CPU hotter after cleaning fan/heatsink

[Giraffe]

well my athlon64 3000+ has been slowly getting hotter over time so i thought maybe it's time for a clean.

be4 cleaning it run approx 25-30 idle and 45 load
after removing the fan and heatsink and cleaning(not fully just a bit) the temps are aprox 30 idle and 50-52 under full load.
I have the stock amd cooler and i dont have any thermal paste or anythin like that.

y hav the temps increased?

btw - dont recommend buying a new cooler coz it aint gonna happen!

 

[The_Abyss]

For gods sake, turn your computer off, buy some thermal paste, apply it correctly and then carry on.

 

[Giraffe]

very constructive responce

any1 else got ideas

 

[The_Abyss]

I'm sorry, but your intial post indicated that you did not apply any thermal compound when you re-seated the heatsink and fan. This is dangerous to your CPU and motherboard, and you are lucky that it hasn't overheated and burned out.

If this is the case, the 'constructive' advice still stands.

If it isn't the case, be more specific with the detail of what you actually have done.

EDIT - I assume yuo actually considered other things first as well, like cleaning the case fans / vents and ensuring there is good circulation in the case? Otherwise it is like calling the fire brigade if the office is hot, and you haven't considered opening the windows...

 

[Gelde]

Right as the other post states YOU REALLY NEED TO GET SOME GOOD THERMAL PASTE ON THAT CPU......honestly a tube of arctic silver 5 will set you back all of £5 ($8?) and a VERY thin layer of that will do the trick on the cpu cap.

I seriosuly hope that you cleaned off the tim pad if there was one on the heatsink as replacing the heatsink with bits of an original one would really really hurt temps more than not having anything there (as I suspect it is now).

Please go get yourself some paste and apply it by putting a VERY small ammount in the centre of the cpu heatspreader and with CLEAN AND DRY hands smear it about with your index finger until you have a coated cpu. It really doesnt want to be too thickly applied (half a milimetre is plenty) and if needs be use a different finger to rub around and take some back off - MAKING DAMN SURE NOT TO SMEAR ANY OVER THE MOBO OR ANYTHING etc.

Ive been a pc tech for nearly 25yrs now and can honestly say that Arctic Silver is the best paste Ive used to date and is certainly cost effective as a small tube will do at least 20 cpu's. IT WILL REDUCE TEMPS by approx 3-5c and put you back to where you were or maybe lower by a degree or 2.

I must ask if there was any "goop" on the cpu or heatsink originally and what it looked like ?....

Please Please get some paste and sort it out - you wont kill the cpu quickly by not having it on but it will shorten its lifespan.

 

[Giraffe]

thx for the reply
well as u can probly tell i am an idiot when it comes to cooling/thermal paste
i have never had to do this be4 and havn't used thermal paste be4(this will probly explain my idiocy)

there was a bit of "goop" or "crap" on the cpu (i dont think there was much on the heatsink)
I presume i have to clean this "goop" off the cpu be4 putting any paste right?

i will probly go get some thermal paste(the arctic silver if a nearby store sells it)
if i cant get the arctic silver any other cheap one will still be sufficient wont it?

around 50degrees is still a safe temperature though isnt it? a couple of degrees wont really affect cpu life will it? it is probly only full load around 1-2 hours a day anyway.

 

[Byrney]

Your CPU temps are acceptable. In particular, if your computer isn't crashing on a regular basis then it's not too hot, although the previous comment about high temps shortening your CPU's lifespan is correct. However, you are running risks by not having any thermal paste in there. Follow everyone's advice and apply thermal paste as directed, and while you've got the heatsink off make sure you get all the dust and crap out of it.

 

[1Tanker]

there was a bit of "goop" or "crap" on the cpu (i dont think there was much on the heatsink)
I presume i have to clean this "goop" off the cpu be4 putting any paste right?

