There should just be a thin film of it over the core of the processor, think of like the thinkness of a normal piece of paper... basically enough just to make contact with both parts.
For Arctic Silver 5:
Carefully apply the thermal compound directly to the core of the CPU.
so only on the cpu, and not on both? I had heard you do it on both Should i do the method it said to by using a credit card or razor to spread it on the cpu core, or just mash the heatsink on there?
If your HS is clean, you could just mash it on there. What I usually do (this probably mattered more for AS2 and AS3) is spread the residual amount of AS left on my spreading device after I've finished with the core onto the HS base. I spread it EXTRA thin, only paying attention to the part that contacts the core. I don't think it's really neceassary, though.
okay thanks for the pointers. I think i'll squeeze a tiny bit on the processor and then spread it around with a card or something. I wont add any more to the hs, because I bet I would make it too thick combined.
I want it to look just like this most of the way across the cpu. Not the whole area, because I have to leave room for it to ooze out some.
Don't stress it too much. AS5 is way easier to spread than AS2 and 3. Just spread it on, and if some oozes out a millimeter or so onto the rest of the CPU, it won't hurt anything. Unless you lick it.
AS5 is conductive meaning electricty can pass thru it. If you spread it over the untire surface of the chip it will cause some bridges to short and could ruin your CPU.
It's not conductive, it's capacitive. It'll be conductive at very high frequencies, however the exposed bridges on a cpu are likely DC, so it'll be an open circuit. That said, I wouldn't spread it all over my cpu with reckless abandon.
While much safer than electrically conductive silver and copper greases, Arctic Silver 5 should be kept away from electrical traces, pins, and leads. While it is not electrically conductive, the compound is very slightly capacitive and could potentially cause problems if it bridges two close-proximity electrical paths.)
I put it on thin enough where you can still read the stuff printed on the chip's core. Then I spread the excess on the bottom of the heatsink. Works great that way.
I actually rub it into the heatsink rather than on the CPU core - I use it to fill in the pits and gaps on the hs surface to make excellent contact with the cpu core.
When I seat the HS, I push down a bit and turn it back and forth to "spread" the compound onto the core a little bit
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I can't put it in my mouth? darn..
The trick is just not to really overdo it. Take your time, too.
I want it to look just like this most of the way across the cpu. Not the whole area, because I have to leave room for it to ooze out some.
now that I've made my useful post:
I like as much as5 as I can get.
When I seat the HS, I push down a bit and turn it back and forth to "spread" the compound onto the core a little bit