Is thermal paste needed on athlon?

[fsuorange]

Hello,

I have an athlon xp and a vantec c7040 heatsink that I would like to install on it. However I have read contradicting instructions on how to do this. The vantec instructions say to put the thermal paste (included in the vantec package) on the dye of the processor however the amd instructions on how to install a heatsink say not to put themal paste on if you want to use the processor for long periods of time and never use both thermal tape and pase together. The vantec has a circular copper conductor on the bottom of the heatsink.

The question I would like answered are:

Should I use the included thermal paste that the vantec package includes on the athlon's dye if I want to use this processor for at least 3 years without having to reapply it on every so often? Or should I just mount the heatsink on the cpu without any paste?

Thanks

[tito13kfm]

I always always always use paste.. It can reduce your temp by at least 10C if not more if applied correctly. Yes you do have to reapply every so often for optimal efficiency (every time I change the clocks for DST i apply more paste) but it's well worth it in my book.

And NEVER EVER use the thermal tape. It sucks.. it can actually trap more heat than it dissapates.

Tip for the paste: apply with a razor.. go as thin as possible while still completely covering.. too little is bad.. too much is VERY bad.

[maestro5050]

Use some Arctic Silver on it. You can find it at most computer stores. Detailed instructions and pictures can be found on their website.

[redwudz]

You must use either thermal paste or themal tape with a heatsink installation. I would go with the heatsink manufactures recommendation and use their paste. Don't use too much. You won't need to replace the paste unless you change the heatsink.

[gmatov]

AMD likes for you to use their tape, which melts and thins down to avery thin "gap filler". It's a one shot deal. If you ever have to remove the sink for some reason, board replacement, whatever, the tape would no longer fill in the gaps, and you would have heat problems, possibly enough to burn up the CPU.

Go with Arctic Silver, if you can get it. Read the package that came with the fan, it might BE Arctic Silver. If not, it runs about 10 bucks for a syringe good for at least 100 applications..

A glob about the size of a grain of rice is plenty. Spread it around with a toothpick or matchstick or something, twist the heatsink around a few times to help spread it a little better, thin it out, then clamp it down. I think the spring clamp exerts some 25 pounds of pressure. It will squeeze out the excess.

This stuff IS a gap filler. Nothing is perfectly flat, and the paste fills in those little "valleys" for better heat transfer.

Please DO use something. You are almost guaranteed to overheat if you don't, possibly to destruction. And you do not reapply. Install once, let it alone, unless you replace the heatsink for some reason.

Cheers,

George

[fsuorange]

Okay so I should use the thermal paste on the vantec. Is there any website that has step by step on how to do this? If I apply too much will the cpu be gone?

Also one more thing...

Okay so if I apply thermal paste, you guys are saying that I will not have to ever reapply again unless I replace the heatsink?

[Ripper2860]

Here's a great set of directions w/ pictures. Applies to Artic Silver, but other than clean-up, is good for any thermal paste compound.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

You cannot kill a CPU merely by over applying compound (although Artic Silver or any other "metallic" compound spread over the bridges could short the processor). However, over application can impact the effectiveness. The operative phrase is "apply sparingly" for any compound. More is definitely not better. You should not have to re-apply quality compound unless you remove the heatsink.

Also -- the Vantec compound is probably a silver-oxide compound (small silver colored syringe). If so, I believe it is made made by Artic Silver and is Artic Silver 3.

BTW -- AMD prefers their thermal pad as they are concerned the improperly applied or poor quality compounds "cooking" away under the heat produced by the processor and causing the CPU to become unstable and/or fail.

[gmatov]

You don't apply to the heatsink, you apply to the little rectangle, the actual CPU itself. The rest of that 2 inch square is to give room for 462 pins and wires leading from that little piece of silicon to those pins.

The hot spot is the central little rectangle. Spread it sparingly on there, "wring" it out a little with some gentle twisting, and if you worry that you may have applied too much, lift it up, see if the compound has gotten smeared onto the L1, 2, 3 bridges, or any of the other gold colored traces around the actual silicon chip.

If it did, just wipe off the excess, put the sink back in place and clip it down.

Here is the only place you have to be a little careful. They are not as fragile as it has been said. The "package", ceramic, is damn tough, but do make sure your screwdriver or whatever doesn't slip and gouge the MoBo traces.

You didn't get a little syringe of paste with that fan, did you, more likely a small plastic envelope with enough for half a dozen or more installations.?

Tape the bag shut when you're done and store it where you can find it if you do ever have to remove the sink for some reason.

Cheers,

George

[fsuorange]

Can I use the generic paste the vantec comes with and still not have to repaste? I think it does come in a syringe. I will NOT do any overclocking with my cpu probably. Or does it really matter that I buy arctic silver and if it does which kind of arctic silver?

ALSO

Gmatov, it says on the arctic silver website instructions to put the paste on the bottom of the heatsink too but just wipe it off. Are you saying that you shouldn't put the paste on the heatsink at all?

[gmatov]

No, not really, it might be a good idea to put some on the sink and lightly wipe it off, fill up the little "valleys".

Problem with putting it only on the sink is it's hard to tell where the center of the CPU is by the sink.

If you can see through the sink fins, you'll probably see that the clamp spring has its bend off center. That bend is supposed to be directly over the center of the die, so that it exerts its pressure straight down on the die.

But, go ahead, put a light coating on the sink, if it makes you feel a little more confident, and a coating on the die.

I don't think you are going to have any problems. This isn't brain surgery. A lot of people are building their own with no problems.

And, if you do have a heat problem, most boards have sensors to shut down if they sense too high a temp.

Cheers,

George

[Ripper2860]

IMHO -- the Vantec paste is fine. I read somewhere that the Vantec compund is actually Artic Silver 3 as opposed to 5 (there was no 4) and is more than satisfactory even when O/C'ing.

Simply apply a thin layer to the CPU core and some to the H/S as instructed on the Artic Silver site (yes, you do apply a very thin layer to the H/S in the general are where the CPU core will make contact -- In your case on the copper core on the base).

I am an avid O/C'er and have been doing this for 10 years. The Vantec compound is a high quality compound and not your typical "generic" stuff. I have used it on my current rig -- AMD XP2500+ at 2.3GHz w/ Vantrec Aeroflow H/S.

BTW -- The thermal perfromance difference between quality compounds are minimal -- it's the care in correctly applying the compounds that makes the greatest difference.

[mujahid7ia]

I anyone has a ThermaltakeVolcano 9, does it come Artic Silver or a high quality compoound as well? I ordered one, but i don't know if i'll need some AS. (I'l be overclocking a 2500+ to FSB400, maybe more)

Also, how is AS Ceramique??

[Piccoro]

I've heard AS Ceramique is a little better even than 3.

[mujahid7ia]

never mind, the volcano came w/ sum crap...

I got 2.5 grams of AS Cermaique.. Is 2.5 grams for one application /???
this is my firstime build

[Piccoro]

No
Put only enough on there so there are no gaps. Apply only a very small amount in a thin layer.