Portal website welcomes everyone who decided to replace the thermal paste on their computer processor themselves! Many of our visitors experience processor overheating. At the same time, a very small part of computer users know how to change and apply thermal paste. In fact, if we are talking about a regular desktop computer (system unit), then replacing thermal paste is not difficult.
We have already given a lot of advice on turning off the computer in the articles “”, “” and “”. All of these publications are useful in their own way. In them we have already responded to quite a lot of comments on various particular situations. They have one problem in common: for many of our visitors, the computer overheats due to poor processor cooling. This is a very common reason, so we decided to tell you in detail how to get rid of it. But first, let's find out why the computer overheats and how to apply thermal paste correctly.
Why does the computer overheat?
What to do if your computer overheats? We need to find out the cause of the overheating. Here are the most common reasons:
- CPU overheating due to insufficient cooling.
- Overheating of the motherboard chipset.
- The computer may overheat due to insufficient air circulation in the system unit.
In this article, we will talk about problems with the processor. To find out its temperature, you can find the desired tab, which shows the current temperature. Depending on the generation of the processor, its normal temperature may vary. But if the processor temperature is above 50 degrees, and the computer overheats and turns off, you should think about replacing the thermal paste. Replacing thermal paste on the processor will not take much time.
How to replace thermal paste
First, let's figure out how to replace thermal paste, which has already served its purpose and is now not a good conductor of heat between the radiator and the radiator. There are many manufacturers of thermal pastes for processors. The most popular brands are: CBT 8, Alsil, Arctic And MX. Actually on CBT We advise you to stop. It is important to remember that any thermal paste dries out over time. How often should you change thermal paste? We recommend changing thermal paste at least once every six months, although modern processors no longer generate as much heat, and the replacement period can be extended.
Thermal paste is a conductor of heat, so you need to apply it wisely. Let's go through all the stages of applying thermal paste together, from opening the system unit to the application itself. Let's assume that we have figured out how to replace thermal paste, let's move on to preparing for application.
Before applying thermal paste
Before changing thermal paste, you need to get to the processor itself. In a regular computer, the sequence of actions before replacing thermal paste on the processor is as follows:
- Turn off the computer and unplug the power supply.
- Remove the cover from the housing.
- To remove the radiator and cooler, you may have to unscrew the motherboard and disconnect all cables. Some cooler models, such as standard ones from Intel, allow you to reach the processor without removing the motherboard.
- After removing the radiator, the processor can be removed, this makes it easier to apply thermal paste.
With laptops and other portable gadgets, things are worse. Getting to the processor can sometimes be quite difficult.
Applying thermal paste to the processor is easy. It is enough to erase the old layer of thermal paste. The processor must be completely clean, and all traces of the previous thermal paste must be removed. After you clean the CPU, you can apply thermal paste to the processor. A small amount is more than enough - you need to apply a thin layer, since, as we wrote above, thermal paste is needed to transfer heat from the source to the radiator. The picture shows the approximate amount of paste.
After this, all you have to do is spread the thermal paste evenly over the surface. It is better to apply thermal paste using some convenient flat plastic object. If you decide to use your finger for this task, you will have to wash it later. If you overdo it and apply too much, it is better to remove the excess, it will only interfere with heat transfer.
This is what the processor should look like with the new thermal paste applied:
As you can see, the paste is applied evenly and in a thin layer. That's all, now you know how to change thermal paste. Don't forget to firmly reinstall the radiator and connect the cooler. Go to website more often!
OmarSK
kais
Hello, my Athlone 3.4 processor requires paste approximately every 2 months, if not replaced it turns off. Is it normal to have to change it so often? And my neighbor also applies toothpaste instead of thermal paste. Is this possible?
graph
Hikase
Nijat
Denis
Laptop HP Pavilion g6
CPU 72 °C (162 °F)
GPU1: GPU Diode 71 °C (160 °F)Good day. The temperature data above is at, as for me, minimal loads (AIDA64 Extreme and Chome are running with two tabs, your site and Yandex), I did the cleaning and replacement of thermal paste 2 days ago. If you close everything and leave “Aida”, the temperature drops to 68. What can you recommend? and will reinstalling the system help? Thank you!
Vadim
Hello. I recently changed the thermal paste on my processor. When I play, the processor heats up to 78 degrees or higher and the computer turns off. Tell me what to do? Maybe with a video card it heats up to 80 and above.
