Thermal paste and CPU Cooling

Rocky563

Commendable
Aug 27, 2016
2
0
1,510
I was looking at replacing my water cooler since it has been now making a noise. After doing some digging I found out that it should be quiet since its a water cooler. I ordered a new water cooler and didn't do the research enough to figure out that am3+ isn't the same as am3. I haven't reapplied thermal paste in over a year and half, and now my computer seems to be overheating and shutting off.

I've been getting very mixed reviews on reapplying the thermal paste and the company says 3-6 months to reappy it but everyone says yearly or every 2 years and that generally you don't reapply thermal paste. I'm not sure what to do at this point and I don't want to ruin my computer.
 

Rocky563

Commendable
Aug 27, 2016
2
0
1,510


Everything I've read has said that removing the liquid cooler would require you to put new paste on there unless you are saying that you took off your liquid cooler and put it right back on or put one on which had some pre-applied to it, which in turn would mean you should have got the old paste completely removed. My question is more along the lines of how often or at all should you redo your thermal paste.