Do I really need to re apply CPU paste even if its never been powered on?

[samuelgobin]

Posted by a returning banned member.
admin allisolm

Got a CPU and a board however I ended up getting another board on sale but the first one the core i3 and heatsink was already installed but nothing was ever turned on.

Do I really need to reapply this thermal paste? does it really cause air bubbles? any proof and benchmark to show that this causes an issue?

If the temps raise, by how much will it raise?

I know people say logically it makes sense, but won't the heat of the CPU melt the paste and spread it back out properly?

Its an i3 4170 will it throttle down or anything like that if I don't clean out all the paste etc?

if its like a 5 degree C difference I guess thats nothing? seeing as how some AMD CPUs run at 80 degrees Celsius?

 

[VirtualLarry]

Just buy a tube of AS5... it's like what, $6-7 shipped?

Edit: Short answer, yes, if the CPU and heatsink were removed from the board, even if it was never powered on, yes, you need to re-apply paste.

 

[samuelgobin]

And what happens if I don't? what happens if I just re use it as is?

Will the CPU throttle down? how much degrees would it likely raise by?

 

[samuelgobin]

Please tell me because I have no paste. I am so screwed!! I ship internationally and can't wait weeks for paste how the hell could this be an issue even if the board was not turned on? I mean the intel cooler has 3 lines of paste isn't this better than AMD when removing? hence more room to spread out when heated?

Shouldn't the paste spread out properly when its heated up?

Look this guy said its not an issue, feniks wrote

http://forums.evga.com/Do-you-have-...-take-the-heat-sink-off-the-CPU-m1811437.aspx

if paste is fresh (and still soft, blah blah), then I don't clean nor re-apply.
if it gots hardened already then you have to clean & re-apply because it's nearly impossible to fit the cooling block the very same way (to the micron) so all matches up without creating big air pockets.

I mean I installed a AMD A4 4000 for my brother and ended up pulling out the hsf 4 times trying to figure how the heck to install an AMD CPU and I think his PC runs fine.

 

[VirtualLarry]

If the heatsink is the Intel retail heatsink, and it hasn't ever been used or turned on, then you probably would be OK with removing it and re-using it, as long as the three strips of paste are intact. If they've merged, or look seriously smudged, then you're going to need paste.

If this is just for quick testing, to see if board / CPU works, before selling it off, then you don't really even need paste, just clamp down the heatsink.

But for any extended period of running (longer than maybe 10-15 minutes), you really should have paste.

Btw, if you're assembling CPUs and mobos, why don't you already HAVE paste? Seriously. It's something that EVERY enthusiast should have around, along with a spare PSU, and a set of screwdrivers and pliers.

 

[samuelgobin]

hmm well yeah its the intel retail HSF. I didn't really bother with paste because I never overclock and always found stockcooler that comes with paste to be adequate.

My brother was running a PC for years with a AMD Athlon II X2 without any paste at all and his system worked fine for years. He didn't even know it needed paste.

And usually when I fix PCs for customers I install the HSF without any paste as long as its a budget CPU.

 

[Idontcare]

I'd wager you have a 90% chance of this being no problem (remount with existing paste) and a 10% chance of this being a major problem (too little paste, temperature becomes too high, either your chip throttles or it wastes a lot of electricity from elevated leakage currents).

Here's the thing, other than your time, you have nothing to lose in at least giving it a shot and trying it out.

If the temperatures are higher than you like, or so high that the chip is throttling, then buy a tube of NT-H1 and remount (losing a bit of time in the process).

Honestly, if I were in your shoes I would just remount it and see what happens. My expectation is that it will be fine.

 

[samuelgobin]

Alright thanks I will do that and see what happens. My friend is supposed to come over tomorrow and he has good paste so I could also ask him to give me a droplet on the HSF and clean out the old paste. so I guess thats one way I could get around this.

The only thing is my new board has not arrived as yet will be here in 2 days so I guess I can just have him put the droplet of paste on the HSF, turn it upside down and maybe cover it from dust with some sort of cover or put it in a plastic bag and tie it so that the bag does not touch the paste.