Yuri
Good day. We cleaned the laptop and applied thermal paste, now after a while the temperature turns off from 90-100, the processor says they applied the thermal paste incorrectly, is this true?
Stanislav
Hello, please tell me what could be wrong? On an hp gv 6 laptop, I erased the thermal paste from the processor and, out of my own stupidity, used the laptop without it for about a month, it worked fine, did not turn off, and now it started to turn off after 2 minutes of operation, as soon as it warmed up, it turned off. In cold weather it works a little longer. Please tell me, will thermal paste help me now or is something burned out? Thank you very much in advance
Alexander
Good afternoon, in January 2014 I bought a new professional video card Nvidia Quadro FX 5800, bought it for $3500, it has a turbine installed, and a piece of thermal paste sticks out from under the turbine and it is dry as a stone, when the computer is idle the video card heats up to about 65 degrees, but If you start rendering a video, or work in 3D Max, it heats up to 96-97 degrees, is this normal???
Ivan
After changing the thermal paste, the computer turns off by itself after a minute or two minutes after work, what could it be?? the motherboard or what?
Nata
Thank you very much11 Based on your pictures and comments, I was able to replace the thermal paste myself for the first time))) and the computer began to flutter just like the first day I bought it1 I am very grateful to you)
Vadim
Dmitriy
Hello. I already wrote to you and you answered me on April 22, but I can’t decide to reinstall the OS and I remembered that two weeks before the problems with the computer (it freezes tightly: when started without a disk, Windovs 7 ultimate LIVE CD works longer - a maximum of 2 hours, and I start without it, the computer freezes after 3-5 minutes), that I removed the fan from the video card, the radiator, which slightly lagged behind the chip with difficulty, and in this part of the radiator there is a very hard gray substance. It was possible to remove it from the surface of the chip with a cotton swab, but not from the reader. I filled the recess in this substance on the radiator (under the chip) with thermal paste and after 2 weeks there were problems with freezing. Question: maybe there is still a problem with the video card due to the fact that I forcibly disconnected the radiator from the chip, was it even necessary to do this and replace the thermal paste? do. The Nvidia GE Forse GT440 video card worked flawlessly for 3 years. And also, if with the above disk the computer works longer, then what is the problem? Please give me an answer and advice. And also, when reinstalling the OS, does the Internet need to be configured or will it work automatically?
Nursultan
Nursultan
Hello, I have a pavilion g6 laptop and it heats up to 60 degrees and freezes, I decided to clean it as I cleaned it, I noticed that the thermal paste had become like a stone and I removed the thermal paste, I didn’t have new paste on hand and I decided to temporarily cover it with toothpaste, turn on the laptop, everything works but when I decided to play I noticed that all the keys had changed places, then I opened it back up and removed the toothpaste but didn’t cover it with anything, I turned it on but all the keys changed places if I put in new paste there is a chance that everything will be as before thanks in advance
Andr1o
Good day. Lenovo G570 laptop. Intel processor 2×2.20 GHz, RAM 2: 2 GB and 4 GB. Video chip: Radeon 6370m. The laptop is 7 years old. In principle, it never got too hot; it worked perfectly for 4 years using the factory thermal paste. Then I started changing it every year. The last time I changed it was a year ago, after 4 months the video chip overheated once. Cooled down and continued working. After a couple of months, when installing the driver on this video chip, I get a blue screen. After another 3-4 months, there is no sign of this video chip in the device manager. At the same time, it simply began to turn off. It will work for 3 minutes when loading into the OS and then shut down. It worked fine in the BIOS. I tried to run a memory test without starting the OS - the processor heated up to 71 and was actively (successfully) cooled. Stood there for several hours. After that it works for 5-10 minutes in the OS and turns off. Recently I pulled out the heatsink - the thermal paste on the chips is black, on the processor completely, on the video chip half. Should I only hope to replace it or should I be thinking about something else?
Batsw
Hello, there was a problem with the HP dv6 laptop, there were problems with overheating and a buzzing sound, first I replaced the thermal paste on the processor and on the built-in video card, cleaned everything and the overheating disappeared but the buzzing sound remained, I realized that the problem was in the cooler and I lubricated it with machine oil because it could barely spin (there was no other). The cooler works properly and blows out cooling air, it would seem that everything is fine, but now for some reason the cooler works constantly, whereas before it stopped in energy saving mode, and the performance of the laptop as a whole has dropped (games give microfreezes, it does not pull up HD60fps video on YouTube, and if you open several applications then everything gets even worse, although even with overheating it could run 1080p60fps video in parallel with the game). Can you tell me what the problem might be? Also, the processor is loaded only by 35 percent with difficulty
Before applying thermal paste to the processor, you should figure out how often this is done and why. The next step is the correct choice of insulating material. And finally, the last thing is the application process itself, which is relatively simple, but still requires compliance with certain rules that are not always known to non-specialists.
