thermal paste

[grumpyboy]

how much does one use?
do you spread it over the the cpu?
or leave it as a blob ?

 

[tiamatu]

You should use the least amount possible. Some use a small amount, about the size of a BB in the center of the heat spreader and apply the heatsink which will cause the paste to spread out. Others will use a razor or something along those lines to make a thin layer on the heat spreader and do it that way. I have done both and didn't get better results one way or another. Make sure that you get both the heat spreader and the heatsink clean before you apply the paste and if you spread it with a razor, make sure you get any possible air bubbles out before you apply the heatsink.

 

[zero_vertical]

Use about a grain of rice, then spread it with a credit card.

 

[WintersFury]

I use about the size of a small grain of rice. Pop the heatsink on and do a lil bit of a twisting motion and secure the heatsink. I personally feel that the spreading of the paste esp on processors with an IHS is a waste of time. I do on bare chips just so there isn't much excess to run all over the rest of the circuit board.

 

[BigMacAttack]

You should use the least amount possible. Some use a small amount, about the size of a BB in the center of the heat spreader and apply the heatsink which will cause the paste to spread out. Others will use a razor or something along those lines to make a thin layer on the heat spreader and do it that way. I have done both and didn't get better results one way or another. Make sure that you get both the heat spreader and the heatsink clean before you apply the paste and if you spread it with a razor, make sure you get any possible air bubbles out before you apply the heatsink.

Same here - I've applied it both ways. It seems I always use more when spreading it than if I just put a blob the size orf a grain of rice or a BB in the center of the IHS.
On a side note I have found that AS Ceramique and AS5 both spread very evenly over the entire IHS using the blob method. Shin-Etsu on the other hand does not spread as easily and so you need to use a little more. I've used Shin-Etsu on one cpu, then swapped to another and when I pulled off the HSF it wasn't covering the entire IHS - only about 75% of it. Temps were no different, though, which means as long as you get the core covered you are ok.

Either way works fine - just remember not to use too much if using the spread style application.