 

[VirtualLarry]

And usually when I fix PCs for customers I install the HSF without any paste as long as its a budget CPU.

Wow. Talk about cutting corners.

Edit: You even fix PCs for people, and you don't stock paste? What are you, a PC barbarian? LOL.

 

[samuelgobin]

Well when I had realized that the CPU ran for years without paste, outliving its usefulness. I stopped using paste on computers for customers assuming I had to remove the HSF to clean it of dust. I figured all these PCs the mainboard died before the CPU anyways so I just stopped using cpu paste unless its for my personal PC cause I am paranoid.

But you are right I may have to start stocking this paste.

btw what temps should I be looking at on the 4170 core i3 on idle?

the temp in my country according to the weather forecast is 32 degrees Celsius. My room isn't AC or anything like that I assume inside the house is probably 30 degrees

Let me know what temp I should be looking for on this particular chip.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Well when I had realized that the CPU ran for years without paste, outliving its usefulness. I stopped using paste on computers for customers assuming I had to remove the HSF to clean it of dust. I figured all these PCs the mainboard died before the CPU anyways so I just stopped using cpu paste unless its for my personal PC cause I am paranoid.

Intel CPUs can often (depending on model) go up to 85-100C before seriously throttling. But most AMD (especially AM2 125W) CPUs will blue-screen or freeze much past about 62-65C. That, instead of throttling. And guess what is MORE likely to happen, the NEXT time the CPU HSF gets clogged with dust, and THIS time, there's no paste? Yup, BSOD, and possibly degraded CPUs and mobo VRMs. That's right, an overly-hot CPU draws MORE power, and can stress out mobo VRMs (especially on cheap OEM AMD boards) and cause the boards to fail earlier.

So, no paste is no good, for the longevity of PCs.

Edit: Sorry if I seem a little harsh on these issues. I've re-mounted AMD stock heatsinks on occasion, when I was on location, and didn't happen to have my paste on me. But only because those tend to come with such a huge glop of paste attached to them from the factory, that they can often be re-mounted on a fresh-clean CPU, and if half or more of the paste stayed on the heatsink, then it's enough for a re-mount. But that's not ideal, and I do try to always have some AS5 handy, when I'm swapping CPUs.

Edit: To answer your question, I would expect Intel CPUs with power-gating to idle no more than maybe 5C over ambient, with the caveat that the CPU's TJunction temp sensors are the most inaccurate at idle, and get more accurate under load, as you get closer to TJmax.

 

[Tsavo]

Well when I had realized that the CPU ran for years without paste, outliving its usefulness. I stopped using paste on computers for customers assuming I had to remove the HSF to clean it of dust. I figured all these PCs the mainboard died before the CPU anyways so I just stopped using cpu paste unless its for my personal PC cause I am paranoid.

But you are right I may have to start stocking this paste.

btw what temps should I be looking at on the 4170 core i3 on idle?

the temp in my country according to the weather forecast is 32 degrees Celsius. My room isn't AC or anything like that I assume inside the house is probably 30 degrees

Let me know what temp I should be looking for on this particular chip.

This isn't quite the most moronic thing I have read here, but it's close. Intel specifies thermal joint compound for a reason. They aren't impetuous children who are motivated by blank-minded whimsy.

A single application of a quality compound costs pennies; that you skip such a mundane step makes me fear for your unfortunate customers.

I'm glad you don't work for Boeing.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

I'll just leave this here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iRf440Zaq4

 

[eton975]

Are you really that cheap, OP? A small tube of cheap generic silicon grease (not even the good stuff) costs like $4 and makes a VAST difference to the temps. You can probably pick one up at your local hobby electronics store.

 

[poohbear]

Not sure if the heatspreaders have changed things,but back when CPUs had no heatspreaders I installed a heatsink with no paste & CPU went up in smoke (this was 17 years ago). Ever since I paid the .20 cents to put the thermal paste. A $10 tube of the good stuff last for 50+ applications since u just need a blob the size of a piece of rice. It's really a no brainer, but hey if ure saving that .20 cents all the power to u.