Silver Grease works the same wasy as silicon compound

a cooperator · Jul 8, 2015

Hi,

Does the Silver Grease work the same wasy as silicon compound and, if so, which is better.

I want to clean the old thermal compound off my processor in HP laptop.

However, I read 'high conductivity, low bleed, Stable at high temperatures" in the properties of the silicone compound container.

So, I was confused that Slicone compound is alright to be used or not.

BradleyJames · Jul 8, 2015

its all personal preference. i perfer arctic silver 5 on my cpu's because u only use a small line on cpu and seems to spread really nicely by just putting on the heatsink. on gpus and my laptop cpu and gpu i have been using gelid gc extreme(silicon). temps are the lowest with the gelid but its thick and hard to spread so helps to heat it first

Soulage · Jul 8, 2015

Just something to note if you're replacing paste on a laptop, some models use thermal pads instead of paste on the GPU part of the heatsink, they do this as a cheap way to bridge a gap, if yours has a pad you'll need to replace it with one of equal size / thickness, to big or to small can create problems with the heat transfer.

May have possibly, maybe, ok yes I learned from experience when I was younger lol. GPU solder cracked / came away or something because I replaced the pad with paste >.> luckily it was under warranty still and they fixed it, though I think it was the same board with a reflow.

a cooperator · Jul 8, 2015

Soulage :

Thanks a lot,

A thermal paste is used on the processor and the heat sink section that services it.
A thermal pad is used on the graphics subsystem chip and the heat sink that services it(only on a computer models equipped with a graphics subsystem with discrete memory)
A thermal pad is used on the North-bridge chip and the heat sink section that services it.

I only need to clean all traces of compound off the top of the processor and off the processor contact point on the heat sink. I I only need to apply a BB sized dot of thermal compound to the top of the processor and then put the newly rebuilt heat sink down on top and screw down. I don't need to disturb the thermal pads that are on the heat sink and contact the other heat points. I do not need thermal compound on those points, just keep the pads intact.

Also, how much could a BB sized dot of thermal compound be equalled? It is pea sized dot?

Finally::: No one told me what about the notes ''high conductivity' written on the bottle of thermal compound , I read 'high conductivity, low bleed, Stable at high temperatures" in the properties of the silicone compound container.

I read somewhere on the internet that 'silicon compound' is OK to be used as long as it is non-conductive'

This is the image of silicone compound I have:

Soulage · Jul 8, 2015

You're most welcome, I went ahead and picked up all the toys you threw out of the pram too.

It's thermal paste, and marketing, high thermal conductivity. Even if it was electrically conductive, just wipe off the excess.

a cooperator · Jul 8, 2015

Soulage :

Thank you so much
You mean silicone thermal compound doesn't need to be non-conductive?
Also, how much could a BB sized dot of thermal compound be equalled? It is pea sized dot?

Soulage · Jul 8, 2015

Nope it doesn't have to be, the only time it would matter is if the excess compound got onto the chips, circuits etc that surround the heat spreader, then it could cause a short. So careful application and wiping off excess is fine. Many of the old pastes and some still do, use certain substances that are good for heat transfer but are also electronically conductive. As the tech and research got better so did the pastes and non conductive started to become a selling point.

A BB - Ball Bearing, you know those guns that shoot the plastic or metal balls? Pretty much that.

The method I go by is slightly bigger than a grain of rice but smaller than a pea.

a cooperator · Jul 9, 2015

Soulage :

Thank you so much indeed,

1- I can use any stiff piece of card board to smooth thermal compound out on the chip.

2- I can then put the newly rebuilt heat sink down on top and screw down after smoothing the thermal compound on the chip immediately. Or I must let the thermal compound be dried, then put the heatsink back on?

3- As said in the manual 'A thermal paste is used on the processor and the heat sink section that services it.'. So, I only need to put a thermal compound on the processor. I don't need to put a thermal compound on the heat sink section that services the processor?

Soulage · Jul 9, 2015

On laptops I tend to spread it rather than dot method yeh, just if you use card don't use a cut edge where any little loose bits may end up mixed in with the paste, try a shiny card bent in half if you get what I mean or a plastic credit card type.

Don't need to let it dry, but it may have a cure time where it settles in so to speak, meaning in won't perform optimally until it has been heated up and down a few times / cured.

