Thermal paste-application, burn in time

Washrag

Washrag

New Member
I'm upgrading my CPU and have a few questions
1. Will there be paste on my heatsink to clean off? (I'm keeping the old heatsink and fan)
2. How do I apply it to the new CPU? I've googled and two different ways have come up, one being to spread it out with a q-tip while another says to put a blob on and install the HS as it will spread it out.
3. Is there anything I should avoid doing for the first few days while it burns in?
 
Blob seems the better option :) Shouldn't need to avoid doing demanding things while its burning in, shouldn't matter at all.
 
1. You will have to clean the compound off the old Heatsink

2. I put alittle bit more than a gain of rice then spread it out even with a credit card

3. I would not worry about it. Its not going to drop but a few degrees after burn in anyways, but keep a check on the temps. for a day or two.
 
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The most popular and commonly used thermal paste is the Artic Silver 5 compound. I've used the two ways described there and seen both have good results. The "blob" is actually a small amount like that seen in the image below on an AMD model cpu.

applyingas5md1.jpg


One article outlines taking that small amount and actually stirring it as it comes out of the tube. This is due to seeing a grey base paste and a thin dark colored line of silver particles and mixing it up before spreading it evenly across the surface of the cpu or base of the hsf used. The total amount looks like someone simple sprayed a coat of primer on a surface due to being slightly less then the thickness of a piece of paper. Some use something like a credit card for spreading.

On the last build here the stirred amount was simply spread when the cpu cooler came down on it without seeing excess emerge from the sides. The first day always sees the highest temps and a recommended 3-4hrs of running time is followed by an overnight shutdown. That allows the initial thermal conductivity to start with the first bonding of the paste to both surfaces. The cpu temps should be monitored during the first 3-4 days of use with only light activity planned like checking the mail and no ocing at all! For AS5 the manufacturer's information indicates a 200hr. breakin period while the temps will still be reasonable after the first few days.

One more expensive and supposedly better heat conductor is known as Liquid Pro. The big difference with that is it has more of an expoxy one time only application and not for use on any aluminum heat sinks! The other compounds will allow removal and the use of the average rubbing or denatured alcohol for cleaning off the old paste. Since the alcohol disappears through immediate evaporation that makes it a good choice to see a clean surface left behind.
 
StrangleHold said:
3. I would not worry about it. Its not going to drop but a few degrees after burn in anyways, but keep a check on the temps. for a day or two.
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Figure this one out when mentioning initial temps. The new build here saw 107C for the first few hours after using the same tube of AS5 opened last year where it seemed a bit dryed up? After getting it evenly spread even the hardware monitor in the bios reported the same as the Asus temp probe at 107C!

The fan on the 9700 was stuck and was pressed forward to clear the copper fins. Obviously pushed back during shipping. The 2nd day sees 35-55C instead of the :eek:! 107C?! and now sees sees 25-30C with load. I guess the year old tube was still good. :P That hsf was hot to touch at first! but I now have the quietest case you could find.
 
PC eye said:
Figure this one out when mentioning initial temps. The new build here saw 107C for the first few hours after using the same tube of AS5 opened last year where it seemed a bit dryed up? After getting it evenly spread even the hardware monitor in the bios reported the same as the Asus temp probe at 107C!
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I have never in my life had a processor run at 107C, you do know that is like 225F and I cant beleve you let it run for a few hours like that. Well to be honest I dont really see how one would run at 107C at all anyway! Talk about a life span of 5 minutes.
 
I would say something was misreading the actual temps seen there. It may have been due to the fan on the 9700 being stuck and reading that as the temp not the cpu's. The cpu is currently at 35-26C idle. Once the fan assembly was pressed forward to correct that the sink lost the heat fast. At least the hsf took the heat from a hot fan motor when that happened.
 
Washrag said:
I'm upgrading my CPU and have a few questions
1. Will there be paste on my heatsink to clean off? (I'm keeping the old heatsink and fan)
2. How do I apply it to the new CPU? I've googled and two different ways have come up, one being to spread it out with a q-tip while another says to put a blob on and install the HS as it will spread it out.
3. Is there anything I should avoid doing for the first few days while it burns in?
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1. Yes, You can buy a 2 step cleaner by ArcticClean. Works rather well imo.

2. You should always always always follow the manufacturers recommendations when it comes to any kind of application or installation procedure. They designed it; they know it best.

3. Burn-in time typically does not take days. Again, refer to the manufacturer about such matters.
 
For Artic Silver 5 the manufacturer's instructions vary depending make and type of cpu. You go through the selection process seen at http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm to look up the make and type by selecting each on the following pages.

For the Intel Core 2 Duo, http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf Upto 200hrs. for breakin time.

For the Intel quad core models, http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_quad_wcap.pdf Again upto 200hrs.

The 200hr. time is to see the maximum particle to particle thermal conduction. This is the same for AMD models too.

