Can I install a CPU without thermal paste for a couple days?

[20076120]

So I just got an i7 7700k, do you think it would be fine without thermal paste for a few days until I get one delivered?
There’s no shops in my area that sell them.

Or will that do a lot of damage to the CPU?

 

[alexoiu]

I suggest not to.

 

[DRagor]

Not worthy risking damage to CPU for few days wait.

 

[madmatt30]

The 7700k can hit 80c+ with a decemt cooler with paste - so not using any is beyond a terrible idea.

Id ask what cooler youre actually using with it too ??

Anything half decent would have come with a tube of paste , meaning you should have some .

 

[captaincharisma]

ummmm...........thats a no

 

[rgd1101]

Yes, you can install it. just don't turn it on without thermal paste

 

[alexoiu]

Yes, you can install it. just don't turn it on without thermal paste

 

[delaro]

If you don't have Thermal paste go find some Zinc Oxide Ointment from a Pharmacy, it will last you about a month and work about the same as cheap thermal paste. A month is about all you will expect out of it though as it will dry out and become ineffective. The base is petroleum jelly which doesn't handle heat for that long.

Another solution is Anti Seize "white zinc oxide stuff" which you can find at any hardware and automotive store it will last a little longer and give you the same results.

You may also be able to find cheap thermal paste at hardware stores or anyplace that deals with residential electronics like Lowes and Menards. You need it on Transformers and other parts in Furnaces.

Yes I have used it in a pinch and it works as a temp solution.

 

[captaincharisma]

If you don't have Thermal paste go find some Zinc Oxide Ointment from a Pharmacy, it will last you about a month and work about the same as cheap thermal paste. A month is about all you will expect out of it though as it will dry out and become ineffective. The base is petroleum jelly which doesn't handle heat for that long.

Another solution is Anti Seize "white zinc oxide stuff" which you can find at any hardware and automotive store it will last a little longer and give you the same results.

You may also be able to find cheap thermal paste at hardware stores or anyplace that deals with residential electronics like Lowes and Menards. You need it on Transformers and other parts in Furnaces.

Yes I have used it in a pinch and it works as a temp solution.

the OP stated they are getting the thermal paste in a few days, not a month.

while this is an option you would still have to clean off this ointment on the CPU and the cooler before you can apply the thermal paste when it arrives.

so again, why risk of braking or making more work for yourself when as you said you will get it soon?

 

[delaro]

If you don't have Thermal paste go find some Zinc Oxide Ointment from a Pharmacy, it will last you about a month and work about the same as cheap thermal paste. A month is about all you will expect out of it though as it will dry out and become ineffective. The base is petroleum jelly which doesn't handle heat for that long.

Another solution is Anti Seize "white zinc oxide stuff" which you can find at any hardware and automotive store it will last a little longer and give you the same results.

You may also be able to find cheap thermal paste at hardware stores or anyplace that deals with residential electronics like Lowes and Menards. You need it on Transformers and other parts in Furnaces.

Yes I have used it in a pinch and it works as a temp solution.

the OP stated they are getting the thermal paste in a few days, not a month.

while this is an option you would still have to clean off this ointment on the CPU and the cooler before you can apply the thermal paste when it arrives.

so again, why risk of braking or making more work for yourself when as you said you will get it soon?

For one thing do you understand what basic thermal paste is? I'll give you a hint...."Zinc Oxide" the main difference between it and ointment cream is the amount and substrata plus stabilizer the formula has. Anti Seize is also very similar to OEM stuff Cool Master uses so yes as a "TEMP" application it works fine. Now that I hope you understand the similarities you should also know they share the exact same conductivity as normal Thermal paste so if you apply it normally you do not have to worry about damage. If you doubt anything I have just said there are lots and lots of forum posts over the last 20 years to back it up.

http://www.overclock.net/t/302976/it-really-works

 

[madmatt30]

I wouldn't use anythimg that has petroleum jelly as a base personally, best case it turns to liquid, worst case its flammable at high enough temps (unlikely)

Lot of cheap pastes use zinc oxide yes , but with a silcone base which doesnt melt , run, create fumes or burn.

