Thermal Grease NEED HELP!

[xbox122501]

Im installing a Zalman 9700NT CPU heatsink and fan, on a Socket T quad core processor. ive looked it up on several websites on how to apply thermal grease correctly. yet on the instructions they tell me a different story. in the instructions it says to apply on the top of the processor and the bottom of the heatsink, but on the websites they tell me that too much thermal grease can ruin the processor and i should only put it on the processor. to i just put a dot in the middle of the processor and let the heatsink do the spreading by pressure or should i spread all over the top of the CPU and bottom of the heatsink. obviously this is the first aftermarket cpu heatsink and fan i have installed and i really need some help because i dont want to ruin my expensive CPU.

 

[Ste]

There are only two correct ways.
You do not spread it, you do not apply to the bottom of the heatsink.
The dot method.

The line method.

I have always done the dot method.
It will be spread by your placing the heatsink down and securing it.

 

[synergy]

Rule of thumb is the size of a grain of rice in the middle of the CPU. Once the heatsink is applied and the compound warms up it will make contact between the two.

 

[carnageX]

I've always done the line method...seems to work for me =).

Instructions that I've gone by: Arctic Silver Incorporated - Route to Product Instructions for Arctic Silver 5

 

[veedubfreak]

Dot is for dual cores, line is for quads.

 

[Preacher]

Im a dot person, but the lined people are cool too.