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Thermal paste application



 
 
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  #1  
Old October 17th 03, 06:00 PM
Howard
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Posts: n/a
Default Thermal paste application

I am prepating to build my first PC. I have a Gigabyte 8KNXP
motherboard and an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip...haven't opened them yet. I
am hoping someone can help me out with how to correctly apply the
thermal paste to the chip after insertion into the motherboard. I
know it sounds simple, but it is an unknown to someone that has not
done it before.

Some initial questions that I have:

Is it obvious what location or portion of the back of the chip should
be coated?

How thick a coating?

Do you put a glob in the middle and put the heatsink on and allow the
weight of the heatsink to determine the thickness of the smear and let
the rest ooze out from between them?

If an initial thin layer is preferred, where do you put the initial
glob and how do you smear it out before applying the heatsink?

Presumably, even if you only apply a thin layer of paste there will
still be some oozing out with the pressure from the heatsink
application and lockdown. What do you do with what oozes out, leave
it there or wipe it off with something ? Can what oozes out cause a
problem if you don't get it all off etc?

Any reason to use any thermal paste other than what Intel supplies
with the chip?

I have heard of thermal tape, which sounds less messy but is it as
effective and where does one get it from, as I can not seem to find it
anywhere. My inclination is to stick with what Intel gives you, but
if this is not optimal I would love to know it ahead of time.

Thanks for any help.

Howard
  #2  
Old October 17th 03, 06:09 PM
JAD
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Posts: n/a
Default

here is the easiest thing , open the CPU box and don't open the thermal paste, as it is not necessary.
The retail P4 comes with a more than adequate HSF that anything else would be overkill. My opinion, determined by numerous installs
with no 'extras' needed.

"Howard" wrote in message om...
I am prepating to build my first PC. I have a Gigabyte 8KNXP
motherboard and an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip...haven't opened them yet. I
am hoping someone can help me out with how to correctly apply the
thermal paste to the chip after insertion into the motherboard. I
know it sounds simple, but it is an unknown to someone that has not
done it before.

Some initial questions that I have:

Is it obvious what location or portion of the back of the chip should
be coated?

How thick a coating?

Do you put a glob in the middle and put the heatsink on and allow the
weight of the heatsink to determine the thickness of the smear and let
the rest ooze out from between them?

If an initial thin layer is preferred, where do you put the initial
glob and how do you smear it out before applying the heatsink?

Presumably, even if you only apply a thin layer of paste there will
still be some oozing out with the pressure from the heatsink
application and lockdown. What do you do with what oozes out, leave
it there or wipe it off with something ? Can what oozes out cause a
problem if you don't get it all off etc?

Any reason to use any thermal paste other than what Intel supplies
with the chip?

I have heard of thermal tape, which sounds less messy but is it as
effective and where does one get it from, as I can not seem to find it
anywhere. My inclination is to stick with what Intel gives you, but
if this is not optimal I would love to know it ahead of time.

Thanks for any help.

Howard



  #3  
Old October 17th 03, 06:36 PM
spodosaurus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Howard wrote:
I am prepating to build my first PC. I have a Gigabyte 8KNXP
motherboard and an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip...haven't opened them yet. I
am hoping someone can help me out with how to correctly apply the
thermal paste to the chip after insertion into the motherboard. I
know it sounds simple, but it is an unknown to someone that has not
done it before.

Some initial questions that I have:

Is it obvious what location or portion of the back of the chip should
be coated?


Open the CPU box and look at the bottom of the heat sink. There should
be a thermal pad there. This will negate the need for thermal paste.
If you ever remove the heat sink or wiggle it around to break up the
thermal pad's interface with the CPU die after it has melted in place
when you first run the new system, THEN you'll need to clean off the pad
and apply thermal paste, but not before.


How thick a coating?


For future reference, you may wish to bookmark this instructional guide
from Arctic Silver (it applies to all thermal paste/grease preparations,
not just Arctic Silver products):

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm

snip

Any reason to use any thermal paste other than what Intel supplies
with the chip?


