Smudged thermal paste - what now?

[minty]

I'm building a computer for the first time. I got a Conroe, boxed with heatsink/fan. While looking at the heatsink/fan to try to figure out how it matches up with the directions, I accidentally smudged some of the thermal paste (which came already installed on the heatsink/fan) with my pinky.

Yeah, I know, I'm a stupid klutz. Thank you. My question: What now?

I'm assuming that, if I just install it as is, bad things might happen.

So I'm guessing that I should clean all of it off (how?) and get some new paste (what kind? where?) and put that on (how much? how?).

Thanks in advance.

 

[dasickninja]

Hmmm, there shouldn't really be a problem. Did you smudge it or scratch the TIM off? Scratch off as in hitting the bear metal of the HSF.

 

[minty]

Hmmm, there shouldn't really be a problem. Did you smudge it or scratch the TIM off? Scratch off as in hitting the bear metal of the HSF.

What's "TIM"? Is it the thermal paste?

It came in three parallel stripes, the center one longer than the other two. I smudged the bottom of the center stripe - about as much as extends past the end of the other two - so that there's paste in some spots where there was bare metal before, and some spots that had paste before have either no paste, less paste than before, or more paste than before.

 

[dasickninja]

TIM (Thermal Interface Material) is the thermal paste. Sorry about that.
There shouldn't be a problem but it would be as Prozac noted, for you to go to your nearest computer shop and get a tube of Arctic Silver 5, clean off the bottom of the heatsink with a terry cloth and isopropyl alcohol. Then apply a long stripe down the center and let it settle (basically you have to have it covering the metal of the chip) in between the HSF and the processor.
Have fun with your new Conroe.

 

[paybax]

Hey Mint,
Like the other dudes said.....dont' chance it, just get some Arctic Silver 5, and reapply it. BUT and I mean BUT.....Like Sickninja said, make sure you did not scratch EITHER surfaces ( cpu or heatsink face ) clean both surfaces with isopropyl alcohol with a cotton ball and make sure it does not get comtaminated with other dust or dirt.

OH YEAH make sure your on a NON STATIC SURFACE and if you can, get yourself an anti-static wrist band while your working. Some people may say its overkill, but well, when I bought my X2 4800+ a while back I paid about 900 CAN and I wasn't about to take any chances.

Apply a small bead on the top of the cpu case cover ( about the size of a pellet for a pellet gun, also make sure the protective cover for the cpu pins is in place so when you are pressing on the top cover with the razor blades, you won't damage the delicate pins underneath ) and use a razor blade to carfully and uniformly spread the paste to cover edge to edge of the cpu top. **** A good tip is to start spreading from the center and spread toward the outer edges. Once this is done keep it in a protected area of your table so no dust lands on the pasted surface.

Now your good to go my friend, your ready to introduce the HSF to your beloved processor

Good luck
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[minty]

Thanks, everybody.

A couple more questions, if you don't mind:

The original paste wasn't "edge to edge" or completely covering anything - it was in three stripes, with significant amounts of bare metal between. Is that just cheaping out on Intel's part, or is there some real reason why it should've been different?

Also, the original paste was on the HSF, not the CPU. I think it would be easier to apply to the HSF again than to the CPU. Is there some reason why I shouldn't do it this way?

Thanks again.

 

[snooze2]

i did that too, works fine.

 

[dasickninja]

There ain't a problem. Thats just the way that Intel ships it now. Something to do with better cooling for the Core 2 Duo...

 

[garyhope]

It's good to know that I'm not the only klutz that smeared the thermal paste on his new heatsink.

I just had to see what "that stuff on the bottom the heatsink and fan was" and touched it with my fingernail and made about an 1/8 inch mark with my nail.

I panicked and didn't know what to do. I came here and read up on it.

Finally I smoothed the smudge down with a piece of plastic wrap and a credit card.

I installed the CPU (AMD X2-3800) and stock heatsink and it works fine and cool. I'm not a gamer and I don't overclock.


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