Just directly on the CPU yeh, if you put paste on both CPU and heatsink you may end up with too much and insulate it to a degree rather than help the transfer.

a cooperator · Jul 9, 2015

Soulage :

Thanks a lot,

When starting the computer, the following error appears on the screen:
The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.
Continued operation is not recommended and may cause unpredictable behavior that could result in random shutdown, data loss or possible system damage. The system will shut down in 15 seconds. To prevent shutdown and continue operation, press the Enter key now.

I followed all steps in this document to fix this error, except the final one which is replacement.

XML:

This document pertains to HP and Compaq notebook PCs.

When starting the computer, the following error appears on the screen:

The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.
Continued operation is not recommended and may cause unpredictable behavior that could result in random shutdown, data loss or possible system damage. The system will shut down in 15 seconds. To prevent shutdown and continue operation, press the Enter key now.

System Fan (90b)
In addition to this error, the system fan may spin faster and become louder.This error indicates that a problem exists related to the heat removal system. One of two possible events is occurring:
.The system fan is not spinning or not spinning properly.
.The temperature inside the case is too high and the fan cannot spin fast enough to remove the heat.
This error message occurs to help prevent costly damage to the computer.

To fix this error, use the following steps:
1. If you notice that the system fan spins and is blowing warm air from the computer,clean the exterior vents to remove dust buildup by blowing air through the vent openings. Do this while the computer is off. Dust can accumulate inside the vent opening and around internal cooling components, preventing the removal of heat.After dust has been removed, try turning on the computer to see if the error goes away.if not, continue to the next step.

For more information on reducing heat inside your computer, see Reducing Heat Inside the PC .2.

Perform a hard reset. Performing a hard reset can reset recorded thermal values in memory and enable you to use the computer again — even if only for a short time to access and save any important files before service. For information on performing a hard reset, see Use Hard Reset to Resolve Hardware and Software Issues .

3. In some cases, updating the BIOS may help prevent this error from occurring. For information on how to update your BIOS, see Updating the BIOS .

4. Have the computer serviced to clean internal components and replace the system fan if necessary. Ensure that the following items are addressed during servicing:

.Thoroughly remove dust from all internal cooling components.
.Ensure that wires from the system and CPU fans are connected to the motherboard securely.

I was told by HP forum member that my notebook's 'Cooling Fan/CPU fan/heatsink' should be replaced with this HP

Spare part number: 641477-001
Discription: Cooling Fan/CPU fan/heatsink (For use only with computer models equipped with a graphics subsystem with 1024-MB discrete memory.

But, I didn't find that 'cooling Fan/heatsink Assembly. I only found a new fan which can fit to my heatsink.

So, my questions are:

Firstly: However, as long as I don't have fan/heatsink, and I only have a fan, I don't know if I will need to replace the fan with a new one since it was bad, or old fan only needs to be cleaned.

Secondly: If I am going to use the old fan, by removing the fan from the heatsink, then I want to clean my old fan with a paint thinner which is a solvent used to thin oil-based paints or clean up after their use.
I have been told by a laptop technician that paint thinner can clean the fan, and let it be as though it was new.
Then, after cleaning it with a paint thinner, I will need to oil it with any grease to let it be smooth.
Is it OK or not.
I have a new fan( only a fan, it isn't a fan/heatsink Assembly). But new fan costed me $50, so if my old fan work well after cleaning it with paint thiner, then no need to waste $50 for no thing.

a cooperator · Jul 10, 2015

Soulage :

Could you Soulage reply to me final post posted before this one to finish this problem?

Soulage · Jul 10, 2015

I can't answer that with 100% certainty but it's definately worth trying to clean the fan rather than drop $50 on one right away.

I've also never gone about cleaning a fan like you described so can't really answer that either sorry. If that was a genuine laptop technician though, I'd see no reason why he'd say it if it he wasn't sure about it. You could try blowing some air under the fan housing 1st though to see if any dust is clogging it.

However what exactly is the problem with it? Is it spinning up faster / slower / not at all? Double checked the heat sink is seated right?

a cooperator · Jul 11, 2015

Firstly: If you see the images of my system board you will see there are no thermal pads at all. So I think I will need to apply new thermal compound on the top of processor and on the graphics subsystem.

