Applying Arctic Silver

sundevil_1997 · Post by **sundevil_1997** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:18 am

So I'm trying to get better CPU cooling going on. I had originally bought and used some generic thermal paste, but wasn't quite seeing the temps I wanted, even at idle. So, I bought some arctic silver.

It comes in a little syringe....and no directions at all. I know that I apply a THIN LAYER, but:

1) How do I get a thin, even layer? Do I squirt some on and spread it around with something?
2) Is the syringe of AC meant to have multiple doses? I'm just guessing I'm not meant to use the entire syringe full on this one cpu.
3) Do I just put the cap back on when I'm done and it stores ok?

The CPU is a P4 1.4 on an ASUS P4T motherboard. The HSF is what came with the retail CPU.

Thanks!

kloppe · Post by **kloppe** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:31 am

The AS instructions are all online. In your case, here.

sundevil_1997 · Post by **sundevil_1997** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:34 am

kloppe wrote:The AS instructions are all online. In your case, here.

Geeezz...

I can't believe I missed that. Thanks.

EDIT: Now that I've read them, I think I might have posted anyways.

So I just apply a small drop of it in the middle of the CPU and HOPE that the heat sink spreads it out? FREAKY. (I have the AC5). I can't believe the whole surface doesn't have to be covered.

m0002a · Post by **m0002a** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:52 am

If you have a CPU like AMD 64 or P4, the large surface is actually a heat spreader. Underneath the heat spreader is the CPU core in the center of the heat spreader. THe core is where the heat is.

Besides the fact that the core is in the middle of the heat spreader, putting the paste in the center helps insure that no air pockets develop between the heatsink and the top of the CPU heatspreader.

Project · Post by **Project** » Sat Apr 09, 2005 9:52 am

i take a card and spread that drop as much as i can on the cpu as thinly as possible, and use the extra on the heatsink. get rid of the grooves.

Straker · Post by **Straker** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 12:15 am

yeah, the actual CPU core is tiny, about 1cm square, so their suggestion of just using one glob in the middle is pretty good. most heatsinks are mounted with 10-20 pounds of pressure anyways, so after a while that drop is going to perfectly fill every gap where it matters anyways, with no risk of bubbles forming. i usually rub some AS around on the heatsink/spreader with a glove, then wipe off any excess (i think that's in the directions anyways?), then put a drop in the middle of the spreader, then leave it unless temps are weird.

sthayashi · Post by **sthayashi** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 2:37 pm

I've been following this method. It seems to work well enough for me.

dfrost · Post by **dfrost** » Sun Apr 10, 2005 2:39 pm

I explicitly follow the AS instructions for P4 chips with only a small amount in the center of the heatspreader. Then I rotate the HS slightly before clamping it down.

I just had reason to remove the Zalman 7000B today (to install an isolated Yate Loon fan - nice improvement!) from the P4 Northbridge CPU. The distribution of AS5 over the surface of the heatspreader was amazingly uniform, and temperatures have always been moderate and consistent.

AS claims there's enough in that syringe for 15-20 uses.