Thermal Paste dilemma

Nive11enNive11en Europe
edited February 2004 in Hardware
Hello, I've been recently thinking about buying thermal paste. I have already gotten suggestions to get the Artic Silver 3 or 5 from this forum. But when my friend heard, he said I shouldn't because anything with silver will transfer electricity and can burn your cpu. He rather said to buy a ceramique Artic. I would like to use the thermal paste on my Amd Athlon Xp 2000+. Is artic silver guaranteed to be safe and it actually does not transfer electricity? I suppose my friend was wrong? (would be stupid to sell stuff that burns your cpu anyway lol)
Are there any guides on applying it on your cpu?
Should I get the artic silver and be 100% sure nothing will be wrong, or rather get that ceramique?

Comments

  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    I've used artic silver3 with no problems whatsoever. I also used ceramique. Either one will do nicely.

    The rumor that your friend started is not 100% correct. Yes it might be slightly conductive because of the silver in it, but it will not "burn" or "fry" your cpu, that's bogus. If the AS3 happens to make contact with the dots ( bridges) on the cpu, the cpu will malfunction and you'll get errors, not kill it. Just wipe off with alcohol or nail polish remover and that's it. Cpu will live.

    Your friend needs to do some more research if he lives by this rule.
  • rapturerapture
    edited February 2004
    Your friend does have a good point though. Its not gonna hurt a lot not using a conductive thermal paste and if thats what hes comfortable with then thats gonna be the best goop for him to use.

    Do AMD still not offer a warrenty on CPUs where silver based thermal paste has been used?

    If you are careful you shouldnt run into any problems.
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    Rapture, my friend also said that AMD does not recommend using thermal paste on any of it's cpu's and therefore does not offer warranty for any incidents resulting from thermal paste misuse. (I did not check on the AMD site, I'm not 100% sure).

    On another hand, you guys know any good tutorials for that? (like how much of it to put, where to put it, etc.)

    Suggestion: one of you guys from the Icrontic site, should make a tutorial on it - I did not find anything relating to thermal paste in the archives.
  • Mr--ThompsonMr--Thompson Exeter, CA, USA
    edited February 2004
    Using any heatsink other than the stock unit supplied with a boxed processor or using any interface material other than the pre-applied pad on the stock heatsink can be used by AMD as a reason to not honor their warranty.

    This only applies to boxed processors that come with the AMD heatsink. OEM (tray) processors have no AMD warranty at all.

    Colin Thompson
    Arctic Silver, Inc.
  • verselloversello New
    edited February 2004
    I reccomend putting a dab (a spec/drop/tiny bit) on the core itself. Then get a piece of paper and fold it up, then use that to "spread" the goop over the core. It should be as thin and flat as possible, but you certainly DONT have to make it perfect.

    And what neb said, is correct. The only chance of error is if the compound you're using goes-where-it-shouldnt-go.
  • CycloniteCyclonite Tampa, Florida Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    I normally do a small dot of it in the corner of the core, then spread it with a credit card or something similar. I try to cover the entire top of the core and make the layer quite thin.
  • stoopidstoopid Albany, NY New
    edited February 2004
    Hey Colin, it's Pinky from overclockers... funny seeing you around these parts :)

    Thanks for stopping in, hope to see you around here more!
  • Mr--ThompsonMr--Thompson Exeter, CA, USA
    edited February 2004
    LOL, howdy Pinky. :D

    I'll check in as time allows. I was a regular on the old Icrontic forums.
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    So what's the difference between the Arctic Silver 3,5 and the Arctic Ceramique then?
    Which would be the best choice for a AMD Athlon XP 2000+?

