time since I actually build a PC on my own. Thanks

PDZ

Perhaps reading the instructions for the cooler is in order.

Do not put additional thermal compound on it if there is already some
installed.

 

[Paul]

I haven't built a PC from scratch in years. I just got my Dual-Core
E6500 from new egg. It did not come with any themal paste. But the
cooling unit looks like it may have some compound attached to the
surface that will be pressed against the processor. My question is,
do I need to get thermal paste before I seat the cooling unit? I just
want to make sure I don't install it incorrectly leading to my
processor getting damaged. If this is a rudimentary question please
be kind, it's been a long time since I actually build a PC on my own.
Thanks

PDZ

(Intel LGA775 movie)
http://cache-www.intel.com/cd/00/00/24/12/241209_241209.wmv

There is supposed to be pre-applied TIM on the bottom of the
retail heatsink. If the TIM becomes scratched up or distorted,
such that it impairs contact during some future installation,
then you'd clean off the original material and apply fresh
Thermal Interface Material.

Liquid cleaner is available in kit form here. This cleaner helps
with the typical organic carrier used for thermal interface materials.
Isopropyl alcohol is a substitute and can be used as a cleaning
liquid, but is not a solvent for grease, and tends to smear grease
around. You can use isopropyl on a cleaning rag, but the rag is the
thing doing the cleaning.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100010

A small tube of paste should be sufficient for a number of installs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100009

In the silver-based variety, the silver is a relatively small
component part of the composition. Boron nitride, a ceramic, is
used in a lot of them.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/PDF/thermcom/AS5_MSDS_3.pdf

You can compare that, to the ceramique type.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/PDF/thermcom/CMQ_MSDS_3.pdf

If you need instructions for paste installation, the Arctic Silver
site has suggestions. I like to put a rice grained size portion in
the middle of the CPU and just press the heatsink into it, on the
theory that air bubbles will be forced outward as the paste
spreads. This method has the disadvantage, that the material is
not "pre-spread" as would happen with the razor blade spreading
method, but does answer the question of whether air is getting
trapped or not.

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

And in any case, you'd only need those instructions, if you were
doing a reinstall at some future date. If the TIM on the heatsink
is still in good shape, then finish your install.

Paul

 

[John Doe]

I haven't built a PC from scratch in years. I just got my
Dual-Core E6500 from new egg. It did not come with any themal
paste. But the cooling unit looks like it may have some
compound attached to the surface that will be pressed against
the processor. My question is, do I need to get thermal paste
before I seat the cooling unit?

Not unless it is contaminated.

I just want to make sure I don't install it incorrectly leading
to my processor getting damaged.

From my three experiences installing Intel heatsink/fan
combinations, I would say there is a distinct possibility that you
or anyone else can accidentally damage something in the process.
Hopefully you have a lot of patience. I would like to explain in
detail why their design sucks, but that would be difficult and
take too much writing. Besides the difficulty installing the
thing, it has no back plate so it warps your motherboard big-time.
I just installed one a few minutes ago on my Gigabyte
"Ultra-Durable". Considering how bent the motherboard is
immediately under the processor, I feel lucky that the system
works. That Intel heatsink/fan installation be why my prior
motherboard broke and needed replacement.

If you can wait, buy a real heatsink/fan combination. I would go
for something that might also fit the next socket upgrade, with a
common size easily replaceable fan. But of course that is entirely
up to you.

Good luck and have fun.

 

[ShadowTek]

From my three experiences installing Intel heatsink/fan
combinations, I would say there is a distinct possibility that you
or anyone else can accidentally damage something in the process.
Hopefully you have a lot of patience. I would like to explain in
detail why their design sucks, but that would be difficult and
take too much writing. Besides the difficulty installing the
thing, it has no back plate so it warps your motherboard big-time.
I just installed one a few minutes ago on my Gigabyte
"Ultra-Durable". Considering how bent the motherboard is
immediately under the processor, I feel lucky that the system
works. That Intel heatsink/fan installation be why my prior
motherboard broke and needed replacement.

If you can wait, buy a real heatsink/fan combination. I would go
for something that might also fit the next socket upgrade, with a
common size easily replaceable fan. But of course that is entirely
up to you.

I second that. I just bought an E7500, and the retention pins for the
heatsink is a lame ass joke. You'll have to do a lot of pressing on the
board to get those plastic pins in, and you'll be scared of damaging the
board all the while.

They should just do without a heatsink instead of fooling consumers into
thinking that they're actually getting a decent one with the CPU.

 

[John Doe]

The best tool for holding and Intel heatsink in place while you
struggle to get the pins into position might be a medium or larger
size plastic ratcheting style c-clamp from a hardware store. On the
Intel heatsink/fan, the black plastic fan part hooks onto the
heatsink on two sides. Carefully remove the fan from the heatsink
first. Maybe use a thin small square piece of hardwood as a buffer if
the plastic ratcheting c-clamp jaws are too small. And of course
avoid applying great pressure.