Question Question installing cpu/thermal past/heatsink and fan.

aaronkaploe3

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Jan 3, 2011
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this is what I did.
  1. i put pea size thermal past on cpu center
  2. tried to install heat sink popped off
  3. some of thermal past was spread
  4. I reapplied thermal past in center slightly smaller
  5. second attempt worked installing heat sink.
Now i didn't remove thermal past step 1 when i did step 4.
No thermal past got on motherboard.
Heat sink is centered correctly.
Is this ok?
Or should I remove Heat sink and thermal past and do it again?
Also Heat sink i bought had a very thin layer of thermal past on it too. I didn't remove it is that ok too?
cpu: ryzan 2600x
Heat sink/fan: DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 300-CPU Cooler
Mother board: MSI gaming plus
Thermal past: Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G
This is only my second build so I am new too it still last pc i built was 5 yrs ago.
 
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Also Heat sink i bought had a very thin layer of thermal past on it too. I didn't remove it is that ok too?

That is the only part I need to see in order to say no, you need to take it all back apart and clean ALL of the thermal paste, including the old paste that was already on there when you got the heatsink, off. Use only isopropyl alcohol and lint free cloths or paper coffee filters to clean off the old paste. Paper towels or other fibrous textiles will leave small bits on the surfaces and it doesn't take much for it to turn into a bad mount job.

Be sure to clean ALL old thermal paste off of not only the bottom of the heatsink but also the top of the CPU heat spreader. Both surfaces should be COMPLETELY clean and free of any old paste and not have any bits of paper towel, lint or any other debris remaining when you apply the paste and refit the heatsink to the CPU mounting hardware.
 

aaronkaploe3

Distinguished
Jan 3, 2011
19
0
18,510
That is the only part I need to see in order to say no, you need to take it all back apart and clean ALL of the thermal paste, including the old paste that was already on there when you got the heatsink, off. Use only isopropyl alcohol and lint free cloths or paper coffee filters to clean off the old paste. Paper towels or other fibrous textiles will leave small bits on the surfaces and it doesn't take much for it to turn into a bad mount job.

Be sure to clean ALL old thermal paste off of not only the bottom of the heatsink but also the top of the CPU heat spreader. Both surfaces should be COMPLETELY clean and free of any old paste and not have any bits of paper towel, lint or any other debris remaining when you apply the paste and refit the heatsink to the CPU mounting hardware.
by isopropyl alcohol u mean normal rubbing alcohol? like:
5042829510.jpg
 
Also, this guide, while not specifically for YOUR specific cooler model, should be helpful when it comes to the TIM (Thermal interface material, aka, paste) application.