    My stupid guess is: Arctic Silver 5 is an upgraded version of 3, and Ceramique is for people who want to feel safe ;)
  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    If you're going sub zero use ceramigue. If not, use either AS3 or 5 which ever you can get/have. There really isn't a "best" thermal paste unless you want to be rocket scientist precise down to the millionth of a second close to the actual reading.
  • Massive_gasMassive_gas Baghdad
    edited February 2004
    http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    Sub zero cooling? Whatever that is I won't be doing it.
    Probably get AS3 or 5 for regular cpu->heatsink cooling.
    Thanks massive for the link, now I know I gotta apply it to the heatsink also, rub it in, and wipe it off from the heatsink.
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    I ordered Arctic Silver 5 - it'll be with me this friday. :D:D:D
  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    kewlness. Keep us posted.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    I use Arctic silver 5, and apply it EXACTLY as it is recomended.

    To spread the dab on the core I use a razor blade. Gives a nice smooooth thin layer.:D
  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    I personally use the credit card method :D
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    I'll use the *bare finger* method :D ofc.
  • verselloversello New
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Nive11en
    I'll use the *bare finger* method :D ofc.

    That stuff is hella HARD to wash off!
  • Mr--ThompsonMr--Thompson Exeter, CA, USA
    edited February 2004
    Bare fingers are not recommended. The oils from your skin and possibly dead skin cells will contaminate the thermal interface. It's easy to see a 3 to 4 C rise in temps on our test rigs when using a bare finger to apply compounds.
  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    Originally posted by Mr. Thompson
    Bare fingers are not recommended. The oils from your skin and possibly dead skin cells will contaminate the thermal interface. It's easy to see a 3 to 4 C rise in temps on our test rigs when using a bare finger to apply compounds.

    I cunur.
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    I was just joking.

    Also I noticed Mr. Thompson did say "It's easy to see a 3 to 4 C rise in temps on our test rigs when using a bare finger to apply compounds." So someone was brave enough to use bare fingers? (..and upon second inspection of this thread I noticed Versello commented It's hella hard to wash off) Well nerf :rolleyes:

    My plan will be to:
    put a dab on the bottom of heatsink, shove my hand in a plastic bag, then with round movements try to spread the thermal paste, then with some kind of cloth or kleenex (kleenex tissues good for that you think? or not?) material wipe off the paste and hope bits of it are stuck in the microscopic heatsink ridges
    then put a dab of it on the processor core and use a precision tool to coat it perfectly as suggested on the official arctic site
    presto!
  • Nive11enNive11en Europe
    edited February 2004
    Important - I got another question:
    With what should I clean off my amd athlon xp processor core, can I do it with high percantage alcholol (95% alcohol - dont know the name in english, in my country we call it "spirytus") and with some tissue? (kleenexes are a no, they leave white particles of cloth I'm guessing)
  • NebulousNebulous New York, The Empire State
    edited February 2004
    Best if you use cotton balls or q-tips instead of the tissue.
  • Mr--ThompsonMr--Thompson Exeter, CA, USA
    edited February 2004
    "Spirytus" is fine but use a lense tissue or coffee filter. Q-Tips, cotton balls, Kleenex, paper towels, etc. may leave lint behind.
  • ZuntarZuntar North Carolina Icrontian
    edited February 2004
    A lot of tissues and some cotton balls/swabs have lotion and other "oily/greasy" compunds added.:eek:

    Choose wisely.;)

    Coffee filter........ huh.........got plenty of those!

    cOfFeE, CoFfEe....MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmmmm Zuntar drools.
  • CCWCCW Suffolk, UK
    edited February 2004
    Hey Colin!

    Its CCW from XtremeSystems, wrote an AS5 review a little while back.

    Anyone in doubt, buy Arctic Silver 5 over Arctic Silver 3. Its much better, got 4 tubes here, I like to stock up.Ceramique based pastes are good for when your cooling below 0*C (Freezing point of water) so for Chilled Watercooling/T.E.C/Phase Change systems a Ceramique based paste is best. The Arctic Silver pastes arent designed to be run at really low temps.

    Craig
  • phlipphlip hell
    edited February 2004
    arctic silver is only conductive under high compression levels
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