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URGENT! Heatsink/Thermal Reapplication or not?

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Hello forums,

I have recently installed the corsair h80i into my system, only thing is one of the screws broke when installing, now I have resolved the issues adn gotten my hands on new screws, but a partial amount of the thermal paste was applied to the cpu, while the rest was not so similar. The system is yet to be booted while this heastsink is on.

I have attached some pictures for you to see my dilemma.





My only questions is: Should I just leave it and re-attach the heatsink with the thermal compound the way it is? Or should I clean off both with some alcohol/artic cleaner, and just install someother thermal compound? If so which?

Thanks!

More about : urgent heatsink thermal reapplication

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Trying to resuse the thermal paste WILL result in some air bubbles that will ultimately trap heat. Clean everything up and reapply using DECENT paste (can be had for ~$8) and follow the paste application instructions to the letter. With a higher end cooler why even take the risk that it is not performing to it's utmost capacity? Spend the $8 and five minutes and don't look back.

Yeah, just take off the paste with isopropyl & a paper towel, once it's clean wipe both the processor & the CPU block down with a micro-fiber cleaning cloth, then put down a tiny, tiny, short thin line of paste (I recommend MX-4 - the best paste you can buy, low price of 10$) on the CPU, DON'T SPREAD IT OUT cause that's a horrible idea, then put the CPU block down on it. The paste with the H80i isn't the best, with what I just told you the cooling will be a few degrees better.

Thanks, Ill ust clean off the current stuff, I just feel like such a jackass I was really looking to see how the corsair thermal stuff would holdup (I hear its actually very good because of the way it comes pre applied).

Oh well, heading over to Canada Computes to pickup a nice tube of PK-2, AS5, or MX-4.

Thanks guys
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