AC Freezer 7 Pro Thermal Pad missed spot OK?

[djanis3]

Thanks for all the great information here. I just received my Freezer 7 Pro today and noticed that the preapplied thermal paste has a small missed spot in one of the corners. This is only my second build and the whole "get the thermal paste right or fry your CPU" was one of the elements of the build that caused me the most angst. I don't know if this "scratch" in the thermal paste is from a bad application or happened in transit but wanted to get your advice on if it is OK to use as is. I do have some AS 5 from my previous build but wasn't sure if filling the missed spot in was a sound answer either. I might be overthinking this one but thought I'd ask.

Here is photo of the thermal paste. http://www.flickr.com/photos/45865257@N07/4210370698/

Thanks.

 

[mortonww]

You are ABSOLUTELY FINE. The pressure of you securing the heatsink will spread the paste to fill in that gap anyway.

 

[jsc]

I do have some AS 5 from my previous build but wasn't sure if filling the missed spot in was a sound answer either. I might be overthinking this one but thought I'd ask.

Thanks.

It's not. You shouldn't mix thermal paste. As morton said, the clamping pressure and heat from the CPU will spread the stuff into the small void.

 

[djanis3]

Thanks!

 

[hundredislandsboy]

Wow! I could hardly see that tiny "missed spot" of missing thermal paste. When you peeled off the backing, a tiny piece of paste probably came off.
But I like the way you think so meticulously. NASA should hire you to keep an eye on their shuttle's thermal tiles and then none of them would ever be missing!