Check and see if Intel supplied a thermal paste/grease or if there's a
thermal pad attached to the underside of the Intel supplied heat sink.
Intel should also have included instructions on installing the heat
sink: follow them (your motherboard probably has similar instructions
included with it).


I have heard of thermal tape, which sounds less messy but is it as
effective and where does one get it from, as I can not seem to find it
anywhere.


As I've said above, it should be included pre-attached to the heat sink.
There will be some clear tape on one side of the thermal pad to
prevent it from sticking to things during shipping. Remove the tape as
per Intel's instruction sheet and attach the heat sink and fan to the
CPU according to the instructions supplied with either the CPU or the
motherboard (or both).

My inclination is to stick with what Intel gives you, but
if this is not optimal I would love to know it ahead of time.


It's fine, easy, and less messy to use the thermal pad. If in the
future something disrupts the thermal pad after it has melted onto the
CPU die (such as shipping or travelling with the computer and it is
subjected to a jostle that causes the heatsink to shift, even if the
heat sink shifts back) then clean off the pad and apply thermal paste,
otherwise the paste/grease is unneccessary at this point.

Ari

--

Are you registered as a bone marrow donor? You regenerate what you
donate. You are offered the chance to donate only if you match a person
on the recipient list. Visit www.marrow.org or call your local Red Cross
and ask about registering to be a bone marrow donor.

spam trap: replace shyah_right! with hotmail when replying

  #4  
Old October 17th 03, 06:39 PM
jeffc
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Howard" wrote in message
om...
I am prepating to build my first PC. I have a Gigabyte 8KNXP
motherboard and an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip...haven't opened them yet. I
am hoping someone can help me out with how to correctly apply the
thermal paste to the chip after insertion into the motherboard. I
know it sounds simple, but it is an unknown to someone that has not
done it before.

Some initial questions that I have:

Is it obvious what location or portion of the back of the chip should
be coated?

How thick a coating?

Do you put a glob in the middle and put the heatsink on and allow the
weight of the heatsink to determine the thickness of the smear and let
the rest ooze out from between them?

If an initial thin layer is preferred, where do you put the initial
glob and how do you smear it out before applying the heatsink?

Presumably, even if you only apply a thin layer of paste there will
still be some oozing out with the pressure from the heatsink
application and lockdown. What do you do with what oozes out, leave
it there or wipe it off with something ? Can what oozes out cause a
problem if you don't get it all off etc?

Any reason to use any thermal paste other than what Intel supplies
with the chip?

I have heard of thermal tape, which sounds less messy but is it as
effective and where does one get it from, as I can not seem to find it
anywhere. My inclination is to stick with what Intel gives you, but
if this is not optimal I would love to know it ahead of time.


As someone else mentioned, it might not be necessary. IME, a *correct*
application of thermal grease is best, but a *poor* application is worse
than none at all. I would apply a thinnish layer, but not so thin that the
step below doesn't work. Also, make the layer as level as possible. It
should be evenly covered, all over the CPU. Don't rely on the "oozing" to
completely cover the CPU surface later. You can use your finger. Now, the
trick is to lay the heatsink down correctly. If you just plop it straight
on, it is likely there will be air bubbles. Touch one edge, then slowly
lower it like a hinge, trying to make contace with the thermal grease the
whole way. I think this is better than thermal tape, but you can't go wrong
with applying thermal tape. Wipe off what oozes out. If none oozes out,
you didn't use enough. If you have to redo it, make sure the next layer is
again very flat, with no air bubbles.


  #5  
Old October 17th 03, 06:41 PM
S.SubZero
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

"JAD" wrote in message
k.net...
here is the easiest thing , open the CPU box and don't open the thermal

paste, as it is not necessary.
The retail P4 comes with a more than adequate HSF that anything else would

be overkill. My opinion, determined by numerous installs
with no 'extras' needed.


That's odd, since all the retail 3.0's I've opened come with a small syringe
of thermal paste and do NOT have the black thermal pad on the HSF.

---

If the heatsink has a black thermal pad on the bottom, just use that, and
don't use paste. If you open the box and there's a small syringe of paste,
you'll be using it. They explain in the manual how to do it, but just
incase...

