[SOLVED] Maintenance: Thermal Paste

[UltronXavier]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right thread for this question...

My question is about thermal paste. Specifically, how often should it be changed and, when changing, can you use an old tube or is it best to buy new paste?

I bought Noctua NT-H2 when I built my PC this time last year and haven't had any issues with temps. I bought a custom cable kit recently and, since I'll be unplugging everything soon, I figured it would be a good time to change the thermal paste if I needed to.

Thanks in advance.

 

[ThatSourMelon]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right thread for this question...

My question is about thermal paste. Specifically, how often should it be changed and, when changing, can you use an old tube or is it best to buy new paste?

I bought Noctua NT-H2 when I built my PC this time last year and haven't had any issues with temps. I bought a custom cable kit recently and, since I'll be unplugging everything soon, I figured it would be a good time to change the thermal paste if I needed to.

Thanks in advance.

Reapply it every time you remove the heat sink. I would not replace it every 6-12 months... I see that as an overkill... but that is just me. Monitor the temperatures. Make sure the internals remain clean. There is more heat build up due to dust/dirt that accumulates in the system than due to the degradation of the paste between heatsink and CPU.

If you want to replace the paste that often, go at it, have fun

 

[jay32267]

Hi all, not sure if this is the right thread for this question...

My question is about thermal paste. Specifically, how often should it be changed and, when changing, can you use an old tube or is it best to buy new paste?

I bought Noctua NT-H2 when I built my PC this time last year and haven't had any issues with temps. I bought a custom cable kit recently and, since I'll be unplugging everything soon, I figured it would be a good time to change the thermal paste if I needed to.

Thanks in advance.

I only replace the paste if I have to remove cooler...or if there are heat problems. Other than that I would leave it be. Also, I would use the paste in the old tube as long as it looked good.

 

[ThatSourMelon]

I only replace the paste if I have to remove cooler...or if there are heat problems. Other than that I would leave it be.

That’s sounds about right. Leave it be unless you notice heat problems, or you remove the cooler.

 

[punkncat]

I am strongly of a mind NOT to go in messing with cooler/CPU/socket unless there is a pressing reason to do so.
I have had computers run entire useful lifetimes without changing the paste.

 

[UltronXavier]

Thanks for all the responses. Based on what you've all said I'll leave it and keep monitoring the temps to see if I see any changes or issues develop.