Yes. Rubbing alcohol is good for removing old thermal paste. Make sure you get every spec of the old stuff off..don't even leave any smears. Then make sure it's completely dry, and lint-free before you apply the new paste. You won't need much.... a dab about the size of a grain of rice, and spread it all over the heatspreader(make sure you don't get any on any motherboard components), or anywhere at all except the CPU heatspreader and your finger. GL

 

[Gelde]

A couple degrees wont really make that much difference no - but adding thermal paste - even cheapo white crap will make the cpu run about 5c cooler as I say - arctic is better again by a couple degrees.

YOU MUST GET IT ON RIGHT though as the prev poster said - none anywhere except the cpu cap (heatspreader) and a very thing layer - the grain of rice mentioned is perfect and then spread out as I said before.

Anyhow - we all start somewhere with toys and it sounds like you are on the road with your pc - so go get some goop, pref arctic silver 5, and start what I hope will be a good trend in your future pc builds or upgrades.

Once again though - be careful - take your time and be sure you know what you are about to do, then you wont make any silly mistakes. I will say though if you are at all worried about spreading it over your motherboard then get some cheapo white crap as that wont be electrically conductive and will only dry out or you can CAREFULLY wipe it off. Having said that - Arctic IS well worth it.

And no I dont work for Arctic either !>......(but they do make the best in cooling

 

[Byrney]

To be honest, if you're a beginner at this, I'd recommend getting cheap white generic thermal paste. Firstly, it's cheaper than Arctic Silver, so if you stuff it up the first time and have to try again, it doesn't get expensive. Secondly, it's not electrically conductive, so you can get it anywhere you want and it doesn't matter. Thirdly, your CPU is already running at OK temps even with no paste, so why spend more money on risky electrically conductive stuff that won't make a practical difference? I mean, if AS5 gets you 40C and standard white poo gets you 45C (and that's being really generous - practically speaking you don't get 5C just from different paste, unless you're doing something wrong), who cares? Either way it will work fine.

Also, my philosophy on thermal paste has always been: put craploads on. I use the standard non-conductive white goo you get with 3rd-party heatsinks, squeeze a big dog turd of the stuff on the CPU, spread it round and put the heatsink on. That way I can be sure that all spaces between the CPU and heatsink are properly filled, and who cares if some paste mushes out the sides? Some people think that doing this impedes performance because the layer of paste is too thick, increasing separation between the surfaces, but c'mon: with the amount of pressure you apply to modern CPU heatsinks when fitting them, ANY excess flows out of the gap immediately. Try it: put far too much paste on a CPU, mount the heatsink and then take it off - you'll see that any excess has been squashed out, leaving a perfectly thin, optimal coating on the CPU/heatsink surfaces.

 

[Grimmy]

For my honest opinion, I don't see the difference in temp changes between AS5 or the reg White Thermal Compound.

I really can't tell the min difference in using it, sorry to say. Perhaps 1C at the most, in using stock HSF with AS5.

A tube of the white stuff for 6 bucks back at the time I brought it, lasted over 5 years, and I still have enough for another installation/application.

Athough with AS5, I suppose one advantage is that you do use less, and perhaps the tube is more control design in dispensing it to the core. I remember times I squished out too much of the white stuff by accident . So in turn that AS5 tube should last longer then the white stuff I brought a long time ago.

 

[Gelde]

I have to agree that there isnt much of a difference in temps BUT arctic silver will give another 1-2c cooling over white crap. It maybe a little more risky to apply but its worth it for LONG TERM usage as it doesnt dry out anywhere near as fast as white crap will - basically arctic will still be good after 2yrs at least with NO NEED TO REAPPLY whereas white goop tends to dry out fully within a year at most IF your cpu approaches 50c regularly.......

As to the poster who says put too much on - DONT.....it DOES make a thermally resistant build up and too much is FAR WORSE than none at all.

I will reiterate that you need only a VERY small layer to fill the microscopic defects between the cpu heatspreader and the heatsink base - unless you have a very bad heatsink it will be 99.9% flat as will the cpu cap - please do it right and you will be rewarded with the best results.