The chip has a heat spreader plate on it, so this vastly increases the
coverage area. But it actually makes the job easier. Put a small amount of
paste near the middle, just a little blob. Then, using a credit card or
something of similar thickness and flexibility, gently spread the blob over
the entire heat spreader. The idea is to get a nice thin glaze. The paste
is not supposed to be sandwiched like ketchup on a hamburger. It should
also not go anywhere except on the heat spreader (the silver raised area!).
The heat spreader should be able to make contact with the heat sink, and the
paste acts more like a filler, filling in the very small imperfections in
the heat spreader's and heatsink's surfaces. There shouldn't be enough on
there for it to ooze out the sides.

-SSZ


  #6  
Old October 17th 03, 06:53 PM
JAD
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

retail? I have only seen one of those that came with paste...don't remember the exact speed..


yes that was a 3.0 and the others were 2.8b's and down don't have any more 3.0's or better to look....I'll watch that....


"S.SubZero" wrote in message ...
"JAD" wrote in message
k.net...
here is the easiest thing , open the CPU box and don't open the thermal

paste, as it is not necessary.
The retail P4 comes with a more than adequate HSF that anything else would

be overkill. My opinion, determined by numerous installs
with no 'extras' needed.


That's odd, since all the retail 3.0's I've opened come with a small syringe
of thermal paste and do NOT have the black thermal pad on the HSF.

---

If the heatsink has a black thermal pad on the bottom, just use that, and
don't use paste. If you open the box and there's a small syringe of paste,
you'll be using it. They explain in the manual how to do it, but just
incase...

The chip has a heat spreader plate on it, so this vastly increases the
coverage area. But it actually makes the job easier. Put a small amount of
paste near the middle, just a little blob. Then, using a credit card or
something of similar thickness and flexibility, gently spread the blob over
the entire heat spreader. The idea is to get a nice thin glaze. The paste
is not supposed to be sandwiched like ketchup on a hamburger. It should
also not go anywhere except on the heat spreader (the silver raised area!).
The heat spreader should be able to make contact with the heat sink, and the
paste acts more like a filler, filling in the very small imperfections in
the heat spreader's and heatsink's surfaces. There shouldn't be enough on
there for it to ooze out the sides.

-SSZ




  #7  
Old October 17th 03, 06:59 PM
spodosaurus
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

S.SubZero wrote:
"JAD" wrote in message
k.net...

here is the easiest thing , open the CPU box and don't open the thermal


paste, as it is not necessary.

The retail P4 comes with a more than adequate HSF that anything else would


be overkill. My opinion, determined by numerous installs

with no 'extras' needed.



That's odd, since all the retail 3.0's I've opened come with a small syringe
of thermal paste and do NOT have the black thermal pad on the HSF.


Does the syringe come with just enough thermal paste to do the job, or
does it contain an excess? I just looked at an installation .pdf file
from the Intel website and it doesn't offer much in the way of specifics
about this point. Are the installation notes that accompany the CPU any
better in this regard?

Ari


---

If the heatsink has a black thermal pad on the bottom, just use that, and
don't use paste. If you open the box and there's a small syringe of paste,
you'll be using it. They explain in the manual how to do it, but just
incase...

The chip has a heat spreader plate on it, so this vastly increases the
coverage area. But it actually makes the job easier. Put a small amount of
paste near the middle, just a little blob. Then, using a credit card or
something of similar thickness and flexibility, gently spread the blob over
the entire heat spreader. The idea is to get a nice thin glaze. The paste
is not supposed to be sandwiched like ketchup on a hamburger. It should
also not go anywhere except on the heat spreader (the silver raised area!).
The heat spreader should be able to make contact with the heat sink, and the
paste acts more like a filler, filling in the very small imperfections in
the heat spreader's and heatsink's surfaces. There shouldn't be enough on
there for it to ooze out the sides.

-SSZ




--

Are you registered as a bone marrow donor? You regenerate what you
donate. You are offered the chance to donate only if you match a person
on the recipient list. Visit www.marrow.org or call your local Red Cross
and ask about registering to be a bone marrow donor.

spam trap: replace shyah_right! with hotmail when replying

  #8  
Old October 17th 03, 07:09 PM
JAD
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

grabbed the box out of the trash,, little or nothing on the pamphlet(shows a pic of 'where' it goes), I think this is all that it
came with. There isn't much in the tube and I didn't use all of it maybe 2/3.