The need to change thermal paste
The processor is one of the most important parts of a computer. With its help, millions and even billions of operations are performed per second, resulting in overheating. The use of fans with radiators helps to avoid a critical situation when the processor temperature leads to malfunctions. Excess heat is transferred to the cooler, closer contact with which is ensured by a special insulator - thermal paste. The same goes for a video card that overheats during prolonged use (except for options with passive cooling, when the radiator is already attached to the GPU).
If the paste is not used, something like the following may happen:
- An overheated processor will cause the system to freeze, reducing usability and even leading to the risk of losing information;
- The motherboard will completely fail, leading to the need for serious computer repairs.
The first time the paste is applied immediately after installing the processor on the board, if the assembly is done independently. For a PC that has already been assembled and is under warranty, and especially a laptop, this should not be done because of the possibility of losing the right to free service.
In the future, thermal paste is changed on average once a year for powerful and, especially, overclocked processors, both central and graphic. For lower-performing chips, the material can be applied less frequently. The reason for early replacement is slowdown of the device, unexplained reboots and freezes.
When choosing an insulator suitable for lubricating a processor, you should not pay attention to cheap options like KTP-8. Moreover, the thermal paste market has more effective materials created over the past few years.
Most of the materials are made using silicone and zinc oxide. Although the packaging of some types of pastes contains information about the presence of silver, ceramic or carbon particles in the composition. They increase the contact area between the processor and the heatsink, increasing system reliability.
Note! For the most powerful processors, it is worth using materials containing copper and gold. These metals have the highest thermal conductivity among all that paste is made from.
Application stages
Even knowing how to apply the paste correctly and having the right material, you can make a mistake that will lead to disruption of the processor. Therefore, during the work process, certain rules should be observed:
- The paste is applied evenly and distributed over the entire area of the lubricated processor and that part of the radiator that comes into contact with it;
- The thickness of the layer should be minimal - almost transparent, allowing you to see the symbols written on the part;
- There cannot be gaps or breaks in the thermal paste, leading to a decrease in contact.
Step 1. Preparatory work
Before starting work on lubricating the processor, you need to disconnect it from the network and remove all parts that prevent you from getting to the chipset itself. Including the wall of the system unit, the radiator and its cooler. For a laptop, you must additionally remove the battery.
Step 2. Cleaning up old residues
After removing the cooling system, remove the remains of dried material left over from the last time. They also do this with a new processor that has already had thermal paste applied - usually the cheapest and most ineffective options are used when selling.
Important! To remove paste from the chipset and radiator, you must use cotton swabs or cotton napkins.
The easiest way to remove grease is to use isopropyl alcohol or an alcohol solution (70–90%) in which the materials used for wiping are wetted. For insulator that has not completely dried, you can also use a ruler, and for hardened insulator, you can use a regular school eraser. The latter method takes a relatively long time, which is required to rub the metal part until it shines, but as a result the processor remains intact.
The need for careful removal is caused by uneven surfaces of the processor and radiator, as a result of which microscopic particles may remain on them, negatively affecting thermal conductivity.
Step 3. Application and distribution of material
The first stage of application is to place a small drop of paste in the central part of the surface of the part to be lubricated - that is, the processor. The cooler radiator does not require lubrication at all, since it has an area larger than the total contact surface. And by applying an insulator to it, you can waste extra material and even short-circuit the contacts on the motherboard.
Distribute the paste over the processor using:
- A plastic card or other small object of the same thickness (for example, a SIM card);
- A special brush (spatula), sometimes sold together with thermal paste or purchased separately;
- Wear rubber gloves on fingers.
If material accidentally leaves the processor, it should be carefully removed using a special solution.
For each type of paste, the answer to the question of what layer to apply it with is different. For ordinary material this is approximately 0.5 mm. For paste containing precious metals, about 1 mm. Sometimes one drop squeezed out of the tube may not be enough to lubricate. In this case, apply a second one and repeat the same steps.
Step 4: Shut down
Once the paste is applied, the job is finished. Now you need to install the cooler on the chipset until the special fasteners snap into place and return the entire structure to the motherboard. After this, the fan is connected to power, and the computer or laptop is put back together.
