Need help applying a thermal paste.

[KENNEDY]

Hi all, how u doin'?
I just recieved the new "Nanotherm Blue II", and i have few questions 'bout how to apply it.
I have an Athlon XP 1900+ AGOGA Core and the AX7.
I read the instructions in the Nanotherm's website, and I wanna make sure how to make it in few steps. I'll write them and if you can just correct me\add something\remove something ot anything else, just say :

• Lapping the heatsink a bit (is it really necessary with the AX7? it's supposed to be smooth enough. Besides I have no sand paper ).

• Here is a step I don't know what they mean:
  Degrease the CPU core and HSF with a coffee filter dampened with lighter fluid and wipe dry.
  What does it mean?

• Clean the surface of the die and the bottom surface of HSF with isopropyl (rubbing) alchohol (70% or higher) and wipe dry.
  Is it a must? Because I don't really have these materials.

• Place a small bead of Nanotherm on the processor core and spread around the top surface in a circular motion. It's OK to use your finger. Make sure to spread a thin, even and uniformly opaque coating across the entire surface of the die.

• Repeat the same for the bottom surface of the HSF - make a "circle" of compound only slightly larger than the size of the CPU core. Be sure the compound on the HSF is properly positioned to 'mate' with the CPU core when assembled.

• Smooth/ remove excess material from both application surfaces with a credit card (or something else that has a thin flat edge that won't scratch either surface) with very light pressure. Both surfaces should have a relatively smooth, even and opaque coverage of compound.

Thanks in advance,
Daniel.

 

[holdencommodore]

I use methylated sprits to degrease my CPU's. You must insure that the surface of the heatsink is not contaminated, this includes fingerprints.

I use the edge of a credit card to spread out the Arctic Silver. I apply a VERY thin layer. I then place the HSF unit onto the core, and avoid twisting or moving the heatsink as this would create uneven peaks in the paste.

Hope this helps

Cheers

 

[KENNEDY]

First I wanna thank u, so thanks .
I'm from Israel, and I'm learning English... so I didn't understand the meaning this word, so if u can explain it it will help (degrease).

 

[javeed]

Kennedy,

Degrease means to remove all grease or oil. In this case it's talking about ensuring there's no grease/oil on the surfaces of the processor and heatsink that meet each other. Hope this helps

Javeed

 

[holdencommodore]

"First I wanna thank u, so thanks"

No worries mate! Enjoy your new toy

Just be careful when putting the heatsink on the CPU!

Cheers

 

[KENNEDY]

thank you two.
i have no previous paste on it...
that means i don't need to to degrease?
btw, the ax7 is pretty dirty so i think i have to clean it with alcohol or something.
it's also very heavy. i hope it won't fall and take the socket with it .

 

[holdencommodore]

Well, even if it has had no previous paste, it is still a good idea to clean it just in case. According to Arctic Siver, even fingerprints on a heatsink base will decrease it's thermal conduction. If you have some alcohol or maybe Kerosene?? it would be a good idea to clean the heatsink just incase there is anything on it.

BTW. It has been know for heavy heatsinks to break off the tabs on the socket, but this is pretty rare.

Cheers

 

[KENNEDY]

ok, wait, that means steps 2 and 3 are the same? them both are for cleaning.

 

[KENNEDY]

important!
what does it mean to clean with lighter fluid?
lighter means the opposite of heavy or it mens that thing we make fire with ?

 

[SP33Demon]

Lighter fluid is the one that starts fires. BUT, you don't need to use this, you can use rubbing alcohol instead. You can use a Q-Tip with rubbing alcohol and rub it on the die of the CPU (since you have a brand new one, that has never had any type of thermal grease previously applied to it), and wipe off with a tissue. This works well for me... hope this helps!

 

[KENNEDY]

so u say i can skip level two?

 

[Jmmsbnd007]

This is for Arctic Silver paste but it should work for you.
http://arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm
Read the part where you put a bit of the compound on the heatsink bottom and rub it in with a plastic bag.
Or better yet, read it all. It's a good thermal compound tutorial.

