[SOLVED] No Thermal Paste on GPU?

PerplexedMatt

Honorable
Oct 15, 2013
29
3
10,545
I had a really old GTS 250 laying around with a blower cooler on it and I decided to take it apart.

When I got the cooler off I realized there was no thermal paste on the GPU chip. There were thermal pads on the memory modules, and a small amount of residue of paste on the corners of the chip, but otherwise clean.

Was this common practice back then? My other guess would be that someone replaced the cooler (I bought the card second hand) and forgot thermal paste.
 
Solution
It sounds to me like the previous owner screwed up, and forgot the thermal paste.

Or, I'm told the stuff breaks down eventually, but I don't think it would've been clean except for the residue at the corners, unless someone cleaned it off (and forgot to put more paste)

King_V

Illustrious
Ambassador
It sounds to me like the previous owner screwed up, and forgot the thermal paste.

Or, I'm told the stuff breaks down eventually, but I don't think it would've been clean except for the residue at the corners, unless someone cleaned it off (and forgot to put more paste)
 
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Solution