Just wanted to share this

[OldMX]

I just performed my bi-annual computer cleanning which includes removing cpu hfs, case fans, videocard, etc.

While taking videocard away from computer to clean the heatsink with a brush to remove the dust bunnies, something told me "OldMX, remove the heatsink and see if thermal stuff was correctly applied...."

To my surprise the thermal paste or whatever should be in there was correctly applied, but it was already DRY, as soon as i removed the heatsink it fell off like dry colgate toot paste

Inmediately after cleanning gpu core with cotton and alcohol, reapplied a thin layer of artic silver 3 (ran out of Shin-Etsu like 3 weeks ago and forgot to buy a new tube) according to artic silver instructions in website and reassambled components to see if everything was ok.

Computer is cooler now, after all the process CPU dropped 5 °c and motherboard sensor reports inside case is like 5 °c cooler too, making me think the raddy was already overheatting the case.

Just wanted to share this with other ATI Radeon users whose videocards have been in use for like 1 year like me, i wonder if not detecting the dry stuff would cost me a dead raddy

Sorry about my english, not my primary language

OldMX

 

[PhyberOptik]

Thermal paste gasses out in service...that's what it's supposed to do. The dry particles do all the heat transfer work, they are simply suspended in a suitable oily liquid base to enable it to be spreadable.

The base does very little heat transfer...good bases are designed to evaporate and just leave the dry stuff.

If you leave your heatsinks untouched, they eventually achieve a very good interface. But, if you're like me, you fuck with them too much and that messes up the nice settled interface material.