After turning on the PC, you should check in the BIOS how many degrees the system shows. On average, the processor should heat up to no more than 40 degrees. For AMD or Semptron models, temperatures up to 60–90 degrees are allowed.
Overheating of the computer, causing the system to freeze, interferes with work or gameplay (given that both the CPU and GPU are under high load during gaming). And in order to avoid such a situation, you should, first of all, apply thermal paste on time. Secondly, carry out preventive maintenance by ensuring proper care of the insides of the device - removing dust from time to time and cleaning the ventilation holes. And for PC users who are doing this kind of work for the first time, it’s worth checking out the video clip showing how to apply the paste correctly.
If the computer just turns on by itself, these are some of the signs that the thermal paste on the processor needs to be replaced.
This is important because the processor is the brain of the computer. If you don’t keep an eye on him, then your work will be full of rather unpleasant surprises.
Thermal paste is applied in a layer between the processor itself and its cooler (some manage to call it a “fan”). It is an intermediate layer and serves as a conductor between these two components. With its help, proper cooling of the processor from the air entering through the cooler is ensured.
Why is it so difficult? Yes, because to ensure proper cooling, there must be a minimum distance between the processor and the cooler. And no matter how you grind both surfaces, it will not be perfectly smooth. Microscopic gaps still remain and the repair paste eliminates them (on the cooler and processor) by filling it in and creating a small additional layer.
The main problem is that many people are afraid to apply and change thermal paste because... They think they can’t handle it and will break something. Therefore, they either leave everything as is (ultimately leading to sad consequences), or give it to service centers (paying money) or to friends who are more or less versed in this.
However, the replacement process is not that difficult.
But before you start, wouldn’t it be better to make do with “small sacrifices”? Read the article. Maybe after this everything will be fine and you won’t need to replace the thermal paste.
However, if everything is in order in the system unit and you still decide to replace the thermal paste, then read on...
What do we need? A screwdriver, a plastic card (you can even use cardboard, but it’s thick enough), toilet paper (you can also use cotton wool or cotton swabs) and the thermal paste itself:
So, let's begin the procedure for replacing thermal paste.
First of all, turn off the computer, and then disassemble the system unit and place it sideways on the floor (table) so that the motherboard with all its components can be seen.
Now you need to disconnect the cooler from the processor by all possible means. And here a lot depends on your socket (connector) on the motherboard. For example, on the fairly popular socket 775 you need to unscrew the latches according to the arrows indicated on them
and then pull the fasteners up and try to lift the cooler. Very often this does not work out the first time.
There may also be other types of sockets, for example from AMD they often use the following latch coolers:
which needs to be moved aside and more fastenings removed:
In the end, we should end up with something like this:
The hardest part of replacing the thermal paste is over.
Next you need to disconnect the processor from the socket. If you are afraid, then you can leave it there (which is fraught with accidental clogging of the “motherboard”), but if you decide, then move the mount to the side (the metal handle) and lift it up:
Raise the mount vertically (the processor will feel free and may change its position slightly) and leave it in that position.
Then we remove the processor with our fingers and rejoice.
As a result, the table should look something like this:
Doesn't look very nice, does it? Therefore, now we clean the radiator and processor from the remnants of old thermal paste using toilet paper or cotton wool. By the way, you can even use a fine-pile cloth, such as microfiber. But few people dare to sacrifice such material.
If the old thermal paste is too dry and does not work, you can use alcohol-containing liquids by applying a little of it to paper/cotton/rag.
Ultimately it should be something like this:
Dry and clean.
And now the interesting part of applying thermal paste to the processor begins. Here are a few points to know:
1)
Thermal paste is applied either to the heatsink or to the processor. On one of two surfaces that subsequently come into contact. Under no circumstances apply to both! Spare the thermal paste. Although you buy a tube for one replacement (in most cases) and there is a lot of it in the tube, you don’t need to use it all up.
Usually applied to the processor, because You can see it better there and it seems to be more important.
2) How much thermal paste should I apply? Not a particularly exciting question, but it follows from the first point. It is necessary to calculate as accurately as possible the amount required for distribution over the entire surface thin layer.
A very important note on this point - in the end, the thermal paste should not fall off the edges of the processor or, on the contrary, there should be “holes” and “patterns” with empty space. There shouldn't be any bubbles either. The layer should be as thin as possible and at the same time uniform.
