Should I apply Thermal Paste???

[plovex2]

I have a athlon xp 2000 processor and I was wondering before I put the Heat Sink on, should I apply Thermal Paste to the processor, and where and exactly how much? (e.g. nail head amount)

[Confused]

Absoutely!!! You need either thermal paste or some stock heatsinks come with a thermal pad. That is OK if you don't plan on overclocking.

If it has a pad, remove the plastic covering the pad and it will be fine if you don't plan to overclock.

If no pad, apply thermal greese. Very small amount spread evenly with something like a credit card.

Check www.articsilver.com for guidelines about applying paste and mounting heatsinks.
Chas

[lil Jimmie]

I prefer thermal paste like Arctic Sliver instead of a thermal pad, but the thermal pad will work, just don't forget the plastic covering as Confused has mentioned.

[audiyoda]

Did you AthlonXP come with AMD's thermal gel? If not, just get some AS or other decent paste. Otherwise use their gel -- seems to perform very well.

Either way, a little goes a looooong way. Just a dab on the core spread out evenly with a credit card. I also put a small dab on the HS and use a plastic bag over my finger to spread it around. Then I use a credit card to 'scrap' the residual off.

-Craig

[Metalstar]

im using the gel that came with my athlonXP 2200, and mine are cool as hell! helps to have a top blowhole 2 front intakes and an exhaust though :D

[plovex2]

Where on the Heatsink do I apply the gel, Where the tape was?

[juppy]

Hi plovex2,
Yeah, basically remove as much of the pad as you can. You can use a scraper as long as its something that won't scratch the heatsink (use something like a credit card or other plastic scraper). Clean the hs off with alcohol (pure alcohol is best but I've heard regular rubbing alcohol seems to work okay too). When it's dry, put a tiny dob of thermal paste in the middle of the heatsink where the core of the processor is going to touch it (the core is that little raised square in the middle of the cpu). You don't need to put any on the rest of the heatsink; the paste just fills in the tiny divots in the metal so it makes better contact. Wrap your finger in a plastic baggie and smear the paste around in the area where it will be touching the core and then wipe the excess off with a credit card or whatever, just so its lint-free. Now put another tiny dot about the size of a BB or a grain of rice on the core of the cpu. Use a credit card (some people use a razor blade; just be careful) to spread it evenly over the core (not the entire heat spreader; just the middle square) and make sure its really thin. If you get too much its just as bad as not having any on there at all. Then, all you gotta do is set the heatsink down on the cpu and hook it down. Try to set it evenly the first time and don't move it around too much (it messes with the goo). Probably before you do any of this, it would be helpful to go through a "dry run" to figure out how everything is going to fit together before you end up with the stuff on there and go "oops, forgot something". hth :)

[TimPoet]

Originally posted by juppy
Hi plovex2,
Yeah, basically remove as much of the pad as you can. You can use a scraper as long as its something that won't scratch the heatsink (use something like a credit card or other plastic scraper). Clean the hs off with alcohol (pure alcohol is best but I've heard regular rubbing alcohol seems to work okay too). When it's dry, put a tiny dob of thermal paste in the middle of the heatsink where the core of the processor is going to touch it (the core is that little raised square in the middle of the cpu).... Excellent instructions here, however, since there is Lanolin in regular Rubbing Alcohol, it is best to use only 99% pure alcohol which can be found at most drug stores.

[plovex2]

Yes, that was real good instructions, my question now is...I take off the tape from the Heat Sink, Then i take a credit card and scrape the area of the Heat SInk, then apply alcohol???

[padawan]

Yep, that's it. I use a credit card to remove the tape, clean the area with alcohol, then apply a thin coat to the core of the CPU. Works like a champ.

[glc]

Read the instructions........

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

[plovex2]

Thank you very much

[Alienware_Dude]

Originally posted by TimPoet
Excellent instructions here, however, since there is Lanolin in regular Rubbing Alcohol, it is best to use only 99% pure alcohol which can be found at most drug stores.



91% Isopropyl is fine, just check the additives. Most have just water. That's what I used.