Thermal Paste

[ikix]

How is it meant to be applied, loads of people say so many different things about how to do it, what is the way most of you do it?

[tiggerai]

credit card, enough to cover the chip in a nice layer, but not too much.

[dc72]

I put a drop about the size of half a garden pea on the top of the processor and spread it quite thinly with a credit card.

Other people will tell you to just put the little drop on, or a thin line and let the heatsink spread it.

It's easy to put too much on, so be careful. You don't need a lot.

[kalniel]

Grain of rice sized and don't spread it.

[SiM]

Grain of rice sized and don't spread it.

That's what I do

If it needs spreading then your heatsink is not making good contact... or you didn't put enough on...

[moogle]

1 grain of rice sized for single die and 2 for dual die cpu's (aka q6xxx series)

[CrazyMonkey]

I put about a pea sized amount (more than a grain of rice) spread it a little and let the heatsink spread the rest.

[s3ds]

half a pea and spread with finger covered in cling film (tip obtained from here )

[Agent]

half a pea and spread with finger covered in cling film (tip obtained from here )

Thief!

You want enough to cover it as thinly as possible.

The reason for using it is to fill the microscopic gaps between the two surfaces. Too much and it'll have the opposite effect and act as an insulator.

In all honesty though I've seen some horrid applications and they don't seem to suffer much. As long as you don't go insane with the stuff it'll make little difference I find

Were just perfectionists

[Fraz]

Squeeze the whole tube onto the top of the processor, and spread it about using a carrot. If it doesn't look like someone has turned your CPU into a cake by the time you've finished, you haven't got enough paste on it.

[SiM]

Squeeze the whole tube onto the top of the processor, and spread it about using a carrot. If it doesn't look like someone has turned your CPU into a cake by the time you've finished, you haven't got enough paste on it.

Did I put enough on?

[moogle]

Oh that looks nasty...

[TAKTAK]

Squeeze the whole tube onto the top of the processor, and spread it about using a carrot. If it doesn't look like someone has turned your CPU into a cake by the time you've finished, you haven't got enough paste on it.

best thing i've seen all day

i do the whole grain of rice thing and just plonk the cooler on to do the spreading.

i've tried both methods, (spreading/not spreading) and they both gave the same results so.... not spreading is quicker... hence WINNER

[GoNz0]

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

[mrbios]

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

1) Initial Precautions
• Don't put it in your mouth.

I KNEW I WAS GOING WRONG SOMEWHERE!

[FifthFreedom]

Lol I was about to ask this tommorrow...

This saved me some time - thanks ^^