Retail CPU package Question

[walkure]

Here is a nitpicky question for anyone who's bought a retail AMD64 CPU. Do the CPU and HSF already have the thermal compound applied to them, or is the thermal compound just in a small tube in the box? I'm planning on using Arctic Silver 5 and was just wondering if I'd have to clean off the parts before applying it (isopropyl alcohol, right?)?

Thanks.

 

[Cook1]

There's a thermal pad found on the HSF.

 

[walkure]

By "thermal pad", do you mean a layer of thermal compound? Could I easily (and safely) wipe it off using isopropyl alcohol?

 

[Cook1]

Could I easily (and safely) wipe it off using isopropyl alcohol?

Yeah, but I'd get a CC or something to scrape some of it off first. My experience with AMD and their thermal pads is that they lay it on kinda thick.

 

[Baked]

The pink gum-like thermal pad is applied to the heatsink that comes w/ retail AMD cpus. If you plan on using the retail heatsink, you can use a plastic knife or object of some sort to scratch it off. Don't use metal. There are nothing on the CPU itself.

 

[imverygifted]

ya, you can really jus scrape it off w/ anything and use an alcohol pad to rub it clean then follow the directions on applying arctic silver 5, remember go easy on it you want it to be as thin as possible but still covering the core. in my experience arctic silver 5 works best in very very small amounts as long as its touching the heatsink. jus put at small dot on your cpu then rub it around the whole core w/ a plastic bag tightly over your finger tip i find that works best

 

[walkure]

So Mr. Gifted, you would not even apply the AS5 to the heatsink at all? Just the CPU, and then rub it, and let it make contact with the heatstink when you connect it?

Thank you everyone.

 

[Zepper]

Remember, you void the warranty if you use anything other than original equipment thermal interface material.
.bh.

 

[walkure]

So no Arctic Silver on the heatsink? Anyone else's experience?

 

[SirOblivious]

jus put at small dot on your cpu then rub it around the whole core w/ a plastic bag tightly over your finger tip

Umm, don't plastic bags carry large amounts of static?

Don't know if thats such a good idea.

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: SirOblivious

jus put at small dot on your cpu then rub it around the whole core w/ a plastic bag tightly over your finger tip

Umm, don't plastic bags carry large amounts of static?

Don't know if thats such a good idea.

Yes, but you arent rubbing the bag on the pins, you are rubbing it on the IHS

 

[RadiclDreamer]

Originally posted by: walkure
So no Arctic Silver on the heatsink? Anyone else's experience?

Mine hovers around 78-80F idle so no, I would not use AS5 more hassle than what its worth. The stock goop does fine and it keeps your warranty intact

 

[MDE]

Just use the stock stuff. It's actually Shin-Etsu paste which isn't noticeably worse than AS5. It is applied to the heatsink. I'd clean the CPU with alcohol anyways.

 

[walkure]

See, for weeks I was planning on ordering an OEM 3500+ from Monarch, but suddenly their price shot up, so I ended up buying a RETAIL 3200+ from ZipZoomFly (their RETAIL version was even cheaper than Monarch's OEM 3200+ when you add in the $15 warranty I was going to pay for).

So, I already had gone ahead and jumped on a Thermalright XP-120 heatsink since it was only $43.. I also bought this Panaflo 120mm fan from them, since it is reccomended by Thermalright, and looks like it works great (103.8 CFM). Finally, I bought a little tube of Arctic Silver 5. Why not have all the best?


But now that I had to order the retail CPU, I will have 1 HSF go unused. I wouldn't mind trying out the stock stuff and seeing how high I can OC, and the corresponding temperatures. And then I could swap it out for the XP-120 to see how much cooler I can get. But I'm concerned about removing that stuff once it's on there; I've heard several people talk about the CPU getting glued to the heatsink and popping out along with that (possibly damaging it).

More thoughts? Thanks

 

[Ike0069]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Remember, you void the warranty if you use anything other than original equipment thermal interface material.
.bh.

Wrong!!!!!!!!!!
Damn Zepper, quit feeding everyone this bullshit. AMD only voids the warranty for using a metallic based paste (i.e. Arctic Silver) on socket A processors. For A64's any and all TIM's are allowed. You can remove the HSF as many times as you want and use any TIM you want and a retail CPU is still covered under warranty. Please call them so you can be educated. Making false statements on these boards is not cool. People come here looking for info, and if the info they get is false, these forums are useless.

