CPU spikes 100%

[Steven43533]

Hello, I just built my new PC
Specs:
Motherboard: MSI A78m-E35
Power supply: Corsair CX series CX500 500W
RAM: G.SKILL Ripjaws X series 8GB(2x 4GB)
Video Card:Sapphire Dual-X 100370L Radeon R7 265 2GB 256 bit GDDR5
Processor: AMD 760k Richland 3.8Ghz
OS: Windows 8
For some reason my computer freezes up every once in a while and it makes gaming impossible for me since it freezes up for about a good 7 minutes, when I check the CPU it spikes to 100 and the temperature is also like -32.
Anything to fix this would help
Thank you

 

[ewok93]

How did you install your heatsink?

 

[Steven43533]

It's a cooler master CPU cooler

 

[ewok93]

Yes, but how was it installed? How was the thermal paste applied? It sounds like there's too much or too little.

 

[Steven43533]

Yes, but how was it installed? How was the thermal paste applied? It sounds like there's too much or too little.

Yes there was thermal paste applied and the thermal paste was put on the processor then we hooked on the CPU cooler, the amount put seemed pretty good

 

[Steven43533]

Yes, but how was it installed? How was the thermal paste applied? It sounds like there's too much or too little.

But could this also be causing the freezing of my computer?

 

[ewok93]

Most likely. Define pretty good.

 

[Steven43533]

We applied the size of like a index finger nail and then spread it all across the CPU evenly with a old credit card

 

[ewok93]

There's your problem, that is way too much thermal paste. http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/thermal-paste-heat-sink-heat-spreader,3600.html

 

[Steven43533]

So I know how to clean it up and fix it, is it too late though? The thermal paste has only been on for about 2 days

 

[Steven43533]

Also, should I just apply a small drop of it and spread it? Or?

 

[FunkyFeatures]

You are not too late. You could wait many years, and it would still be removable.
A pea-sized thermal paste drop in the middle of the cpu should do the job. Just mount the cooler on top of that, and let it spread the thermalpaste just by mounting it(pressure)

 

[ewok93]

It's removable, that's the point of using paste not solder. Just clean it off and let the weight from the heatsink spread a pea sized amount. The guide I linked explains it pretty well.

 

[Steven43533]

It's removable, that's the point of using paste not solder. Just clean it off and let the weight from the heatsink spread a pea sized amount. The guide I linked explains it pretty well.

Alright! Thank you! Hopefully this will stop the freezing, I'll attempt it after school today