Cooling an intel Q9650 processor - grey compound removed!

[wiretech]

I am installing an Intel core 2 quad Q9650 processor on a Gigabyte motherboard. I was made aware of processor cooling problems using the as supplied cooler so I went out and bought a Thermaltake CPU cooler. This cooler sits on top of the processor. I noticed a gray layer of thermal compound on that part of the cooler that comes in direct contact with the processor. My question is this: During the new cooler installation I smudged (partially removed) some of the thermal compound. Will this affect CPU cooling? Should I just go back, remove the old compound (with what?), and reapply a layer (how thick) of ceramic based thermal compound? Please help. Thank you.

[striker833]

Well really you want compound to cover whole cpu, Basically it just helps the heat come out the cpu and into heatsink, u might wanna either add more or just spread the stuff u have on a bit more

[David M]

If it were mine I would remove the thermal compound that came from the factory and put on a layer of Arctic Silver Five.

How to apply it is an easy Google search.

[Khalil]

Clean it like DavidM suggested. Aly thermal paste the size of dry grain of rice, you put it on the center of the CPU then the pressure from the heatsink will spread it on the entire CPU.

[David M]

I like spreading it around evenly with a razor blade first to make sure it covers the entire surface of the CPU evenly. Other people prefer other methods of spreading it evenly. Arctic Silver 5 is some pretty viscous stuff.