3)
How exactly to apply thermal paste? There is a lot of controversy about this. I mean that someone applies a little along the edge and then smears it:
and someone drips in the middle and starts from there:
This is a purely personal opinion and do whatever is more convenient for you. At least to the card first, and then to the percentage. The main thing is that in the end the point is met 2 , namely, so that the layer is thin, without gaps and does not flow down the edges:
or
This is precisely the difference between when the processor was removed from the socket and when it was changed directly on the motherboard. Be sure to remove any residue from the edges.
By the way, you need to smear it with a plastic card, namely its edge. You can determine the degree of pressure experimentally.
Everything worked out? Fine. Now we put everything back in place as it was.
If you took out the processor, then I remind you that in order to place it correctly in the socket, there is a special triangle on it:
it is also in the socket on the motherboard:
You just need to combine them and everything will be fine.
Don't forget about the processor mount.
The cooler is installed in the same way, only in reverse order.
After we have changed the thermal paste, we try to turn on the computer. If it turns on, check for functionality. Have all the facts that caused you to start the replacement disappeared?
If it doesn’t turn on, then look carefully to see if the processor, cooler and thermal paste are installed correctly in the socket. Everything should be in its place and securely and tightly fastened.
Finally, I will answer a few more related questions.
How much thermal paste should I apply?- Exactly enough so that if it comes into close contact with the radiator, it does not leak out, and also so that there are no gaps. If you neglect this, the processor may heat up even more than usual.
Some people advise that before finally fixing the cooler, move it around the processor a little so that the excess flows out on its own. However, I am not a fan of this method because... I believe that if you apply a thin layer and correctly, there will be no excess. And these “body movements” can create a gap between them, which can lead to overheating in the future.
Which thermal paste is the best?- Nobody will give a definite answer. Someone will praise one, and someone, on the contrary, will scold her because... depends on many factors (its shelf life, production, method of application, temperature, characteristics, “straightness”, etc.). Therefore, there is no better thermal paste. Everyone is good. But if you take it in the price segment, then it’s worth taking some strong, popular “mid-range” for about 500-800 rubles.
How often should you change thermal paste?- This is also a rather interesting question to which no one can give the correct answer. Depends on the use of the computer. For example, if the room is dusty and exposed to high temperatures (for example, near a battery), then it is advisable after six months to a year. If you treat it with care, then you can go 2-3 years without worrying about replacing it. Of course, now many people thought to themselves, “Pfft... yes, everything has been fine for me for 5-8 years now,” or “yes, mine has an 8-year guarantee that it will not dry out.” However, if there are no blue screens of death, freezes, reboots and other indications of thermal paste drying out, this does not mean that it should not be replaced. Maybe the processor there is trying with all its processing power to make it seem to you that everything is fine, but in fact the cooler has long been cooling not it, but the solid thermal paste, from which the processor gets little benefit.
In general, my advice is this: change it every 3 years during normal use and the processor will live peacefully.
If you have any questions or missed anything, write in the comments.
Thermal paste protects the CPU cores and sometimes the video card from overheating. The cost of high-quality paste is low, and changes need to be made less often (depending on individual parameters). The application process is not very complicated.
Also, replacing thermal paste is not always necessary. Some machines have an excellent cooling system and/or not too powerful processors, which, even if the existing layer becomes completely unusable, allows you to avoid a significant increase in temperature.
If you notice that the computer case has begun to overheat (the cooling system is noisier than usual, the case has become hotter, performance has dropped), then you need to think about changing the thermal paste.
For those who assemble a computer themselves, applying thermal paste to the processor is mandatory. The thing is that at first the processor “off the counter” may heat up more than usual.
However, if you bought a computer or laptop that is still under warranty, it is better to refrain from replacing the thermal paste yourself for two reasons:
- The device is still under warranty, and any independent “invasion” by the user into the “insides” of the device will most likely entail loss of warranty. As a last resort, contact the service center with all complaints about the operation of the machine. Specialists will find out what the problem is and fix it under warranty.
- If the device is still under warranty, then most likely you bought it no more than a year ago. During this time, thermal paste rarely has time to dry out and become unusable. Please note that frequent changes of thermal paste, as well as assembly and disassembly of a computer (especially a laptop) also negatively affect its service life (in the long term).
Thermal paste should ideally be applied once every 1-1.5 years. Here are some tips for choosing the right insulator:
What are the consequences of refusing to apply thermal paste to the CPU (especially for PCs with poor cooling and/or a powerful processor):
- Slowdown of work speed - from minor slowdowns to serious bugs.
