djsks

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Nov 1, 2009
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ok so I finally got my new computer parts in the mail yesterday and fully assembled it. still waiting on my radeon 5850 which i have preordered to test it out.

i have the coolermaster v8 cpu cooler and i used the thermal paste it came with. after reading a bunch of stuff online, i realized that i may have used too much paste and also i had a arctic silver 5 thermal paste of my own and just used the one that came with the cooler instead to be safe, since i wasnt sure.

i put about a full layer of paste on both the cpu and the cooler end... will this still work? also, the paste seemed different than the one i used before on my xbox, it seemed really sticky/rubbery/dry. also, i read up on v8 reviews that the thermal paste that comes with it might not be that great.

will my computer still work how it should?
should i remove the paste i put on and replace it with the arctic one i have? if yes, then how do i go about removing it and is it safe?

also, another question that has nothing to do with this...
does it matter where each fan plug is plugged in? i was having trouble having them all reach the fans, though i did make sure the fan plug from the v8 was connected to the one that was labeled cpu fan, according to my mobo guide.

this was my first time putting together a computer and im just worried about screwing things up because i know how fragile each piece is, especially the processor. please inform me if im screwed or if it will be fine... (if it will be fine then i wont have to freak out)

i will list my full specs below:

TOWER:
Lian Li Lancool Lian Li PC-K62B Mid-Tower

MOBO:
EVGA E758-TR 3-Way SLI (x16/x16/x8) LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail

CPU:
Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor - Retail

CPU COOLER:
COOLER MASTER Intel Core i7 compatible V8 RR-UV8-XBU1-GP 120mm Rifle CPU Cooler - Retail

RAM:
OCZ Gold 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Low Voltage Desktop Memory Model OCZ3G1600LV6GK - Retail

PSU:
CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply - Retail

HDD:
Western Digital Caviar Green WD10EADS 1TB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive

DVD DRIVE:
SAMSUNG Black 22X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA CD/DVD Burner - OEM

OS:
Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit 1-Pack for System Builders - OEM
 

mortonww

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May 27, 2009
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It's kinda hard to say whether you're in trouble or not without seeing how you applied the paste. You want a really thin layer otherwise you'll start to have a negative effect on heat transfer.

I would be hesitant to say "clean it, re-apply" just because I can't really tell how much you applied. Like a pea-sized amount? More?

You're probably fine, though. I would doubt you applied so much that it's seeping out the edge and your processor will fry as soon as you hit the power button, lol. It'll just turn on and then turn back off.

The most likely outcome is that you'll boot it up, install windows, install RealTemp and see that your temperatures are either fine at idle or not fine. Then you can go from there and decide if you need to re-apply paste or not.
 

lok

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Oct 29, 2009
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Fans: It doesn't really matter whether your front/side back fans are in the right plugs, as long as you got the CPU and power supply (assuming you got one that can be controlled) plugged into the right places. Otherwise, your mobo may do crazy stuff with the fans when trying to regulate the CPU temp.

Don't lose sleep over the thermal paste (yet). It is only one of several aspects that determine CPU temp, which is what you really want to track. Run something such as HWMonitor and track the CPU temperature. As long as it stays below 71degC (on-chip) or 68degC (IC package temp) under heavy load, you're fine. Otherwise, either increase the fan speed, buy a better cooler, or try changing the thermal paste. I'd do that last if I were you - it's not likely to make a big difference.
 

balanovich

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Sep 13, 2008
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Thermal paste isn't conductive, so even if it's seeping you don't have to worry about short circuits. But if it is (seeping) you can VERY GENTLY scrape some from the side. But that's a judgment call. :??: Don't use metal to do so, use something softer... maybe a toothpick?

Whenever, or if ever you are going to take your CPU out of your socket make sure it stays clean. The paste could isolate a pin! That's probably the only problem you can have and it can be avoided by doing nothing.... so rejoice!

But Lok and Mortonww are right, the paste is for cooling and if cooling there is, you have nothing to worry about.