CPU and radiator installation queston......

[calmius]

I got my new P4 CPU and, although I am not installing it just now, I am confused about the radiator fan installation. On the instructioin it says this:

"The heatsink may have thermal interface material attached to the bottom as shown in figure 1. (be careful not to damage the thermal material) If not, use teh enclose syringe and apply all of the thermal interface material to the top of the processor as shown in Figure 2."

Figure 1: picture of processor and on top of it there is the radiator with a square spot in the place where it'll be attached.

Figure 2: shows syring dropping some yucky stuff on the processor.


My radiator comes with the black cover in the place where it'll be attached. It looks like black rubber. I am not supplied with any syringe.

My question: Do I still have to buy that syringe with stuff in it and apply it on processor, or is ALREADY covered by whatever is already there?



Thanks a lot,

perhaps you'll enjoy looking at one of my favorite pictures attached here (well, I have to use this function if it's avialable, right?)

[Nuclear Krusader]

Did you buy a boxed CPU?

As far as I know all boxed P4s must come with that syringe and you really need to apply the stuff.

If I'm wrong and that stuff isn't needed anymore, please correct me someone.

[calmius]

The CPU is 1.8Ghz P4 Processor that was retail packaged.

[Cricket]

Hi calmius,

If your heatsink already has a square of the pink stuff (TIM: Thermal Interface Material) on the bottom of it, it's ready to use.

If your heatsink is bare on the bottom (the surface that will make contact with the CPU when it is installed), you'll have to go and get some thermal compound or heatsink compound (like Artic Sliver II) and apply it to the CPU and heatsink (very, very sparingly) before you assemble.

Check out these pages for detailed instructions on applying thermal compound: http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_s...structions.htm
http://www.brian1.net/computers/grease/

Whatever you do, don't use thermal compound AND the pink thermal stuff at the same time...it's one or the other. Too much stuff on the bottom of the heatsink will actually act like insulation and prevent good thermal transfer of heat from the CPU to the heatsink.

Cricket