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Question Applying Arctic Silver 5 on A64

K

karnick

Limp Gawd
Joined
Mar 3, 2004
Messages
183
Ok.. im pretty farmiliar with the process of using the credit card to create a thin film of AS or some kind of thermal paste over the core of an athlon XP... what i 'heard' concerning the A64's and the gigantic heat spreaders is to put a good amount of paste on the chip and bottom of the heatsink.. a good amount is implied as being more than a 'thin film'... is this true? what did you guys do when applying thermal paste on an A64....i want to make sure the spiking temps im getting are my fault :)
 
When I applied AS5 to my Athlon 64 3000 (s754), as I recall, I only put enough to be about 2 drops of any liquid. I recal spreading it around with a q-tip /finger (I am pretty sure though that that is the improper way to do it.). I tried to ensure that there was a good solid layer between the proc and my TR SLK-948-U copper heatsink while not allowing there to be any thermal paste bulge out. I put my heatsink on top of the processor and took it off a couple of times and put it back on to make sure that I was getting good contact between proc and HSF.
 
Just put a blob about the size of a BB (air gun BB) onto it and don't spread it. Just lower the HSF evenly onto it and it'll spread itself out nice and evenly. You don't have to cover all of it cause the core of the chip is only in the center, the big metal thing is just a copper heatspreader.

Don't do what the dude above did and take it off and put it back on to check, you'll get air bubbles which are bad. Just do it once with a nice blob and let the squishing spread it out, but don't lift it up to check.
 
ehg, I wouldnt worry. I myself covered the entire heatspreader and put a very small ammount on the surface of the heatsink. May be a waste, but it certainly hurting anything. Look in my siggy, that runs under 30C idle, and the a754 2800+ I had before it I did the same, and that was usually30-32 idle @ 2.2Ghz and 1.7v. That is at 2200rpm fan with a Venus 12+ HSF. Keeps me happy.
 
I put a very thin coating on my whole heatspreader..No probs, runs about 33-34°C idle....
 
At www.arcticsilver.com it says which to do, which is put a 'drop' on about the size of 1 and a half grains of 'uncooked rice'....now we aren't all cooks so just guess on that one. The image shows that the AS5 doesn't go to the edges of the chip, but covers about 90% of the heatspreader....and it's just that, a heat SPREADER, so it doesn't need a thin layer like you'd think.

Also, note you have to turn your machine ON and OFF during a 200 hour period (about a week) so it can heat up and cool down, to seat itself onto the surfaces properly....then feel free to let it run 24/7. Once it's set, it should drop 3-5C in temp (so says the site).
 
i think i like your suggestion the best.. i hope the dude who said he used his finger realizes that this shit is micronized silver, something im sure you dont want in your pored :(
 
Glad to be off assistance ;) Just remember, when in doubt, go to their website (for any product from any manufacturer) and it should have the most up-to-date instructions.
 
I would say to use the instructions on the website like everyone else is suggesting. I know I did not put mine on quite right, but I am not too worried as my temps are still fine by my standards (36c idle, 41 load). I will however try to do it right next time, but first, I have to get some more AS5 as I lost my tube.

Oh an try not to get it on your fingers like I did. There were no adverse consequences, but it is a pain to get that stuff out of your skin. If you do, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. Also, don't get it on your clothes either. It can be mostly washed out in the washing machine, but it might leave some behind. I still have some old work jeans with AS5 stains in them, but they don't fit anyhow and are getting torn up, so I am not too worried.
 
So what is the consensus here; to put it ON the heatsink as well or JUST the CPU??

What do most of you do?
 
I follow the instructions. I put a droplet about the size of a grain of rice on the CENTER of the CPU and then drop the HSF onto it, allowing the even force from the HSF to spread it out over the CPU.
 
Damn, how are you guys getting your temps so low? I followed the instructions that came with my xp-90 and it said to spread thin layer of AS5 over the CPU and the Heatsink.

I am running an A64 3200 Winchester on an MSI neo2 and my system temp is 31 and my idle is 40. I don't know about under load. Should I be worried? With the stock HSF, i was about the same. The XP-90 does not feel warm to the touch - should it? I also have the fan blowing down into the heatsink.
 
So the drop in the middle w/the HS rested on top is the best way for AMD 64's?

From what I have read, the drop compared to the spread are about the same. Some have better performance w/the drop over the spread. It seems to me that the drop is easier to do as well so I say the drop is the winner?

-fro
 
Is anybody aware of the fact that Arctic Silver 5 is electricly conductive?? Meaning if it oozes down the side and touches the pins on the CPU, the CPU is FRIED. Most thermal pastes are ceramic, so it normally doesnt matter. Follow the directions on AS's website.

Another thing, the only purpose of the thermal paste is to fill in the tiny imperfections and crack on ur heatsink/processor. Metal to metal contact transfers heat BETTER than Arctic Silver 5 or any thermal paste for that matter. Globbing on the paste is definitely not needed and could fuck up ur processor if you get too much and it runs into the pins or anything else for that matter.

just my .02 cents
 
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