Question Unsure if thermal paste needed on machine from the turn of the millenium

[Componentgirl90]

I am wondering if I need to put thermal paste on the GPU for this system? If so, I assume that I can just use standard thermal paste like e.g. Arctic MX4?

CPU: AMD Athlon 700MHz (looks different from normal CPUs, almost like a card but it has quite a big heatsink so I assume the thermal paste is due for a change 🙃 although haven't found any guides for this type of CPU (Slot A) yet ).
GPU: GeForce 2 (This has a tiny fan on it, I am not sure if it needs thermal paste at all or if there is any kind of heatsink. The fan is built into what looks like could be a heatsink but it is a bit difficult to tell if it not just part of the fan).

 

[kanewolf]

I am wondering if I need to put thermal paste on the GPU for this system? If so, I assume that I can just use standard thermal paste like e.g. Arctic MX4?

CPU: AMD Athlon 700MHz (looks different from normal CPUs, almost like a card but it has quite a big heatsink so I assume the thermal paste is due for a change 🙃 although haven't found any guides for this type of CPU (Slot A) yet ).
GPU: GeForce 2 (This has a tiny fan on it, I am not sure if it needs thermal paste at all or if there is any kind of heatsink. The fan is built into what looks like could be a heatsink but it is a bit difficult to tell if it not just part of the fan).

If it works, and doesn't overheat, then leave it alone. No reason to mess with something that isn't broken.

 

[Componentgirl90]

Thank you for the answer.

I was thinking maybe these systems don't get as hot as modern ones. I will look for software to get sensor readings assuming there are sensors like there are with modern GPUs/CPUs.

 

[punkncat]

A lot of the really old stuff either didn't have anything, or used a thermal pad sort of similar to what is on memory and VRM under the heatsink now.

 

[hotaru.hino]

From what I gather, at least messing around with hardware of the time period, video cards don't have a thermal sensor. And unless heat sink is attached onto the PCB itself (like with push pins or something), then it's likely using thermal adhesive or a really sticky thermal pad of sorts.

For instance, out of curiosity I tried wiggling the heat sink on my Radeon 7500, it doesn't budge at all.

 

[Componentgirl90]

From what I gather, at least messing around with hardware of the time period, video cards don't have a thermal sensor. And unless heat sink is attached onto the PCB itself (like with push pins or something), then it's likely using thermal adhesive or a really sticky thermal pad of sorts.

For instance, out of curiosity I tried wiggling the heat sink on my Radeon 7500, it doesn't budge at all

For the GPU, the heatsink is attached to the PCB with screws (one in each corner).

I will try and find out about the sensor. I suppose the fact there were no sensors back then indicates heat was not really an issue to the same extent as it is now.

 

[Componentgirl90]

A lot of the really old stuff either didn't have anything, or used a thermal pad sort of similar to what is on memory and VRM under the heatsink now.

I see that is good to know. Measuring the temperatures seems like a good first (and probably last) course of action then, just to be sure they are not too high. (If it is possible to measure the temperatures).

 

[hotaru.hino]

For the GPU, the heatsink is attached to the PCB with screws (one in each corner).

I will try and find out about the sensor. I suppose the fact there were no sensors back then indicates heat was not really an issue to the same extent as it is now.

For this instance I think it might be good to replace the thermal compound. The good news is you don't need anything super fancy since these cards are comparatively low power. The AGP slot provides at most 50W, but I don't think most cards even got there until you're talking about high-end ones from late 2002.

 

[Componentgirl90]

For this instance I think it might be good to replace the thermal compound. The good news is you don't need anything super fancy since these cards are comparatively low power. The AGP slot provides at most 50W, but I don't think most cards even got there until you're talking about high-end ones from late 2002.

On further inspection the screws in the heatsink don't reach the PCB and it looks like they are for some other purpose. It is probably a thermal pad/adhesive that is holding the heatsink and fan onto the GPU itself.

This card was probably from some time just before 2002. It is a GeForce II. I also have an original GeForce SDR card as well but that fan does not work so well.