Thermal Paste

[Glenn]

Use it...or don't use it. I always was taught that you had to use it between the CPU and heatsink, but I've talked to people who'll slap a heatsink on a system with no heat-sink compound whatsoever, and these are Athlon and PIII 800-1000Mhz systems...

Thoughts?

[This message has been edited by Glenn (edited January 16, 2001).]

[AFJuvat]

In my experience, I get a much cooler chip temp with the paste then without. I'd say it is worth the couple of bucks for a tube.

AFJuvat

[DaOnly123Kid]

i'm lazy so i use the cooler master fans with the compound already on them

[Damned Angel]

In my opinion, the ppl who don't use thermal paste are just asking for crabby customers who hav erandom lockups and blue screens. The thermal pads that come on most heatsinks seem to act more as a insulator rather than a conductor of heat.
Now...the ppl (have to strain very hard to refer to them as that) who don't use anything and just slap a heatsink to a processor that you could cook a 3 inch steak in 5 min on are jsut plain nuts

[Larommi]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, Geneva, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by Glenn:
Use it...or don't use it. I always was taught that you had to use it between the CPU and heatsink, but I've talked to people who'll slap a heatsink on a system with no heat-sink compound whatsoever, and these are Athlon and PIII 800-1000Mhz systems...

Thoughts?

[This message has been edited by Glenn (edited January 16, 2001).]</font>

I use it all the time. Of course the newer chips that have the small surface of the die exposed, don't require much more that the pad or goo that comes with the heatsink. However the old Socket7 chips needed it. Have you ever held one up to the light? It is almost always warped or have light showing between the chip and heatsink. K6-2's were the worse!!



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You spend your whole life believing that you're on the right track,
only to discover that you're on the wrong train.

[J_Man]

Never used the stuff (oh actually I did once). Only problems of had with hit CPU's is the fan packing it in.

[Green Iguana]

I always use thermal paste. If a heat sink has thermal tape on it, I remove it and use the paste.

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It's a dog eat dog world out there, and there isn't enough dog to go around. So get as much dog as you can, before all the dogs gone.

[NPaladin]

Once when I DID use paste, i fried this 800 T-bird I was using it on.....you gotta be VERY careful with anything but Arcic Silver.....see, it's electrically conductive. And so is just about anything else on the die-side of an Athlon. Kentucky-fried CPU. The coolerMaster gunk doesn't seem to be too bad...it can usaully keep an 8 or 900 mhz down around 110 to 115 degrees f, and it doesn't get all over the place and become a hazard for CPU slaughter.

I DO have to hand it to Intel for sticking their cache chips on the BOTTOM of the CPU package though...

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Bryan Pizzuti
CompTIA A+, CNAP
[email protected]
ICQ # 8525092
Yahoo Messenger: npaladin_2000

[captpackrat]

This system would not even run without thermal paste, it's running that close to borderline. The thermal paste dropped the temp about 5F, enough to keep it stable.

Our Compliance Testing Engineer did some research, and found that thermal paste is about 10-20 times better at conducting heat than the typical thermal pads that come with most heatsinks. Wow!




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Captain Troy D. Pack Rat
`akbar Press

If you're furry and you know it, hug the mouse!

[SiCkNuT]

I've never used the stuff and rarely had any problems. I think the expensive paste is just a marketing ploy. Perhaps only useful for overclockers.

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[ i N S A N i T Y 2 0 0 0 ]

[captpackrat]

The expensive paste is probably not worth it unless you are overclocking or have a borderline system.

I just use plain old Thermalcote joint compound, about $5 for a 2 oz tube, with is a lifetime supply for most individuals, and a several year supply for most tech shops.



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Captain Troy D. Pack Rat
`akbar Press

If you're furry and you know it, hug the mouse!

[Greasey]

Never use it... due to the fact that I use peltzers > a mere 5degree drop just isn't acceptable in my book, I want that cpu darn near frozen when I operate it >

Just a thought..

[klenard]

Ever smell the paste when it does burn, talk about stinking up your work area. It is a pretty foul smelling compound when you burn it.

I always use the stuff, but never ever let a customer apply the paste themselves. I had a guy put the paste into the CPU slot on his motherboard and then he put the processor in. Needless to say the moron fried his board and wanted a replacement. He said that when he got the processor, he thought the stuff was some sort of glue for the processor. I about pimp-slapped him and said that we do not warranty customer ignorance.



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Some days you are the dog, some days you are the Hydrant.

[This message has been edited by klenard (edited January 17, 2001).]

[cheezmonkey]

Never use the stuff these days, i did once a while back, then some a$$ lost the tube 'o` paste from the shap and none of us ever bother anymore. We use good fans from a company called Spire http://www.sipre.nl
Check 'em out

[Snommis69]

I have never used it, and have never had a problem (I am only speaking of my home PCs right now. I give customers what they want, however stupid). As for the posts about instability, socket 7 and overclocking, I am currently using only ss7 at home, none have paste, and my K6-2/500 is clocked out mildly to 566. Da paste is a waste!
In fact, I had a P90 awhile back, the damn sticky pad was shot, would not hold the heat sink to the CPU (no clip on this old mobo). So I super glued the SOB, and it still runs fine today. These things are more rugged than you think, and I feel more instability problems stem from crappy components than heat.

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Is the damn thing plugged in, is the damn thing turned on?