Thermal paste

[BP]

I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor (I've
replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack goop
around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4. I find it curious that
Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink. Is it
recommended? Nothing in the docs. Maybe most of you do so for the same
reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?
Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do you
use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII keeps
crankin!)

 

[sooky grumper]

I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor (I've
replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack goop
around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4. I find it curious that
Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink. Is it
recommended? Nothing in the docs. Maybe most of you do so for the same
reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?
Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do you
use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII keeps
crankin!)

This applies to Intel CPUs, too:

http://groups.google.com.au/groups?...UTF-8&[email protected]&rnum=1

http://tinyurl.com/38hyl

The thermal paste fills in micro and macroscopic gaps on the CPU and
Heat sink surfaces, improving heat conduction to the heat sink. Use just
enough to cover the CPU die. I like artic silver and arctic alumina for
newer CPUs. Radio Shack stuff worked well enough on early pentium
non-overclocked CPUs.

 

[BP]

:
: : > I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor
: (I've
: > replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack
: goop
: > around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4. I find it curious that
: > Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink.
Is
: it
: > recommended? Nothing in the docs. Maybe most of you do so for the same
: > reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?
: > Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do
you
: > use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII
keeps
: > crankin!)
: >
:
: The boxed processor may come with a thermopad on the processor. It is a
: black square on the top of the processor where the paste normally goes.
:
: Metal to metal contact is the best. The only problem is that there are
: microscopic gaps Think of two pieces of sandpaper. This is what the metal
: and processor look like under the microscope. The object with the paste
is
: to fill in the gaps. YOu use as small ammount as you can to fill in those
: gaps. YOu should almost be able to see through the paste as it is spread
on
: very thin.
: The paste is not very heat conductive but it is beter than the air in the
: gaps.
:
Mmmm. Thus the silver and aluminum bases for better conductivity. Makes
sense to me. Thanks to both.

 

[Ralph Mowery]

I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor (I've
replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack goop
around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4. I find it curious that
Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink. Is it
recommended? Nothing in the docs. Maybe most of you do so for the same
reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?
Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do you
use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII keeps
crankin!)

The boxed processor may come with a thermopad on the processor. It is a
black square on the top of the processor where the paste normally goes.

Metal to metal contact is the best. The only problem is that there are
microscopic gaps Think of two pieces of sandpaper. This is what the metal
and processor look like under the microscope. The object with the paste is
to fill in the gaps. YOu use as small ammount as you can to fill in those
gaps. YOu should almost be able to see through the paste as it is spread on
very thin.
The paste is not very heat conductive but it is beter than the air in the
gaps.

 

[Larry Gagnon]

I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor (I've
replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack goop
around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4.

Good idea, paste usually does a better job than the pads. Make sure you remove
the pad entirely (isopropyl alcohol).

I find it curious that
Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink. Is it
recommended? Nothing in the docs.

All CPU manufacturers now use a pad because it is EASIER for dumb people, and
means they have less problem with burned out CPU's from nincumpoops.

Maybe most of you do so for the same
reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?

Fills in microscopic pits to give the best, flattest surface area to the
heatsink.

Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do you
use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII keeps
crankin!)

Just use your fingertip to spread a thin, consistent layer on the die. Then
wash your fingertip. Simple.


Larry Gagnon, A+ certified tech.

 

[sooky grumper]

Just use your fingertip to spread a thin, consistent layer on the die. Then
wash your fingertip. Simple.

No, that introduces oils and residues from your skin into the mix. Put a
little sandwich baggy over your finger prior to spreading. And don't
spread Arctic Silver over anything other than the CPU die. It can
potentially be conductive if it is smeared all over the CPU surface and
ends up providing a bridge between surface outcrops of the CPU
components. The die is the little 'chip' like thing in the middle of the
CPU, in case the OP isn't familiar with the jargon.

 

[Stacey]

sooky grumper wrote:

Radio Shack stuff worked well enough on early pentium
non-overclocked CPUs.

And still does. Seen several tests done by people besides the sellers of the
"artic" stuff and there is no performance difference.

 

[Stacey]

It can
potentially be conductive (..)

Another reason not to use that stuff.

 

[Ric H]

No, that introduces oils and residues from your skin into the mix.
Put a little sandwich baggy over your finger prior to spreading.
And don't spread Arctic Silver over anything other than the CPU die.
It can potentially be conductive if it is smeared all over the CPU
surface and ends up providing a bridge between surface outcrops of
the CPU components. The die is the little 'chip' like thing in the
middle of the CPU, in case the OP isn't familiar with the jargon.

and metal oxides' aren't great for you, either...

 

[jeffc]

I've always used thermal paste to seat the heat sink on the processor (I've
replaced my PII fans 3 times). I have a couple 1/2 tubes of Radio Shack goop
around here somewhere. I plan to use it on my P4. I find it curious that
Intel does not ship paste with a retail boxed processor and heat sink. Is it
recommended? Nothing in the docs. Maybe most of you do so for the same
reason I do: because you're supposed to. What does the paste do, anyway?
Wouldn't a metal to metal contact conduct heat better? And how much do you
use- a tiny dab or smear the whole plate? (Done both and the old PII keeps
crankin!)

They don't ship paste but they ship a thermal "pad" (sticky patch). Would a
metal-metal contact conduct heat better? Well actually, technically yes in
a perfect world. But we ain't in a perfect world. That's why car engines
need gaskets, and bathrooms need caulk, your refrigerator door needs a seal,
etc. Heat sinks and CPUs are never perfectly flat, and they are never
perfectly smooth. What you are doing is taking a semi-liquid substance to
fill in the microscopic gaps in the metal-metal connection. When you use
paste, you are still getting a lot of metal-metal contact, but not 100%.
Paste makes it 100%. The pad is also 100%, but there isn't any metal-metal
connection. The pad is easy to use. It's not the best way, but it's the
easiest way to get pretty close.

 

[Araxen]

Just use your fingertip to spread a thin, consistent layer on the die. Then
wash your fingertip. Simple.


Larry Gagnon, A+ certified tech.

After you apply the Thermal Paste will it work just as long as a pad
would or will you need to reapply the paste every so often?

 

[dg]

I don't know what they make that stuff out of but I know I have pulled apart
equipment well over 10 years old and the thermal paste is still gooey when I
pull heat sinks off. I should also add that I do not know how much heat the
devices put out.

--Dan