re-applie thermal paste on CPIU or not?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
R

RobertGPS

Reputable
Jan 14, 2015
95
0
4,630
Hi,

I am making my first gaming desktop. I installed the CPU and put on the Corsair H100i GTX which has pre-applied thermal paste in a circle in the middle off the cooler. Now I was installing it and (I don't really know how...) the cooler came of for a second and now exactly half of the pre-applied paste is for a bit on the CPU (because it made contact) and the other half still on the cooler.. I made contact EXACTLY how it is supposed to fit, which isn't hard because of the 4 screws ofcourse.. So when I re-install the cooler the paste SHOULD be evenly spread I think? Or do I have to take every bit of cooling paste off and re-applie?
 
Solution
geofelt
Clean off the old paste with alcohol and reapply new.
The purpose of paste is to fill in microscopic pits in the mating surfaces with something more heat conductive than air.
Paste itself is not as good as metal and can actually act as an insulator if you use too much; a common mistake.
A small drop in the middle will do it, it will spread out without trapping air bubbles under heat and pressure.
Sort by date Sort by votes
KKAW

KKAW

Admirable
Apr 29, 2015
2,225
0
6,960


I would recommending getting a new dose of thermal paste applied to it.

An affordable yet good thermal paste is the Arctic MX-4 Also only a blob of thermal paste in the center will do the trick, don't spread or overapply.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,928
4,373
174,240
Clean off the old paste with alcohol and reapply new.
The purpose of paste is to fill in microscopic pits in the mating surfaces with something more heat conductive than air.
Paste itself is not as good as metal and can actually act as an insulator if you use too much; a common mistake.
A small drop in the middle will do it, it will spread out without trapping air bubbles under heat and pressure.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
R

RobertGPS

Reputable
Jan 14, 2015
95
0
4,630
Hi, I've done it with a lens-cleaning cloth, one that was new and right from the covering plastic. Because, I've not used the PC one time, it was pretty easy to get everything off.. what means 'lint-free'? For example: not a towel or kitchen towel or something?

Now tomorrow I can get thermal paste from the PC shop, can I just leave the CPU like this in the motherboard? Of course the case is closed now. The H100i has got his plastic cover back on it... ;-)
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,928
4,373
174,240
Lint free means that no little specks of material , like from a cloth towel, can come off and adhere to the cpu or cooler.
That creates an imperfection that will hurt your cooling.

Yes, it is normal to keep the cpu in the socket while cleaning things off.

A paper coffee filter is cheap and disposable.
As you clean paste off, you will want to replace your cleaning paper to get rid of all the residual paste.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom