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Prepping CPU for HSF

S

SiliconValley

Limp Gawd
Joined
Sep 22, 2005
Messages
226
Going to be getting an e6600 with a Tuniq Tower 120. I've never installed an HSF on a CPU before. I've heard Arctic Silver/Arctic Silver 5 is great stuff. Should I get Arctic Silver and how do I prep the CPU out of the box (the stock HSF won't be installed of course)?
 
there's nothing to it.
get the cpu out of the box, put it in the mobo-make sure the pins go in the socket then put in the hsf. ur hsf comes w/ a manual. read the manual, it helps a lot.
 
i think its good to clean both the HSF and the CPU with a coffee filter and a high (around 99%) isopropyll alcohol... this may not be necessary if both are brand new... but you may want to rub the artic silver in with a coffee filter on your finger in a circular motion... and remember with thermal compound more is not necessarily better... ;)
 
edit to my past post. before u put hsf put in as5. dont touch the as5 when u apply it. the grease/oil from ur hand/finger can contribute to temperature. apply like a grain of rice as5 and spread it.
 
Thanks guys. So a small dab of arctic silver and do I spread it around evenly before applying the HSF? Also, do I attach the CPU to the mobo before the A/S?
 
Don't remove the sticker from the bottom of the tuniq plate if you want to easily revoe it later....(sticky pad)
 
thats kind of a preference especially if your motherboard tray is removable... I usually mount the CPU onto the motherboard and then apply the compound then the HSF... You can apply the compound before putting the CPU in the motherboard just be careful not to touch the compound with your skin at all...
 
the "sticker" on the bottom of the HSF is what is usually referred to as "thermal tape" It is basically a flat quick stick thermal compound that the manufacturer puts on the HSF... they usually aren't as good at tranferring heat as a thermal compound especially not as good as AS5... i would think you'd be ok at remove the tape with the alcohol-coffee filter method but I've never done it so maybe someone should back me up on this before you consider it...
 
So if I'm aiming for 3.4 to 3.6 Ghz with an e6600 and the Tuniq should I use the provided pad on the Tuniq or remove it and go the Arctic Silver route?
 
You might want to consider lapping that Tuniq Tower before you mount it. I know on mine I could visibly see the machine marks on the bottom and could feel the ridges when I ran my finger nail across it. For AS5 just a small blob on the cpu and spread it out. Sometimes I use an old credit card or one of the cards they send you in the mail to tempt you to accept a new credit card. Anything to act as a spatula. Spread a thin layer over the cpu. I wouldn't worry so much about the backplate sticker. I had to remove mine when I had to RMA my mobo. And don't go too crazy at torqueing that heatsink down. If you overtighting it you can actually see the mobo start to deflect (bend) and that can't be a good thing.
 
Just to make sure I've go this right. When I get my Tuniq, I should pull off the thermal pad and clean it and the CPU with some good rubbing alcohol. Then I should lap the surface of the Tuniq. Then install the CPU on the mobo and apply a grain of AS5 and rub it around with a coffee filter. Then install the HSF onto the CPU and torque it down to the mobo using the included adapater. Is this correct? Also, how do I lap the Tuniq? Just get some very fine sandpaper?
 
You probably won't need to clean the CPU, since it will be new, right? Don't rub the thermal paste down into CPU. Arctic Silver recommend you just put a small grain-sized drop of thermal paste then drop the HSF onto it without even spreading it about. If you do decide to lap the Tuniq, get the highest grit sandpaper you can find (1200 should be fine), although you might want to use a lower grit to begin. You'll need a flat surface, like a piece of glass, and put the sandpaper on there and rub the heatsink over it (i believe that's the way most people do it, or is that just with CPUs).

I'll let someone else elaborate since i'm a little rusty.
 
You don't have to do any of that.

Don't lap the Tuniq. Only do this if you believe that you have cooling problems. This is not necessary.

Do not spread the thermal paste, that is the old method for older CPU's.

For C2D's you need to apply a thin layer down the middle of the CPU and let the heatsink spread it out for you (try to only seat it down once)

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/cmq/ins_cmq_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

If you want to clean both the CPU and the bottom of the heatsink with alcohol, that wouldn't hurt.

The only think I'd recommend is not too remove the small plastic on the backplate since gluing the backplate to the motherboard could void the mobo's warranty and replacing heatsinks or motherboards later on can be a pain because of the glue pad on said backplate.
 
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