 

[Brian48]

I've got a retail AMD64 (clawhammer). I got the retail because I specifically wanted the HSF that came with it. It's an excellent heatsink with a heavy copper base and it does come with Shin Etsu G751 thermal paste pre-applied. This stuff is not only on par with Artic Silver 5, it actually beats it out in some tests. If I could find a place that sold it cheaply, I would buy more.

A comparison of early AMD64 HSF's against the retail unit

Specs on Ajigo MF043-044A heatsink used for Clawhammer processors

Now I mentioned Clawhammer a few times because I'm told that AMD may have stopped shipping this unit with their new processors (too expensive for them). I'd check the retail package. If it comes with this HSF, definitely get it.

 

[modedepe]

Originally posted by: walkure
So Mr. Gifted, you would not even apply the AS5 to the heatsink at all? Just the CPU, and then rub it, and let it make contact with the heatstink when you connect it?

Thank you everyone.

Text

 

[Rami7007]

yeah i scraped my "pad" off of my AMD64 with a playing card

 

[Googer]

Do not use Rubbing Alcohol to remove themal grease from you cpu or heat sinkl unit, It contains oil's intended to condition your skin that could carbonize and eventualy lead to the end of your processor. It is the same reason why you don't touch halogen lights with your oily fingers.

Instead use good old fashioed elbow grease To remove it.

I pesonaly would stick to the oem stuff, recent test's have shown Intel's oem (Intel sent some to me, I believe it is made by honeywell) to work better than Arctic Silver and would only use Arctic silver if I removed and reinstall (reapply) my heat sink.

Some one remind me who makes thermal paste remover, I think it was Artic silver or Nano Therm.

 

[0010010110]

Originally posted by: walkure
I wouldn't mind trying out the stock stuff and seeing how high I can OC, and the corresponding temperatures. And then I could swap it out for the XP-120 to see how much cooler I can get. But I'm concerned about removing that stuff once it's on there; I've heard several people talk about the CPU getting glued to the heatsink and popping out along with that (possibly damaging it).

I'd recommend you just use the xp-120 with as5 because:
---
Once you have applied a thermal grease or melted a thermal pad onto a heatsink, it is impossible to remove all of the grease or pad from the microscopic valleys in the heatsink using standard cleaning chemicals and paper or fabric towels. Any subsequent thermal material will be applied over the remnants of the original material.
---
http://www.arcticsilver.com/ar...ilver_instructions.htm

 

[cubby1223]

I just use a tissue or paper towel to get the thermal pad off. Works like a charm. Maybe won't get you that extra degree of cooling that super-cleaning can do. I don't do any overclocking, so as long as the cpu stays under 60 celsius under load, the cpu is going to stay very well protected. For applying grease, I just put a couple dots on the cpu, let the heatsink pushing down spread it out. Whenever I've removed the heatsink later on, the entire core is coved by the grease.

 

[0010010110]

Originally posted by: Googer
Do not use Rubbing Alcohol to remove themal grease from you cpu or heat sinkl unit, It contains oil's intended to condition your skin that could carbonize and eventualy lead to the end of your processor. It is the same reason why you don't touch halogen lights with your oily fingers.

Instead use good old fashioed elbow grease To remove it.

I pesonaly would stick to the oem stuff, recent test's have shown Intel's oem (Intel sent some to me, I believe it is made by honeywell) to work better than Arctic Silver and would only use Arctic silver if I removed and reinstall (reapply) my heat sink.

Some one remind me who makes thermal paste remover, I think it was Artic silver or Nano Therm.

http://nanotherm.com/products.htm#NanoClean
I don't think Arctic Silver make a cleaner.

 

[Kakyoin]

modedepe, got it right.

Use the link he posted.

When I had to change out my processor into another motherboard. I just used a plastic bag, rubbed AS compound on the top of the processor and then mounted the heatsink. Was really easy.

I just had to buy one of those lint-free clothes to clean the heatsink from all the other thermal compound junk. And I bought some Rubbing Alcohol that had the highest % and just cleaned the heatsink before I used that lint-free cloth.

 

[walkure]

Well, everything came today from Newegg and ZZF (CPU, mem, GPU, DVD-RW, floppy, Antec Super Lanboy case, Vantec 520W PSU, Seagate barracuda 160GB HDD, Arctic Silver 5 tube... I think that's it ). But I ordered the XP-120 and Panaflo fan from another company, and UPS ground didn't quite make it to my house today, so they'll be here tmrw. I think I will just wait till then and attempt to use the XP-120 on the first try rather than trying the stock HSF and then dealing with switching them a day later (or even a couple weeks if I wanted to do a comparison test).