"spodosaurus" wrote in message ...
S.SubZero wrote:
"JAD" wrote in message
k.net...

here is the easiest thing , open the CPU box and don't open the thermal


paste, as it is not necessary.

The retail P4 comes with a more than adequate HSF that anything else would


be overkill. My opinion, determined by numerous installs

with no 'extras' needed.



That's odd, since all the retail 3.0's I've opened come with a small syringe
of thermal paste and do NOT have the black thermal pad on the HSF.


Does the syringe come with just enough thermal paste to do the job, or
does it contain an excess? I just looked at an installation .pdf file
from the Intel website and it doesn't offer much in the way of specifics
about this point. Are the installation notes that accompany the CPU any
better in this regard?

Ari


---

If the heatsink has a black thermal pad on the bottom, just use that, and
don't use paste. If you open the box and there's a small syringe of paste,
you'll be using it. They explain in the manual how to do it, but just
incase...

The chip has a heat spreader plate on it, so this vastly increases the
coverage area. But it actually makes the job easier. Put a small amount of
paste near the middle, just a little blob. Then, using a credit card or
something of similar thickness and flexibility, gently spread the blob over
the entire heat spreader. The idea is to get a nice thin glaze. The paste
is not supposed to be sandwiched like ketchup on a hamburger. It should
also not go anywhere except on the heat spreader (the silver raised area!).
The heat spreader should be able to make contact with the heat sink, and the
paste acts more like a filler, filling in the very small imperfections in
the heat spreader's and heatsink's surfaces. There shouldn't be enough on
there for it to ooze out the sides.

-SSZ




--

Are you registered as a bone marrow donor? You regenerate what you
donate. You are offered the chance to donate only if you match a person
on the recipient list. Visit www.marrow.org or call your local Red Cross
and ask about registering to be a bone marrow donor.

spam trap: replace shyah_right! with hotmail when replying



  #9  
Old October 17th 03, 07:44 PM
Craig
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"Howard" wrote in message
om...
I am prepating to build my first PC. I have a Gigabyte 8KNXP
motherboard and an Intel P4 3.0GHz chip...haven't opened them yet. I
am hoping someone can help me out with how to correctly apply the
thermal paste to the chip after insertion into the motherboard. I
know it sounds simple, but it is an unknown to someone that has not
done it before.

Some initial questions that I have:

Is it obvious what location or portion of the back of the chip should
be coated?

How thick a coating?

Do you put a glob in the middle and put the heatsink on and allow the
weight of the heatsink to determine the thickness of the smear and let
the rest ooze out from between them?

If an initial thin layer is preferred, where do you put the initial
glob and how do you smear it out before applying the heatsink?

Presumably, even if you only apply a thin layer of paste there will
still be some oozing out with the pressure from the heatsink
application and lockdown. What do you do with what oozes out, leave
it there or wipe it off with something ? Can what oozes out cause a
problem if you don't get it all off etc?

Any reason to use any thermal paste other than what Intel supplies
with the chip?

I have heard of thermal tape, which sounds less messy but is it as
effective and where does one get it from, as I can not seem to find it
anywhere. My inclination is to stick with what Intel gives you, but
if this is not optimal I would love to know it ahead of time.

Thanks for any help.

Howard


Arctic Silver III is considered best thermal paste you can buy.
Below is instructions on how to install.
This is the proper way to install any Thermal Paste.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm

Craig


  #10  
Old October 17th 03, 07:48 PM
jeffc
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"S.SubZero" wrote in message
...
The heat spreader should be able to make contact with the heat sink, and

the
paste acts more like a filler, filling in the very small imperfections in
the heat spreader's and heatsink's surfaces. There shouldn't be enough on
there for it to ooze out the sides.


Technically anything that oozes out is mere waste. The problem is, you
can't be sure you've got enough in there to fill in the air gaps unless you
use a little too much. If none oozes out, you won't have any idea if you
used exactly the right amount, or too little.


 




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