Some question about the way of applying thermal paste

[Lugia0529]

Hello everyone, as nowadays we can find many guide about the better way to applying thermal paste, some of the guide maybe useful, some of the guide may bring some nightmare to us, so I have some question about the way to applying thermal paste.

 

1. How you applying thermal paste and how much of thermal paste to use when applying thermal paste? I am currently using the grain of rice method and it sometimes cannot cover all of the CPU.

 

2. Does the thermal paste need to cover the entire CPU? If not, how much it need to cover?

 

3. How you remove the thermal paste? I am now using 70% Isopropyl Alcohol to remove the thermal paste but it seem it cannot remove it completely, there is still a dark layer on my CPU and the heat sink.

 

Maybe this is some kind of noob question but hope someone can answer my question, so I and others member can learn something from this.

Thank in advance.

[ir_cow]

1: i usually do the 5 dot method (1 for each corner and 1 in the middle).

 

2: you don't need to cover the whole chip because the center under the IHS is the cores.

 

3: i use 70% or 90% Isopropyl Alcohol (whatever is laying around) and that dark spots aren't going to ever go away, it's just the by product of heat causing the metal to change colors. unless of course you really do have gue left on, than you need to rub harder. It usually takes me 3-4 different cleanings to get the dark color mostly off, so if once doesn't do the trick try again.

Edited February 22, 2012 by hornybluecow

[Waco]

The darkness on the heatsink likely won't go away if it's copper. I use the 5 dot method also.

[El_Capitan]

I'm too lazy and just do the single dot method these days.

[Coors]

I just put a small dab in the middle. It spreads out under the heatsink. I wouldn't waste my time with spreading it with a credit card or with your finger in a plastic baggy or whatever else people are trying these days. It's not rocket science lol.

[airman]

If the thermal paste isn't dry like play-dough, I go ahead and smooth it across the surface with my finger. If it's the really dry, powdery-feeling stuff then I put a little dab in the middle of the IHS and let the heatsink do the work.

[DanTheGamer11]

I use a plastic card that came with an Akasa tube... I like to make a thin layer... I also use a Citric Acid based Akasa TIM cleaner Works very well... use a dry cloth(no fibres) with a bit of it dabbed in the TIM remover or Isoprop? Alcohol?

[El_Capitan]

There were threads in the past where we saw reviews of different ways of applying TIM and seeing how it looked through a flat piece of glass (I think it there was also an Intel video). Intel also specifies the best way to apply TIM on their different line of CPU's.

 

To prevent air pockets, you don't want to use the credit card method anymore.

 

To get an evenly distributed layer, you don't want to use more than one dot or one line.

 

The best method seemed to be a center dot or center line.

[90sgamer]

I have always done the single dot method and try to make it about the size of a grain of rice. With the huge IHS on the LGA2011 chips, that probably isn't going to be sufficient anymore.

[DanTheGamer11]

Didn't know that Captain... don't want air to insulate it.. thanks for that So it's just a blob in the middle and let pressure do the rest(a bit hard with AMD sockets )?

Edited February 22, 2012 by Dan The Gamer

[El_Capitan]

Can't find the video, yet, but basically it was the same kind of test as this post: http://www.overclockers.com/applying-thermal-grease/

[bigball1]

I go ahead and smooth it across the surface with my finger.

 

 

You should never use your finger as the oils from your hands will get in the paste and it will break down faster due to the heat.

 

I always just use the tip of the tube to smear it around a little. You dont need much, as LOTS of people think you do. As all its doing is filling in the microscopic gaps between the CPU and heat sink as air is an insulator.