Applying thermal compund

[jocknerd]

I just corresponded with Cricket and he gave me this great tutorial on how to apply the thermal compound FEEL free to add your input:

Hi jocknerd, This is how I apply Arctic Silver (it should work for a generic thermal compound as well). After I get the heatsink and CPU core clean, I wrap my index finger in plastic food wrap. I put a really small drop of Arctic Silver (about the size of a BB) on the heatsink and rub it in with my plastic wrapped finger. I only rub in the area that the CPU core would contact, not the whole bottom. Then I just take whatever heatsink compound is still on the plastic wrapped finger and rub the compound onto the CPU core. I try to get the coverage as even as possible on both surfaces. You really don't need a lot of thermal compound (too much is actually bad as it acts like an insulator instead of allowing good thermal transfer). You're only trying to fill in the microscopic pits and imperfections in the 2 surfaces. Then I just assemble the heatsink to the CPU and socket. Cricket

[jocknerd]

Does the compound need to cover just the center square or the small rectangles surrounding it also?

[Tuf]

Just the center square. Not the small rectangles.....check this out: www.arcticsilver.com They have excellent instructions and pictures.

[jocknerd]

Thanks Tuf, I headed over there right after I posted that actually, great link for anybody setting out on this endevour.