Apply Thermal Compound WITHOUT SPREADING IT?

[redwingslv]

Anyone every apply thermal compound like this:

<A HREF="http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_big2.htm" target="_new">http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_big2.htm</A>

I've always covered the core with a thin layer, seems hard to believe I could've done this all along.

Any thoughts or comments?

<i>...just ignore me, I'm still just a stranger!</i><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by redwingslv on 04/19/05 03:37 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[jihiggs]

thats pretty much how i do it.

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[redwingslv]

With just a dab in the center, or the thin-coat over the whole core? Which way have you always done it?

<i>...just ignore me, I'm still just a stranger!</i>

 

[jihiggs]

the way it shows in the website, just a dab and spread it around real thin.

go tell your alien brothers, that ronnie cordova says they're gay!!! <A HREF="http://sockbaby.com" target="_new"> sock baby </A>

 

[redwingslv]

That's the thing. It says to dab in the center and NOT TO SPREAD AROUND, just set the processor and it will spread itself out. They said that way you are not introducing air that you might by spreading.

<i>Copied from article:</i>

For ALL Arctic Silver versions:

Put a small amount of Arctic Silver onto the center of the heat spreader/CPU Cap as shown in the photo.

Only a small amount of Arctic Silver is needed

P4- About the size of an uncooked grain of short-grain white rice or 2/3 of a BB.

Athlon64- About the size of one and a half uncooked grains of short-grain white rice or 3/4 of a BB.


8. RECHECK to make sure no foreign contaminants are present on either the bottom of the heatsink or the top of the CPU core. <b>Mount the heatsink on the CPU per the heatsink's instructions. Be sure to lower the heatsink straight down onto the CPU.

Once the heatsink is properly mounted, grasp the heatsink and very gently twist it slightly clockwise and counterclockwise one time each if possible. (Just one or two degrees or so.)</b>

Please note that some heatsinks cannot be twisted once mounted.

DO NOT REMOVE THE HEATSINK FROM THE CPU TO LOOK AT THE COMPOUND ONCE YOU HAVE MOUNTED THE HEATSINK. This will introduce air into the interface layer and require a fresh application.

<b>Our testing has shown that this method minimizes the possibility of air bubbles and voids in the thermal interface between the heat spreader and the heatsink. Since the vast majority of the heat from the core travels directly through the heat spreader, it is more important to have a good interface directly above the actual CPU core than it is to have the heat spreader covered with compound from corner to corner.</b>



The photo to the right shows how the pressure from the heatsink base spreads the compound and also shows a P4 with the heat spreader removed to show the location of the actual CPU core that is the source of the heat.

While the CPU core on an Athlon64 is slightly larger than the P4 core, it is still much smaller than the metal CPU Cap that covers it.



This seems strange to me, but also seems to make a little sense too. I was wondering if anyone else had tried it this way?

<i>"Newbie" never felt so good!</i>

 

[RichPLS]

I have done quite a few, and I dab small amount in center, and spread around with the edge of a credit card so thier is just a thin layer already smoothed out. I think that is best but takes a bit of care and more handling; but a dab in the center and letting pressure spead it with just a slight twist is probally safer and better advised as a rule for the general masses.

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[DrJeckyl]

I think what he's getting at is that the site says to put a dab in the middle and not spread it around, just letting the pressure of the heatsink spread the compound for you.
With ceramique I would spread it on the heatsink and the CPU heatspreader. With AS5 I just put a dab in the middle and let the pressure and heat spread it. I haven't tried it both ways with the AS5, but I know that when I spread it with the ceramique, it made a difference....about 2C.

-- the Doc

8PENXP(Rev.2)
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512mb Mushkin 3500 Level II@472 (2-2-2)
R9800Pro@463/380
(grrrr.....I fried this one)
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[redwingslv]

That's exactly what I was wondering. I've always taken AS and spread it around with a credit card. I was surprised to see these instructions, but it made sense. I just wanted to make sure not spreading it around was okay, since I hate having to spread it around with a card (makes me nervous!)

Thanks for the replies!

<i>"Newbie" never felt so good!</i>

 

[Patchworkblue]

Ah crap, and I was just thinking that I had it all figured out. So if one way is best for ceramique and another way is best for AS5, which should I use? I've been using ceramique; what is the best stuff that AS makes? (If different types are best for different applications, what is best for Athlon XP, Athlon 64, and ATI GPUs?)

Women--can't live with them, can't have heterosexual same-species intercourse without them.

 

[Guest]

I'm using AS5 and I applied it just like their website said. No problems so far.

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[Molar]

Used AS and spread it with a business card no problems here.


Molar