Originally Posted by
Pob255
I went a simular route to you, I used to use MX1, but the stuff is so thick I found getting it to stick to the cpu and not what I was spreading it with was next to impossible.
Which is why I got some of the zalman ZM-STG1
Ok here's my tips for thermal paste. (does depend on cooler)
Put a small blob in the middle of the cpu, grain of rice is about the size you want to start with, less is more.
Take your cpu cooler and just place it ontop of the cpu, press down lightly (if you have a cooler where it's held down by a seperate bracket or arm over it)
If you're useing something like the stock intel cooler where the arms and push pins are in the way to just plonk it down and lightly push it, line up the push pins correctly but don't push them in.
Now lift off the cooler to check the thermal paste spread, that small blob in the middle will of been spread out to cover more area.
If, as often happens, the paste is now more to one side than the other rotate the cooler through 180degrees, plonk it down, push lightly and lift again to check the spread.
You can now add a couple of extra tiny spots of paste around the edges on the cpu where the paste hasn't got that far.
Now fit the cpu cooler correctly and lock it down.
That should resault in a good thin even coating and you should be done.
If you want to double check, turn on the pc and stress test it for 30min, then turn off and remove the cooler to check (do this before it's had a chance to fully cool)
If you still have some unpasted areas of the cpu add a couple of more spots of paste in the dry areas.