Completed first pc build with one slip up. Should i be worried?

Roykang10

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Jul 26, 2017
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I just finished my first pc build. Everything seems to be working (installing windows right meow). However, there was 1 slip up: I put thermal paste and attached the cpu fan but forgot rear brackets, so Took off fan for about 15 minutes before completing cpu fan installation . Put on rice green sized amount, didn't add anymore. Should I be worried ? Did I am harm My cpu? Thank youu
 
Solution
You should always reapply thermal paste when removing a cooler. This is not because 20min will ruin the paste, but because you want to make sure to get a uniform application of paste on your CPU/Cooler. Your temps are not dangerous but higher than normal. You have a good cooler, so a reapplication of paste will eliminate the paste as a cause of the high temps.

The lower the graphics settings in a game the higher the fps will be, and the more stress will be placed on the CPU. At 300FPS your CPU is working very hard. But not hard enough for those temps. You should be able to keep your OC'ed CPU around 60-70c with your cooler and the two NZXT case fans providing airflow.
I also do not fully understand what went wrong...no thermal paste...no fan...didn't properly fasten rear bracket for the cooler?

Regardless of what went wrong, the best way to see if something was damaged would be to start the system up and check stability and temps. If all seems good you can move on to running some benchmarks. If the PC crashes or you notice significant temp spikes then you may need to start worrying. However, considering this should be a modern CPU it is unlikely to have been damaged since the built-in thermal limits will throttle the CPU and eventually shut it down before it is damaged.
 
my bad guys. clearing up the story.

so after I first applied thermal paste and partially installed the fan (thermal paste was spread on both fan and CPU), i realized i forgot the attach the back brackets on the back of the motherboard. So i took the fan off for about 15-20 min while i attached the back brackets on the mobo (thermal paste was smeared on both fan and cpu and exposed for about 15-20 min). Is this dangerous? how long does it take for thermal paste to dry if left smeared and exposed?

ive been using my pc now. it works great and i love it. however, per Core Temp, the cpu core temps are reaching low-mid 80s (80-86) Celsius after playing some Overwatch on low settings with 300 fps.

i have
i7-7700k (4.2 ghz base overclocked to 4.8 ghz)
msi gtx 1060 6gb gaming x
be quiet! dark rock 3 fan/cooler
corsair vengeance 16 gb RAM (8x2)
msi z270 tomahawk mobo
nzxt s340 case (2 fans)
samsung 960 evo 250gb SSD


i'm very new to all this. are these temperature numbers normal with my build when overclocking the cpu? am i over-reacting or should i reapply thermal paste? thanks guys!
 
You should always reapply thermal paste when removing a cooler. This is not because 20min will ruin the paste, but because you want to make sure to get a uniform application of paste on your CPU/Cooler. Your temps are not dangerous but higher than normal. You have a good cooler, so a reapplication of paste will eliminate the paste as a cause of the high temps.

The lower the graphics settings in a game the higher the fps will be, and the more stress will be placed on the CPU. At 300FPS your CPU is working very hard. But not hard enough for those temps. You should be able to keep your OC'ed CPU around 60-70c with your cooler and the two NZXT case fans providing airflow.
 
Solution