Do you really need Heat sink Paste?

[CDdude55]

Do you really need the paste to cool down your prossecor or can you do it without it?

 

[Aeauvian12]

You most definitely need TIM (thermal paste) between the processor and the heatsink. You will most likely get either WAY high temps, or completely fry your processor without it. The paste seals off all the little nooks and crannies between the heatsink and the processor, without it you will have pockets of air trapped that is very high temp. Paste isnt as good of a heat conductor as metal, but it's a heck of a lot better than air.

 

[CDdude55]

Thanks!!, so i just spread it on? and what if i get some on the motherboard will it damage anything?

 

[venm11]

make sure there isn't a pad on the heatsink (if so, you won't need paste). Put a very small drop of goo (size of "uncooked white rice" they say) in the middle of the chip, drop the heatsink straight down on it, give the heatsink a slight wiggle twist, then clamp it on.

 

[CDdude55]

Thanks alot!!

 

[Jakalwarrior]

with an insane amount of polishing and two perfectly flat surfaces you can do without it, but even then you would do better with a microscopic thin layer of it.

 

[SamuraiInBlack]

The short and sweet of it:

Yes, you do.

 

[EULA]

On a related note:

I once started my computer without plugging in the fan on my processor heatsink.

It's was an Athlon 2500+. It booted windows and then shut down. Plugged in the the molex connector, and it booted up just fine.

I was flabbergasted.

 

[fuelvolts]

Thanks alot!!

Grammar Nazi: "Thanks a lot!"

/Hates that error the most.

 

[Deliximus]

the stuff on the AMD K8 heatsink is a variant of Shin Etsu - very good shit.

 

[(cf)Eclipse]

actually, you don't need it. it's just advised.
and yes, i know from personal experience temps will just be a bit warmer without it, or a lot, depending on how smooth both surfaces are and how hard the heatsink clamps down.

for installation directions..
http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2amdcmq.html

 

[rego001]

my amd 4800 dual runs 8-9 degrees warmer without it.

i forgot to put it on when i first got it and couldn't figure out why my temps wheres so high. i took off the heat sink and was like "crap! how did i forget that"

 

[darkpark]

on a related note: is there a big difference between the cheap thermal paste and the fancy stuff like Arctic Silver 5, assuming that I won't be overclocking?

 

[Caffeinated]

On a related note:

I once started my computer without plugging in the fan on my processor heatsink.

It's was an Athlon 2500+. It booted windows and then shut down. Plugged in the the molex connector, and it booted up just fine.

I was flabbergasted.

At least you had the heatsink on though. You would have had a crispy fried chip for lunch, and not the tasty kind!

 

[BigMacAttack]

on a related note: is there a big difference between the cheap thermal paste and the fancy stuff like Arctic Silver 5, assuming that I won't be overclocking?

Its not a huge difference - perhaps 5C max, but why not take advantage of the best TIM? The prices between AS5 or AS Ceramique and the poorer stuff isn't all the different. Might as well go with the good stuff IMHO.
One thing I have noticed - AS5 spreads a lot better than Shin-Etsu. I got some Shin-Etsu with my hsf and used it last time on my 3700+ Clawhammer s754 system at work. Recently I reapplied AS5 instead. When I took the hsf off I noticed that the Shin-Etsu didn't spread out as well (used the BB/grain of rice method) as the AS5 does. Temps have been about 2C degrees cooler with the AS5 than with the Shin-Etsu.

 

[Spazilton]

On a related note:

I once started my computer without plugging in the fan on my processor heatsink.

It's was an Athlon 2500+. It booted windows and then shut down. Plugged in the the molex connector, and it booted up just fine.

I was flabbergasted.

Just having the fan off for a coulpe of minutes wont hurt it that much..

I remember the one time I fried an Athlon 1200 because I forgot to put the heatsink on.. The learning experiences of a Noob! Learned that lesson hard and fast.