Applying artic silver 5

[Mandingo]

How should I apply artic silver 5 to the top of my processor?

 

[Wayniac]

I have been waiting for somebody to ask that question... I had the same question when I was putting on my new fan. This is the thread... it should tell you everything you need. Part way down you'll see that people start talking about AS5 and I believe there are some links to the site that tell you what to do.

http://www.techist.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=53611

 

[003]

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

 

[Mandingo]

I just applied the artic silver to the top of my processor and then I went to put the heatsink on and it seems that there is paste already on the bottom of the heatsink. What do I do? Do heatsinks always have paste on from the manufacturer?

By the way its a AMD 3000+ winnie with stock heatsink and fan

 

[Wayniac]

If I were you, I'd clean ALL of the gel off of everything. I think you are supposed to clean the heatsink and processor before you put them together... I did anyway. Use rubbing alcohol or something like that. After they're both clean, reapply your gel and put them together.

 

[Wayniac]

OH, and no, heatsinks do not ALWAYS have paste on them from the manufacturer... but some do. So far, after ordering 3 different heatsink types, 2 of them had something on them already from the manufacturer.

 

[Mandingo]

Should I use their paste or just take it off and use my paste?

 

[Wayniac]

Arctic Silver 5 all the way. It has small particles of silver in it for better heat transfer.

On a side note, I think I put way too much gel on my processor. It seems to be working fine, and the idle temp is around 43 c or so. Should I take it off and reapply gel, or just call it good and wait until I have a problem?

 

[Mandingo]

If Im not mistaken, i read 2 ways of putting the paste on. Putting a dab in the middle of the processor and putting the heastsink on, and smearing it on the heatsink with the heastsink and then put the heatsink on. Will it spread on properly if I put a BB size dab on the heatsink then install the heatsink?

 

[Wayniac]

I think I read something about spreading it all around the heatsink filling in cracks. Then wipe it all off and put a dab in the middle, push them together, rotate a degree or two in both directions, and call it good. However, I have never done that or ever heard of anybody doing that. I wouldn't worry TOO much about it... but don't put too much on... or too little. I picked a medium and put half of what they recommended on, spread it around, and then put the other half of what is recommended as a dot in the middle, and I've never had a problem, although some people will probably tell me how wrong I was to do that.

I'd wait until Nubius or Gaara got on and see what they have to say. They definitely know what they're talking about and I know in the past, they have answered my questions.