Do I need to replace my thermal paste just to rotate the cooler?

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gamerinator5

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So, I built my first gaming computer a couple months ago, and it's running fine but a week or two after building it i noticed... oh crap i put the CPU cooler on backwards. It covers one of the DIMM slots. My computer has a B350 Tomahawk motherboard and a Ryzen 1300x with it's stock cooler. At first i just decided to leave it cause i didn't want to go through the trouble atm to turn it, but that just makes it kinda worse. I also would rather not replace the compound if i don't have to cause I don't have anything to replace it with and I live practically in the middle of nowhere, and also i have never done it before and don't really want to risk messing something up. So my question is simply will it cause any problems to just rotate the cooler and put it back, even though I have about two month old thermal paste?
 
Solution
jr9
- By wrong thread he mean he posted his solution to some other thread in your by accident, unless Microsoft Excel can solve CPU cooler issues somehow.

- Strongly recommend against twisting a CPU cooler but that's just my professional opinion. Moving a CPU cooler when the system is running also seems alarming to me.

- The motherboard backplate should just snap into the case. If it doesn't some electrical tape around the sides will help.

- If you remove the CPU cooler, you MUST clean off the old paste on both the CPU and cooler then apply new paste and re mount the cooler. If take it off and plop it back on it completely ruins the spread and creates air bubbles.
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krzyimprt

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What do you mean backwards? I don't think it matters as long as the temps are in check and the airflow is correct. As for not reapplying paste, it's not absolutely necessary but it might get you a couple extra degrees.
 
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InvalidError

InvalidError

Titan
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As long as you aren't overclocking, you'll probably be fine.

If you don't want to be stuck without a PC while you wait for mail-order paste to get to your place if reusing the existing paste didn't work for you (I've done it many times with silicone/zinc-oxide aftermarket paste, not sure how well the much thicker stock paste on Intel and AMD stock HSFs would fare), then just wait until you have replacement paste on hands before trying it.
 
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Blackink

Blackink

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If you plan on rotating the cooler, I would have the PC running before you rotate it just to warm the thermal paste up. Make sure you have everything you need to turn it.

Shut down the PC, unplug the PC, now rotate that cooler a.s.a.p. but be careful not to hit or jar any other components inside your case....

Once that is done, plug the PC back in and turn it on...
 
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jr9

jr9

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Dec 6, 2017
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- Some coolers will cover RAM slots, this is normal. You can always use other slots like a slot 2 slot 4 RAM configuration if you are being blocked.

- The orientation of the cooler makes little difference for normal CPU use or gaming. The CPU fans can face the top of the case or the back of the case (more common). The fans facing the graphics card or the front of the case isn't ideal but it will not stop the cooler from working properly at all; at worst a few degrees higher temp due to poor airflow. Some coolers have clipable fans that can even be moved.

- Recommend against trying to rotate the cooler. It makes a mess of the thermal paste spread and I have observed thermal paste seeping over sides and entering the socket during this method.
 
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gamerinator5

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Sorry I took so long to get back to you guys, but I'm on my phone rn and I didn't see a reply option? So let me just answer your questions in this. What I mean by backwards is the AMD logo covers the DIMM slot. And also I don't believe this is the wrong thread, there was nothing titled cpu cooler, so I just went for CPU instead. Also thank you guys for all your answers! And I think i'll just run AIDA64 to get it heated up to about 60C or so which is what it hits under stress rn, then quickly unscrew and rescrew it. Two final minor questions before I accept an answer: will it be ok to hold the backplate in with tape? Cause its not glued in or anything and I don't have anyone to help me. Now for the second question: should I pick it up off the thermal paste, then set it back down after rotating it, or do I rotate it in the thermal paste? Thanks!
 
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InvalidError

InvalidError

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If you're just rotating the heatsink 90 degrees without removing the CPU, paste may seep over the IHS' edge but still shouldn't be getting anywhere near the actual socket unless you had an obscene amount of excess paste. The stock cooler has nowhere near enough paste for that to happen, it only has enough to cover the contact patch around the die.
 
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jr9

jr9

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- By wrong thread he mean he posted his solution to some other thread in your by accident, unless Microsoft Excel can solve CPU cooler issues somehow.

- Strongly recommend against twisting a CPU cooler but that's just my professional opinion. Moving a CPU cooler when the system is running also seems alarming to me.

- The motherboard backplate should just snap into the case. If it doesn't some electrical tape around the sides will help.

- If you remove the CPU cooler, you MUST clean off the old paste on both the CPU and cooler then apply new paste and re mount the cooler. If take it off and plop it back on it completely ruins the spread and creates air bubbles.
 
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Solution
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gamerinator5

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Sorry I didn't see anything about microsoft excel, lol. I just saw wrong thread XD. Also when I was writing my other reply I didn't see that last thing you posted, otherwise I wouldnt have asked about rotating it. As for the backplate it came with the motherboard, but the motherboard came with snap in cpu cooler things, but the wraith stealth cooler doesnt use those. So when I unscrew the cooler from the backplate the dumb thing falls off into the back of my pc. But ill take your suggestion, and not move it until I get new paste, just to play it safe. Also its nothing about a fan covering the slot, it's the amd logo which retardedly sticks off the side. So if the side it sticks off is the side with your ram slots, it covers one. But ill just wait until I upgrade my ram to do anything, cause right now I don't even need that slot. Thank you everyone for the replies! And as for others that may have a wraith stealth cooler ill post a picture of the problem in one second, to show you how NOT to install it :p
 
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gamerinator5

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11llrv4.jpg
 
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krzyimprt

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Not reapplying thermal paste isn't the end of the world man. If anything the temps will change by a few celcius. Obviously don't reuse old dried out paste.
 
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