 

[Mallow]

Hey All-

Well I ordered an 1800+ XP retail w/ hsf. I installed everything on the mobo and the mobo was DOA. So I had to take everything off and store it for a week. I figured the stock thermal paste on the hs was ruined so I ordered some artic silver II and just put it on over the old paste (doesn't seem like such a good idea now that I'm reading this thread ) However, my core temp. maintains 40-50C... anyone think I should take the cpu/hs apart and re-apply the thermal paste?

 

[BeefcakeVA]

anyone think I should take the cpu/hs apart and re-apply the thermal paste?

Most definately

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Mallow
Hey All-

Well I ordered an 1800+ XP retail w/ hsf. I installed everything on the mobo and the mobo was DOA. So I had to take everything off and store it for a week. I figured the stock thermal paste on the hs was ruined so I ordered some artic silver II and just put it on over the old paste (doesn't seem like such a good idea now that I'm reading this thread ) However, my core temp. maintains 40-50C... anyone think I should take the cpu/hs apart and re-apply the thermal paste?

Yes, yes you should. Make sure the HS is completely flat. You might even lap it, if you're feeling TIm Taylor-ish.

KENNEDY, I think they've answered your question, I just want to say that you're doing a damn fine job. I'd hate to have to learn another language just to post on the internet

Keep safe.

 

[Mallow]

what does lapping it mean? :/

 

[holdencommodore]

what does lapping it mean?

Lapping is a process where you sand the HS surface to remove as many irregularities as is possible. The more of these you can remove, the better the better the thermal conductivity, and therefore the lower the temperatures.

Cheers

 

[Mallow]

thanks much folks... wasn't my thread originally but I definately learned something

 

[KENNEDY]

guys, sorry for bothering u over and over, but it was pretty expensive, and i don't wanna destroy something, i want everything to be right
can i skip level 2? it will make all much simple.
if not, what do i need to do?
open a ligher (the one we make fire with ), put the fukid in some thing, and deep a coffee filter in it?
then just move the filter on the cpu die and the heatsink?
how do i clean it? i don't want something on fire (it's a lighter fluid, u know ) ...
thnaks in advance.

 

[Mallow]

CPU die is the part that touches the heat sink?

 

[r0ck]

hi guys...i'm also going to remove the stock HS and fan on my XP 2100+
my system runs at pretty high temperature.... 57/65 C
the fan on the heatsink is pretty weak, i have AX7 and P1A laying around, but my situtaion is like Kennedy.
Installing the stock HS was pretty easy, but now that i hvae got to remove old thermal pads and sand (learned from the previos posts)

can i use nail polish remover to remove the old thermal pads?
and do i have to sand the HF?
Is more AS3 is applied on the CPU than the HF?
Will putting too much or too little damange the CPU, or will it live for me to try again?

thank you guys

 

[L00PY]

Let's see if I can take a stab at the questions floating around (peppered with funky American idioms to make life all that more difficult ).

Unless you've gotten a real stinker of a HSF, you can usually skip the lapping bit.

You can probably skip the degreasing step and probably don't want to skip the rubbing alcohol step. Do a decent job with the isopropyl and you'll remove the gunk the butane would remove. They suggest rubbing alcohol and lighter fluid because the stuff's cheap and evaporates quickly. Both can be found in the US for under a buck.

The die (aka core) is the little square that touches the heatsink. This is the puppy that gets hot and that's why you put your TIM on it.

The stuff's really not intended as rocket science. Honestly, you're more likely to ruin everything by shoving a screwdriver through your mobo when you try to install the clip than prepping the HS.

Nail polish remover or acetone could be used.

You should be using as little AS3 or TIM as possible. Goto the Artic Silver site linked earlier. It explains a lot. In theory, too much of the wrong stuff and you could short some traces. Then again, you might get lucky and it'll be fine.