I would say that for the most part any difference recorded between goopings will be soley down to AMMOUNTS used and the thinner the layer the better - seriously.

 

[pcsteve]

I'm pretty sure that you'll find arctic silver is only electrically conductive under high pressure.

 

[Byrney]

As to the poster who says put too much on - DONT.....it DOES make a thermally resistant build up and too much is FAR WORSE than none at all.

I will reiterate that you need only a VERY small layer to fill the microscopic defects between the cpu heatspreader and the heatsink base - unless you have a very bad heatsink it will be 99.9% flat as will the cpu cap - please do it right and you will be rewarded with the best results.

I would say that for the most part any difference recorded between goopings will be soley down to AMMOUNTS used and the thinner the layer the better - seriously.

Well, I know this is a widely-held opinion and of course I know that a thick layer of paste doesn't conduct as well as a thin one, but I still reckon it makes little to no difference simply because regardless of how much paste you put on a CPU, it will be reduced to the thinnest possible layer by the pressure of the heatsink retention mechanism. I've never tested this scientifically but I have built many, many computers, including seriously toasty hardware like a T-Bird 1400 overclocked to 1680, or my current box, a X2 4400+ OC'd to 2.6 GHz, and the "craploads of goo" approach has always worked flawlessly for me.

 

[Dahak]

buy the thermal paste called arctic silver5 and remove the grey stuff from the bottom of heatsink.once you remove the heatsink after it has been on a processor,the grey stuff is no longer any good.so clean it off and apply the AS5,and that should fix your heat issue.good luck.

Dahak

EVGA NF4SLI BOARD
X2 4400+@2.4
520WATT PSU
7800GT@490/1.07
WD300GIG HD
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR

 

[ocnewb]

I dont think thermal paste is going to drop it by 10c. You may also want to make sure your cooler is properly mounted.

 

[Onus]

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apply it by putting a VERY small ammount in the centre of the cpu heatspreader and with CLEAN AND DRY hands smear it about with your index finger...
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Ive been a pc tech for nearly 25yrs now...
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Hmmm, then you ought to know NOT to use a bare finger (even a clean one); put it in a plastic bag, as for best results you don't want finger-oils preventing the thermal compound from filling the cracks.

 

[Dahak]

As to the poster who says put too much on - DONT.....it DOES make a thermally resistant build up and too much is FAR WORSE than none at all.

I will reiterate that you need only a VERY small layer to fill the microscopic defects between the cpu heatspreader and the heatsink base - unless you have a very bad heatsink it will be 99.9% flat as will the cpu cap - please do it right and you will be rewarded with the best results.

I would say that for the most part any difference recorded between goopings will be soley down to AMMOUNTS used and the thinner the layer the better - seriously.

Well, I know this is a widely-held opinion and of course I know that a thick layer of paste doesn't conduct as well as a thin one, but I still reckon it makes little to no difference simply because regardless of how much paste you put on a CPU, it will be reduced to the thinnest possible layer by the pressure of the heatsink retention mechanism. I've never tested this scientifically but I have built many, many computers, including seriously toasty hardware like a T-Bird 1400 overclocked to 1680, or my current box, a X2 4400+ OC'd to 2.6 GHz, and the "craploads of goo" approach has always worked flawlessly for me.


then enjoy the cpu heat as ytou always do.it is highly recommended in all the books i've read and all the advice i've gotten over the years that too much grease can be more damaging in the long run than none because it transfers the heat to other parts of the cpu that may not need it.and it's bloddy messy.goodluck.

Dahak

EVGA NF4SLI BOARD
X2 4400+@2.4
520WATT PSU
7800GT@490/1.07
WD300GIG HD
EXTREME 19IN.MONITOR

 

[itneal2277]

I dont think thermal paste is going to drop it by 10c. You may also want to make sure your cooler is properly mounted.

