[SOLVED] PC Crashes after reapplying thermal paste to RX580

[Superman1]

Hi there,

I just changed my thermal paste on my GPU as I was running into thermal crashing issues. My remedy before changing this was to reduce the GPU power limit and maximum clock offset in Radeon Settings and I avoided playing any games that weren't intensive.

My card is an MSI RX580 8GB Armor OC and I had read many people online saying thermal paste reapplication had fixed their problems, and when I removed the GPU shroud it was clear to me the thermal paste was completely dried out and had "disappeared" off of the die. My problem was the GPU would crash under load, displaying no image, fans ramp up to 100% while the rest of the PC operates. Replacing thermal paste significantly dropped my temps, so I removed my power limit and clock offset however I am running into a new issue where my whole system will crash and reboot under load.

I used Arctic Silver so wondered if it was some sort of short but I almost certainly didn't overapply and on further reading it still isn't a great electrical conductor so I doubt the likelihood of that being the issue (despite a possibility).
When I reverted to my old settings of reducing power limit and lowering max clock offset, I am yet to run into any issues again.

Is this a GPU power delivery problem? Or is it likely to be my power supply? (EVGA Supernova G+ 650W) Or is it likely to be a completely different issue I haven't thought of?

Thanks in advance

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Arctic silver 5 is conductive.

If you only got the paste on the cpu die itself and were very careful you should be ok, if you slathered it on and got it all over the traces and circuitry, start by taking it apart and clean up with isopropyl alcohol and q tips. Then replace the paste with a non conductive type. I think Arctic silver mx4 isn’t conductive, but google to double check in case I’m wrong.

 

[kerberos_20]

post your full PC hardware

 

[Superman1]

Arctic silver 5 is conductive.

If you only got the paste on the cpu die itself and were very careful you should be ok, if you slathered it on and got it all over the traces and circuitry, start by taking it apart and clean up with isopropyl alcohol and q tips. Then replace the paste with a non conductive type. I think Arctic silver mx4 isn’t conductive, but google to double check in case I’m wrong.

I think I was very careful, but I might try reapply see if that fixes it. But I still remain doubtful that's the case as dropping the GPU power limit has lead to zero crashing so I'm really not sure what's up because I'd think it would short regardless of power use?

 

[Superman1]

post your full PC hardware

https://pcpartpicker.com/list/Zhvnbh

In case USB devices matter, all that's plugged in is a Ducky One RGB, Logi G Pro Wireless and a Native Instruments Komplete Audio 6 MK2

 

[Koekieezz]

if you remove all the paste, and run it normally and it didn't crash (well ofc high temp), the paste could cause it. Arctic MX4 and Gelid GC Extreme is a very good non curing non conductive thermal paste.

 

[Superman1]

Arctic silver 5 is conductive.

if you remove all the paste, and run it normally and it didn't crash (well ofc high temp), the paste could cause it.

I'm surprised, this was the solution. Removed all thermal paste and gave it a good clean with IPA all over the die and did a lighter reapplication, all problems fixed (temps higher but at least I'm not crashing... I'll get the goldilocks ratio one day). Despite everything Arctic claims about it being non electrically-conductive, still caused issues for me be it shorting or capacitive noise.

Thanks for the help guys, moral of the story be more careful 😂

 

[ohio_buckeye]

Yeah you can use Arctic silver 5, just don’t use much and be careful where in the card it gets to.