For an AMD model with heat spreader, http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_amd_dual_wcap.pdf

Without heat spreader like an older Socket A models or Intel with exposed chips, http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_singlecore_expsd.pdf

These are just for applying AS5. Youtube even has a video clip on applying the older AS3 seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xekr6eQL62U
 
It's always taken about two weeks of use to see a full bond for most compouns used. The first few days are the ones to keep a good eye on what the temps are with a fresh application. If the temps remain high you know right then that either there was too much or not enough paste or a problem cooler to deal with there.

On the 3rd day here I am watching the cpu temps drop even more down to 23-24C on the new build. The newer AM2 model even the 125w 6000+ X2 use less power then the older 939 model it replaced. Intel sees the biggest gain with their new models running far cooler then the old P4s!
 
easiest way to past the burn in time.

run it 24/7, do stress test like orthos have it running for 5 days straight. that should do it! :D

disable q fan or fan control and set the cpu fan to full blast.:D
 
The Asus board here has their "quiet n cool" you enable in the bios itself. For ocing later with the Asus AI ocing tool that would have to be disabled. But with the system running over 15hrs. daily I never worry about leaving it running 24/7 especially if I have a video capture running.

For the average build those first few days are the thing to watch before placing haevy loads and certainly ocing into the works. For the most part with a new build that time gets used up installing the one or more OSs along with the softwares/games you want to see installed. That goes along with all of the updates you have to see installed too.
 
StrangleHold said:
What models of 939 are you talking about that uses more power than a X2 6000 125watts
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When there's no load on a dual core cpu the second goes into a stndby mode saving on power there. The 125w is never a constant but a max output when both cores are busy. The newer cpus use less power to see the same or larger output due to the energy efficiency designs. The cpus run cooler now then even a 939.

The best temp on the 3500+ was 28C after a year of use. That was seen after the system had been running both day and night and gaming for several hours on top. Trying to figure out how a single core cpu seeing a good load for several hours saw that low a temp is a mystery there. I am presently seeing the idle temp on the 6000 now at 22C with SpeedFan running. nice on the 3rd day of full use. :D
 
PC eye said:
When there's no load on a dual core cpu the second goes into a stndby mode saving on power there. The 125w is never a constant but a max output when both cores are busy. The newer cpus use less power to see the same or larger output due to the energy efficiency designs. The cpus run cooler now then even a 939.
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The 939 and AM2 can not power down one core and not the other, they can on the new AM2+ but not the AM2. 939s had Cool&Quiet too, just like AM2 and the 6000 is not a EE model. Other than the EE models and the 65nm models the AM2s use just as much or more power than the 939s. Really the AM2 is just a 939 with a DDR2 memory controller and different pins to keep you from putting it in a 939 board. The X2 6000 uses alot more power than your Single core 3500 939.
 
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I expected the 6000+ to see a heavier draw for two reasons one being a larger faster model as well as being dual core. Now compare a 939 or AM2 model to a Socket A board there. The old boards themselves used less power without the 12v cpu feed seen for P4s then applied to 754 models.

The P4s saw the heavy draw there with Intel smartening up with their newer models nbt demanding the power as well as running far cooler. AMD models are already known for seeing lower temps to start with there. The 939 board here had the same feature since that is an Asus board there too.
 
Washrag said:
I'm upgrading my CPU and have a few questions
1. Will there be paste on my heatsink to clean off? (I'm keeping the old heatsink and fan)
2. How do I apply it to the new CPU? I've googled and two different ways have come up, one being to spread it out with a q-tip while another says to put a blob on and install the HS as it will spread it out.
3. Is there anything I should avoid doing for the first few days while it burns in?
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1. Yes, its either white or gray stuff. Get some Arctic Silver 5.

2. One rice sized dot. Blob in other words. Q tips may leave residue. Everytime you lift the HS up again you need to re-apply.

3. Not really. Keep checking your temperatures though, they may rise or lower gradually as the burn in time lowers.
 
About all the later Socket A boards had the 4 pin CPU power connector. And about all the XP Athlons ran on 1.6 to 1.65 voltage, more than any 754,939 or AM2 processor and used about 70 watts which is more than the EE models
 
The 24pin and later 20+4pin configuration was intiially seen on server boards and P4 models. For AMD the 754s were still 20pin with the 12v cpu first seen there. Socket A boards never saw the added cpu feed. That came with 64bit capable cpus as far as AMD was concerned namely the 754s. All Socket A models were strictly 32bit.

When jumping from the Asus A7N8X Deluxe into the 939 build the old 430w supply was then obsolete for that along with the lack of having a 20+4pin main connector. The 939 wouldn't run with just 20pin used like a 754 model would. Regardless the breakin time for AS5 was still the same there. But you wouldn't pay as much attention on the old boards since the cpus used had higher thresholds like 85-90C.

The average break in would see into the 50s with the stock hsf with pad was first installed or with the initial application of AS3 at the time. AS5 came out later when those boards were already in wide use.
 
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