What's the better method to apply the thermal compound?

[super-ddr]

I had applied the thermal compound following the Artic silver 5 manual , it's recommended to apply a thin line right to left. But after a month all my components are working at low temp but not my cpu. I have followed the instruction and it doest seem to work for me. ihad to buy a new case to imporve the ventilation and after that all my components temps gone down but my cpu doesnt

I have i7 920 at stock speed, it has reached 75 degrees celcius while playing gta Iv




What should i use to remove the old thermal paste over the cpu and the heatsink

Thanks

 

[jsc]

I use isopropyl alcohol and an old lint free T-shirt, simply because I do not drink coffee and therefore do not have any coffee filters around.

 

[505090]

i use 90% alcohol and q-tips

 

[rwpritchett]

Here are some articles that I have found very helpful for thermal paste application:


Best Thermal Paste Application Methods

Thermal Paste Shootout - Q209

Thermal Paste Mini-Roundup!

33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison

 

[super-ddr]

thank you for your recommendations

 

[JessieJ]

I used 92 % Isopropyl Alcohol and tried the Q-tip - but whatever Dell used to seat their heatsink was more like bubble gum. I peeled it off - and then had to buff the remaining residue off the aluminum heatsink with an old T-shirt dipped in Isopropyl Alcohol.

It came off the CPU pretty easy though.