Secondly: there arye old thermal

compound on the processor and on the heatsink section that services it. Also, on the top of graphics subsyste m and on the heatsink section that services it.

Thirdly: while removing the old fan from the heatsink, I found there was thermal tape which was torn. That material is easy to be torn. Can l find another one to reuse.

Finally: I was advised to clean the old fan with a paint thiner which is a liquid used to thiner paint-based oil and their use. I can clean the entire old fan and heatsink assemply with that material.

a cooperator · Jul 14, 2015

Firstly: If you see the images of my system board you will see there are no thermal pads at all. So I think I will need to apply new thermal compound on the top of processor and on the graphics subsystem.

Secondly: there are old thermal

compound on the processor and on the heatsink section that services it. Also, on the top of graphics subsyste m and on the heatsink section that services it.

Thirdly: while removing the old fan from the heatsink, I found there was thermal tape which was torn. That material is easy to be torn. Can l find another one to reuse. Screen shot below

Finally: I was advised to clean the old fan with a paint thiner which is a liquid used to thiner paint-based oil and their use. I can clean the entire old fan and heatsink assemply with that material.

a cooperator · Jul 17, 2015

Soulage :

Could you please reply to me?
Could you please confirm that you see my screen shoots (five screen shots) posted in my final post needs to be answered?

could you plrease

Soulage · Jul 18, 2015

Yeh if there are no thermal pads, and only paste clean and apply new paste.
What was the tape for?
That fan looks pretty gunked up, unscrew it from the metal plate and blow out all the dust, you'll probably find a bunch trapped in the fins.
Before using paint thinner try going at it with compressed air.

a cooperator · Jul 18, 2015

Soulage :

Thanks a lot,
i was told that "removing fan from metal plate involves maybe a couple small screws, some copper clips and some thermal silver tape. The fan has to be aligned and retaped perfectly so it does not buzz or rub when reinstalled and there is no air leakage. "

So, only a piece of that thermal silver tape that was torn. In particulare, the the end coming from the top end of metal plate and spanning the fan was torn. The end of that that tape stuck to fan was torn.
i would like to determine where the thermal tape which was torn while removing old fan from heatsink. The thermal tape is shown specieficlly in the thing/ object shown in the left side of the very top end in the screenshot below.

That tape is jus thick adhesive used to help stick the fan tight with the metal plate. I couldn't find like it. Yes the fan can be bolted in the metal plate again even without that tape. However, i am expecting that tape would help stick fan tight with metal plate, so no air leakage will be.

Secondly: you said ' that fan looks pretty gunked up' what do you mean with 'gunked up'?

Thirdly : have you seen my five screenshots. you dont tell me if i can put thermal compound on both of the entire tops of processor and graphics subsystem.

Finally: if you look again to my first and third screen shots posted before, you could see the old thermal compound is not spread on both the entire tops of processor and graphics subsystem. The thermal is only put on the heads of top of processor and graphics subsystemt.

it is used as adhesive to stick the fan and metal plate.

a cooperator · Jul 19, 2015

Could you plplease soulage reply to me? This took much time than it decerves

Soulage · Jul 19, 2015

While I may browse the forum quite frequently I don't always have the time to stop and reply, I'm not paid to do this ya know.
The stage you're at now should be the easy bit, use some initiative dude. Cleaning the heatsink is close to cleaning out a desktop one.
Blow out the dust from the fan and fins, make the thing all nice and shiny, apply fresh paste to the CPU and GPU and put it back together.
If all the tape did was hold it in place and you can't salvage any, use some tape with equally strong adhesive to hold it down (duct tape maybe?).

Oh and gunk, is the same as dirt, clogged, grime, mess etc.

a cooperator · Jul 21, 2015

Soulage :

Thanks a lot,
I have cleaned the the fan, and even the heatsink(metal plate) with the paint thinner, and then I rebuild the fan in the heatsink. After that, I have applied new thermal compound on both of the tops of CPU and GPU.
Finally: I have put in back my laptop all together.

However, when starting my laptop, I face 'CMOS Checksum Error - Default loaded', although I was not facing this error before taking apart my laptop. (Why do I only face this error 'CMOS Checksum Error - Default loaded') now?

This default time/date configuration was '01/01/2010 (12:04:44 AM)
Whenever opening the BIOS, and then updating the time and date to the recent value, I saw the same error and the default configuration returned back when shut my laptop down for about 5 hours and turn it on again.

