12-24-2008, 05:42 PM
Only clean the heatsink with rubbing alcohol (idiots suggest nail polish remover, which often has additional chemicals that are abrasive and/or damaging to your heatsink, as they seep into the microvallies and fill them, keeping the thermal paste from doing so and doing its job. No offense to whoever suggested that, I'm assuming you just heard it from someone uninformed and assumed it was okay. Also, assuming lighter fluid is good for cleaning your comp components is like assuming it's okay to just jump in a backwater mud creek and call it a proper bath). I put emphasis to MAKE SURE YOU HAVE CLEANED IT WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL. 91% or higher is preferred, but the cheapo shit will do. Use a qtip to apply and clean it, do not use a rag, do not use cloths, do not use anything that will fray or damage the cpu/heatsink or leave residue/particles.
If you haven't cleaned it with a qtip and rubbing alcohol in this manner yet, take the whole thing apart and do it, even if you already think it's clean. Microvallies are called micro for a reason. Otherwise your thermal paste will not set properly and you will run a very high risk of damaging your parts, or your whole computer. Make sure you clean both the heatsink AND the cpu and make sure you do it gently to avoid damaging it.
Apply the arctic silver to the CPU as explained on their website, based on the type of processor you got. The application instructions are different for dual/quad cores and for AMD/Intel, I forgot what you said you got and I just noticed the thermal paste question while skimming, but this should answer it fully.
Yes I've said it a few times, but I want to make sure I'm rubbing this in. Please do not take this post as suggestion, I can guarantee you will reap the wonderful consequences sooner or later if you do not properly clean cpu/heatsink and apply thermal paste/grease.
Also, the whole PSU taped to the outside of the case thing? Not the greatest of ideas. If you can't fit it in there, place it in a open top cardboard/wooden box or just on a sheet of it to keep it from contacting your case/carpet/etc. and just run the power cables into the proper components.
If you haven't cleaned it with a qtip and rubbing alcohol in this manner yet, take the whole thing apart and do it, even if you already think it's clean. Microvallies are called micro for a reason. Otherwise your thermal paste will not set properly and you will run a very high risk of damaging your parts, or your whole computer. Make sure you clean both the heatsink AND the cpu and make sure you do it gently to avoid damaging it.
Apply the arctic silver to the CPU as explained on their website, based on the type of processor you got. The application instructions are different for dual/quad cores and for AMD/Intel, I forgot what you said you got and I just noticed the thermal paste question while skimming, but this should answer it fully.
Yes I've said it a few times, but I want to make sure I'm rubbing this in. Please do not take this post as suggestion, I can guarantee you will reap the wonderful consequences sooner or later if you do not properly clean cpu/heatsink and apply thermal paste/grease.
Also, the whole PSU taped to the outside of the case thing? Not the greatest of ideas. If you can't fit it in there, place it in a open top cardboard/wooden box or just on a sheet of it to keep it from contacting your case/carpet/etc. and just run the power cables into the proper components.