 

[captaincharisma]

If you don't have Thermal paste go find some Zinc Oxide Ointment from a Pharmacy, it will last you about a month and work about the same as cheap thermal paste. A month is about all you will expect out of it though as it will dry out and become ineffective. The base is petroleum jelly which doesn't handle heat for that long.

Another solution is Anti Seize "white zinc oxide stuff" which you can find at any hardware and automotive store it will last a little longer and give you the same results.

You may also be able to find cheap thermal paste at hardware stores or anyplace that deals with residential electronics like Lowes and Menards. You need it on Transformers and other parts in Furnaces.

Yes I have used it in a pinch and it works as a temp solution.

the OP stated they are getting the thermal paste in a few days, not a month.

while this is an option you would still have to clean off this ointment on the CPU and the cooler before you can apply the thermal paste when it arrives.

so again, why risk of braking or making more work for yourself when as you said you will get it soon?

For one thing do you understand what basic thermal paste is? I'll give you a hint...."Zinc Oxide" the main difference between it and ointment cream is the amount and substrata plus stabilizer the formula has. Anti Seize is also very similar to OEM stuff Cool Master uses so yes as a "TEMP" application it works fine. Now that I hope you understand the similarities you should also know they share the exact same conductivity as normal Thermal paste so if you apply it normally you do not have to worry about damage. If you doubt anything I have just said there are lots and lots of forum posts over the last 20 years to back it up.

http://www.overclock.net/t/302976/it-really-works

apparently you do not know how to read and get worked up easily when you don't understand something .

nowhere in my post did i say what you were suggesting will not work. at the end i asked the user whether they wanted to "brake" their computer by running it without thermal paste or use what you suggested as a temp measure making more work for them since they would have to clean the both the CPU and cooler when they go and apply the right thermal paste.

 

[delaro]

The worst part of the cleanup depends on the Cooler and how it's mounted some of them are a pain in the ass while others are easy. Removing "Paste" isn't that hard a Que tip and Alcohol doesn't take all that much effort. That being said I have a Evo on a AM4.. the cross pin bracket it used on AM3 sucked but the 4 Screw system I use now is way easy to take off.

other things that will work.

Dielectric Tune-Up Grease....Automotive store. "AGS Dielectric Connector Protector for example"
Heat Sink Compound.... Automotive stores most based around Silicone

 

[avenge]

You can try to underclock and undervolt CPU, the worst that could happen if it overheats is that it will reduce its clock speeds and work slower. Just monitor your temperatures constantly with something like MSI Afterburner and make shure they don't go above 90 degrees celsius. You can check this too:
https://youtu.be/D-pr4cf70qY?t=241

 

[Karadjgne]

I'm just wondering what all the fuss about paste or anti-seize cream is all for. I'm quite sure Op isn't going to go through withdrawal seizures from lack of gaming for a few days.

@Op. Just sit and wait it out. It's really not worth the effort or possible risk to the pc in general to use a temporary cream, clean it all off and repaste in a few days.

 

[tom42]

So I just got an i7 7700k, do you think it would be fine without thermal paste for a few days until I get one delivered?
There’s no shops in my area that sell them.

Or will that do a lot of damage to the CPU?

Buy a tube of zinc oxide ointment at a pharmacy. It's almost as good as thermal paste.

 

[leonardo091800]

So I just got an i7 7700k, do you think it would be fine without thermal paste for a few days until I get one delivered?
There’s no shops in my area that sell them.

Or will that do a lot of damage to the CPU?

In my experience I had about 4/5 computers,one about 2010, one of 2004, and the others really old, since I was young and stupid I didn't even know that there was something called "thermal paste" I thought it was just glue, and after cleaning them from the dust I just put the fan over without caring about it, they worked fine for almost a year and a half, and they hit more than 90 degree only when I tried to overclock them, usually they were at 60/70, 80 when playing.
From the other hand there was a friend of mine where I did the same thing with a 2015 computer, it just forze it after some minutes and had to turn it off; after putting the thermal paste it started working fine again.

I think you can feel free to try, if the temperatures go too high the computers should prevent any damage by stopping themselves.

hope it helps.