However, when shutting it down for only minutes, and turn it on again, then I found the new configuration(new data and time) keeps as I set them up.

Do you think that COMS was defective while removing it when taking apart my laptop?

Soulage · Jul 21, 2015

It's probably the battery (CMOS battery not the main laptop one), if time and date are reset, wrong etc it's a good sign that it needs replacing.

a cooperator · Jul 21, 2015

Soulage :

Thanks a lot,
Why have you mentioned to the main laptop battery, I know that COMS battery is completely different from the main battery which is used as a secondary power instead of main power supply.(plug in)
By the way, I have now been working on my laptop while only plugged in to the main power supply, and there has been no main battery inserted. The main battery has been corrupted, and needs to be replaced since when starting my computer, this error 'below appears to me while main battery is inserted. So, I don't think that that error below is only related to COMS battery, and not to main battery.
'HP Battery Alert
The system has detected the storage capacity of the battery stated below to be very low.
For optimal performance, this battery may need to be replaced.
Primary (internal) Battery (601)
ENTER - Continue Startup
For more information, please visit: www.hp.com\go\techcenter\startup

Secondly:: I was not facing this error before taking apart my laptop to fix the error 'The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.'. Yes, the error 'The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.' no longer appears to me. As a result, Why do I only face this error 'CMOS Checksum Error - Default loaded') now after taking apart my laptop, and then put it in back all together?

Finally: If the COMS battery got defective, then why would time and date have rested to wrong again whenever I let my computer stay shut down for about five hours or more, then turn it on again? I.e. when I got that error 'COMS is bad, and the time/date rested to wrong, I updated them to the current correct date/time by opening the BIOS. However, I saw correct time and date only stayed if I restarted my laptop or shut it down for about minutes, and then turn it on again. However, if I shut down my laptop, and let it shut down for about five hours, and whenever turn it on again, I found the time and date rested wrong gain.

Soulage · Jul 21, 2015

The only reason I mentioned the main battery at all was as a point of clarification, I just wanted it clear which one I meant.

While plugged in to the mains CMOS uses that as a power source, if your main laptop battery is dead as you say it cannot use that as a source when disconnected from the mains and if you take it off the mains for any length of time it runs off the CR2032, which by the sounds of it is also now dead.
The error is because it's cross checking when booting up and fails.

a cooperator · Jul 22, 2015

Soulage :

Could you please Soulage take some of your precious time out to go through my points below, and answer me to finish this problem::

First of all: The error I am now facing is 'COMS checksum is invalid, the COMS will be rest to default'

1- I was not facing this error before taking apart my laptop to fix the error 'The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.' Yes, the error 'The system has detected that a cooling fan is not operating correctly.' no longer appears to me. As a result, Why do I only now face this error 'COMS checksum is invalid, the COMS will be rest to default') now after taking apart my laptop, and then put it in back all together?

2- If the COMS battery got defective, then why would time and date have rested to wrong again whenever I let my computer stay shut down for about five hours or more, then turn it on again? I.e. when I got that error 'COMS checksum is invalid, the COMS will be rest to default' , I opened the BIOS, and I updated time and date to the current correct date/time. However, I saw correct time and date only stayed if I restarted my laptop or shut it down for about minutes, and then turn it on again. However, if I shut down my laptop, and let it shut down for about five hours, and whenever turn it on again, I found the time and date rested wrong gain.. But if I have shut down my laptop, and only leave it for minutes, and then turn it on, then the time and date still correct as I have updated them.

3- Even there is no WLAN shown/detected at all after continuing starting my Windows when the error 'COMS checksum is invalid, the COMS will be rest to default' appeared to me.(Screen shot below)

In the screen shot above, even some programs' icons are shown empty(their place is empty) in system tray .

However, when updating the time and date by opening the BIOS, and then restarted my PC two times successionally, then the WLAN shown/detected again.(Screen shot below)

Do you think that this is related to COMS checksum is invalid or the WLAN module was not installed well when putting back am laptop parts all together?

4- What kind of COMS battery should be compatible with my laptop? I can use any COMS of any notebooks?

Soulage · Jul 22, 2015

a cooperator :

Funny.

Silver Grease works the same wasy as silicon compound

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