Thermal Paste =D

[Kukag]

Hey so I'm getting everything in today and my case Saturday but I was thinking about the i5 and remembered I'd probably wanna replace the stock paste.

1st question is do these things ever go bad? I've had mine for quite some time but always with a protective cap on in a small plastic cubby.

2nd - Would you recommend Artic Silver 5 or Shin Etsu MicroSi? I've used both and if I remember correctly the Shin Etsu was a considerable amount more thick.

3rd - Would you say putting about a BB size drop in the center and spreading with my finger in a plastic bag will be an ok technique? Any other techniques you recommend? I'm using the stock cooler unfortunately temporarily.

Thanks!
Kukag

 

[DesiPower]

1. I have AS5 thats about 5 years old and has gotten thick, I used it a couple of months back when I replaced a dead mobo, it was so think that I has to use by bare finger to spread it :biggrin:. Just mesh them really well... press the heatskin down on the CPU and twist your wrist... again and again and again... Thats the brute (force) approach of course, there are several decent civilized way of doing it... just google or youtube.
I also have "Thermal material Remover & Surface Purifier" so I obviously used that 1st. CPU Temp was less than the previous mobo. Hovered around 42 @ idle for D945 3.4 GHZ iirc.

2. I used only AS5 and its works GREAT!

3. IMHO "BB size" will be too big, you need just a little bit... very little...

 

[Kukag]

Ok awesome, second is how should I remove the thermal paste on the stock cooler? It comes with 3 pad looking like strips, and I don't really want to buy any "thermal removers" is there something else I could use?

Thanks,
Kukag

 

[DesiPower]

Ok awesome, second is how should I remove the thermal paste on the stock cooler? It comes with 3 pad looking like strips, and I don't really want to buy any "thermal removers" is there something else I could use?

Thanks,
Kukag

You can you user sister's or mom's or wife's or gf's nail paint remover :biggrin: or use clinical alcohol, it doesn't matter as long as it does not get soaked in the liquid, AND you clean and dry it properly, so be very careful.

 

[corkyg]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[yottabit]

Use alcohol to remove the existing thermal paste. I wouldn't use nail polish remover as A) its acetone based so can eat plastic if you're not careful with it and b) often times they'll have additives in them that will leave impurities

Just make sure if you use a low &#37; alcohol (i.e. anything <99%) you wipe off the water residue after

I like to put two strips of AS spaced apart about a centimeter over the center of the CPU. Then mount, clamp, unmount and check transfer, adjust accordingly. If you end up upgrading to a heatsink that has direct heatpipe contact then I usually fill in the grooves of that with thermal compound and use a business card to scrape it clean.

Don't get AS on your electronics, it is capacitive enough to case serious problems. If you do happen to get some wipe it all off, rinse the local area THOROUGHLY with alcohol and repeat. Again make sure to wipe all the water residue off.

 

[dma0991]

I would use isopropyl alcohol to do the cleaning first as it dissolves the old caked thermal paste. As with anything related to thermal paste, less is always more. You may refer to this guide to decide which method is the best for you. This Youtube video is also a good guide to refer on which application method is better.

 

[Zap]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

This. Those three strips of stock thermal paste should be fine. It isn't a hard thermal pad and the amount is just right for a really nice thin layer once it gets mounted.

If you are overclocking, an aftermarket cooler will be in order. If not overclocking, then don't worry about it.

 

[JEDIYoda]

Hey so I'm getting everything in today and my case Saturday but I was thinking about the i5 and remembered I'd probably wanna replace the stock paste.

Not necessarily! The thermal paste on the i5 is just fine.
What are you replacing the thermal paste for?
Lower temperatures???
let me tell you most thermal pastes today are all within the same temperature of each other give or take.
You are totally wasting your money replacing the thermal paste!

 

[mfenn]

Not necessarily! The thermal paste on the i5 is just fine.
What are you replacing the thermal paste for?
Lower temperatures???
let me tell you most thermal pastes today are all within the same temperature of each other give or take.
You are totally wasting your money replacing the thermal paste!

:thumbsup:

When JEDIYoda tells you it ain't worth it, it really ain't worth it. :awe:

 

[Kukag]

Lol alright I'll take some advice and leave the stock thermal paste, I don't plan on OC, until I get a nice aftermarket cooler. So thanks for the advice and I guess I'll save my aftermarket thermal paste til another day =P

Thanks guys,
Kukag