To Spread Or Not To Spread That Is The Question.
Hi,
I am currently building my new baby,
I have heard some people put the Conducting paste ie MX-2 in a pea sized blob in the middle of the processor, and some spread it about.

Which way can you guys reccomend and any tips on how without ruining my cpu.
Any advice much appreciated

http://www.buildyourown.org.uk/for [...] C_ID=21134

You won't ruin your cpu doing it either way.
I use the dollop (blob) method myself - in part because thats the way the thermal paste mfr I use suggests for my cpu.

If you look at this article, it had results that show the dollop method to be a bit more effective -

http://www.madshrimps.be/?action=g [...] rticID=635

Your mileage may vary :-)

Either way, you won't ruin the cpu as long as you apply it properly for your cpu type.

Sdrac

I apply MX-2 the AS5 way: depending on where the cores are. For quads, a thin horizontal line. For dualies, a thin vertical line. The notch at the bottom is south.

The amount you need would correspond to a small rice corn... Use more and it'll just do more harm than good...

I usually do the drop in the center, and then spread it with a razor blade to within a mm or so of the edge, then when i seat the heatsink i twist it a few degrees in each direction before i clamp it in place. Been doing that for almost 10 years and have not had to reaply yet. (i might just be getting lucky though)

I put a drop about the size of a small pea in the center and let the pressure of the HS spread it out. Haven't had any problems yet.

People tend to over-complicate. As long as you have some on there, and the heatsink is mounted correctly, it will be just fine for all but the most extreme overclockers. As most have mentioned, a small amount about the size of a grain of rice is all that is needed. Too much will do more harm than good, then simply let the heatsink spread it out under pressure.
It bears worth repeating as I have seen people get competely carried away with this and use way, way too much. To the extent that is oozing out all around the processor in globs! A small amount the size of a grain of rice is all that is needed.
Some people like to spread it out. Personally, I don't like this approach as it can allow air pockets to get trapped in the thermal paste. However, as I said, most important is that you have some on there, and double check that you have attached and mounted the heatsink correctly.

MadShrimps tested several thermal compounds using both the spread and dollop methods. For each compound tested, the dollop method resulted in temps about 6 degrees lower.

Wow that is notably worth finding. *goes to search for article*

I use snot. buggers dont spread well so I just let it say in one blob.

@boonality: take a look at my first post - the url to the article is right there!

Thanks, I didn't see that. Too bad it's blocked on our proxy. This is going to sound wierd but I gotta wait a few months to read it, I probably won't even remember by then.

Many Thanks all spread is going to be tried me thinks