I've seen it drop 10C by switching an old thermal pad with thin layer of AS5. I always recommend a thin layer of paste. If a thick layer of paste could cause a negative effect, then why do it? If anyone finds it hard to apply a thin layer of paste, use the old credit card trick. Put a small dab of paste on the die or heat spreader, use a credit card to spread the paste, and ditch any excess build up.

 

[Rall]

For gods sake, turn your computer off, buy some thermal paste, apply it correctly and then carry on.

WOW I agree!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[RicoSuave]

apply it by putting a VERY small ammount in the centre of the cpu heatspreader and with CLEAN AND DRY hands smear it about with your index finger...

Ive been a pc tech for nearly 25yrs now...

Hmmm, then you ought to know NOT to use a bare finger (even a clean one); put it in a plastic bag, as for best results you don't want finger-oils preventing the thermal compound from filling the cracks.


AMEN! Use the plastic bag! And it's not too good for your skin. :roll:

 

[jimw428]

.
.
.
apply it by putting a VERY small ammount in the centre of the cpu heatspreader and with CLEAN AND DRY hands smear it about with your index finger...
.
.
.
Ive been a pc tech for nearly 25yrs now...
.
.
.

Hmmm, then you ought to know NOT to use a bare finger (even a clean one); put it in a plastic bag, as for best results you don't want finger-oils preventing the thermal compound from filling the cracks.

The best advice in this thread!
Another bit of advice is to NOT use common rubbing alcohol to clean the cpu and heat sink base. Use pure isopropyl alcohol (at least 90%) to avoid leaving a residue. A final note:

Some mis-guided souls recommend using WD-40 to clean off old thermal paste. Don't! This is a real no-no as it leaves an oily film.

 

[1Tanker]

.
.
.
apply it by putting a VERY small ammount in the centre of the cpu heatspreader and with CLEAN AND DRY hands smear it about with your index finger...
.
.
.
Ive been a pc tech for nearly 25yrs now...
.
.
.

Hmmm, then you ought to know NOT to use a bare finger (even a clean one); put it in a plastic bag, as for best results you don't want finger-oils preventing the thermal compound from filling the cracks.

The best advice in this thread!
Another bit of advice is to NOT use common rubbing alcohol to clean the cpu and heat sink base. Use pure isopropyl alcohol (at least 90%) to avoid leaving a residue. A final note:

Some mis-guided souls recommend using WD-40 to clean off old thermal paste. Don't! This is a real no-no as it leaves an oily film.Yes, i said rubbing alcohol, but i meant isopropyl...That's what i use, but i think mine's only 70%. Dollar store variety.

 

[mack_ave]

bust out your wallet, buy a zalman, put some paste on that shit and make sure you seat it correctly.

 

[Pain]

As to the poster who says put too much on - DONT.....it DOES make a thermally resistant build up and too much is FAR WORSE than none at all.

I will reiterate that you need only a VERY small layer to fill the microscopic defects between the cpu heatspreader and the heatsink base - unless you have a very bad heatsink it will be 99.9% flat as will the cpu cap - please do it right and you will be rewarded with the best results.

I would say that for the most part any difference recorded between goopings will be soley down to AMMOUNTS used and the thinner the layer the better - seriously.

Well, I know this is a widely-held opinion and of course I know that a thick layer of paste doesn't conduct as well as a thin one, but I still reckon it makes little to no difference simply because regardless of how much paste you put on a CPU, it will be reduced to the thinnest possible layer by the pressure of the heatsink retention mechanism. I've never tested this scientifically but I have built many, many computers, including seriously toasty hardware like a T-Bird 1400 overclocked to 1680, or my current box, a X2 4400+ OC'd to 2.6 GHz, and the "craploads of goo" approach has always worked flawlessly for me.

I agree. I'm not sure I'd subscript to the craploads of goo theory because it makes a huge mess, but I certainly don't agree with the too much is a disaster theory either.

I put this into the same catagory of hyteria and paranoia as power supply misinformation, and a few other generally accepted yet totally misunderstood ideas about computers that are floating around the internet.