- There is a risk that a hot processor will damage the motherboard. In this case, you may even need to completely replace your computer/laptop.
Stage 1: preparatory work
This is done in several steps:
Stage 2: application
Follow these steps when applying:
When the work is completed, after 20-30 minutes, assemble the device to its original state. It is also recommended to check the processor temperature.
It is not difficult to apply thermal paste to the processor; you just need to be careful and follow basic safety rules when working with computer components. High-quality and correctly applied paste can last a long time.
When answering the question of how to apply thermal paste correctly, you cannot bypass the process of choosing it. Today there are a large number of types of these products on the market, from famous and lesser-known manufacturers.
Choose from a wide range
KPT-8 thermal paste is more widely represented on the Russian market. It is valued for its low cost and good thermal conductivity.
If you are looking for a more expensive and reliable option, you can turn to foreign manufacturers such as Zalman, Titan, Geil. These options will cost more, but they are more durable in use, and you will have to worry much less about the temperature of your processor.
Signs of high-quality thermal paste
To understand how to apply thermal paste correctly, you should take a responsible approach to its specifications. In your choice, pay attention to the shelf life. If there are none, we can conclude that the manufacturer considers its paste to be durable - this is a good sign. Among other things, we recommend paying attention to the following indicators:
- Relative liquid of thermal paste: it should not be liquid, but its solid state is a bad sign. Look for something in between; a substance like this spreads well over the surface and is soft to the touch.
- High resistance to extreme processor temperatures. If thermal paste has to cope with transferring heat to the heatsink, failure or, worse, fire may otherwise occur.
- Also pay attention to the packaging: it can be a tube or jar. For the average user, the first option is quite suitable, since it costs less and is sufficient for at least two or three uses. In any case, always start from your needs and requirements.
So, we have figured out a little about the choice of thermal paste for application. Making the right choice will help you avoid problems that will arise if the selection criteria are not met. Let's move on to how to properly apply thermal paste to the processor.
Portable devices
Let's start with laptops - the gadgets most susceptible to overheating when used for two or more years. By this time, the thermal paste has already dried out, and if the device has not been cleaned of dust, hardening may occur even earlier.
It is almost impossible to unequivocally answer the question of how to correctly apply thermal paste to a laptop processor, since each device has its own procedure for disassembling components. So let's look at the main points:
- Firstly, we advise you to replace the thermal paste on your laptop as rarely as possible. The main reason is that in most cases the processor chip is not protected in any way, so it can be easily damaged. The same applies to other components of the gadget.
- Thermal paste should be applied in a minimally thin layer, but there should be no gaps. The smaller the layer, the better. This is relevant because the more thermal paste on the processor, the less thermal conductivity of the substance itself will be.
- After reconnecting the heatsink, excess thermal paste can be removed so that it does not interfere in the future, and also does not in any way affect other components of the device.
We've covered the basics of how to properly apply thermal paste on a laptop. The main requirements in this case will be accuracy and attentiveness. After a couple of substitutions, this task will seem quite easy to you; you just need practice.
Full-fledged personal computers
We have already figured out how to properly apply thermal paste to a laptop processor, but have not yet touched on the “big brothers” - the system units.
If you are the lucky owner of one, then you can be happy, because replacing thermal paste on a desktop processor is much easier than on a mobile one.
So, you will need: a screwdriver, alcohol or its substitute (to degrease the surface), thermal paste itself, dry and wet wipes. Once you have everything you need for replacement, follow the simple instructions below.
When figuring out how to apply thermal paste correctly, try not to forget about personal hygiene. You may leave dirt on the processor cover, which will interfere with its thermal conductivity. To avoid such an incident, use gloves.
Once everything is taken care of, remove the housing cover. This can be done by unscrewing by hand or using a screwdriver the two bolts on which it is attached.
Set the cover aside and turn your attention to the processor cooler. If you notice that the system unit is very dusty, we advise you to first clean the computer of dirt to avoid possible problems.
Remove the processor cooler: this can be done by unscrewing the 4 bolts from the mount or by turning the “legs”, it all depends on the type of product. To find out how to remove your specific cooler, we recommend that you refer to the instructions.
Clean the surface of the processor cover dry with napkins and degrease it with alcohol.
Apply new thermal paste using your finger or a discarded plastic card. Remember: in the question of how to properly apply thermal paste, we must not forget about its optimal distribution. Try to keep the layer as thin as possible.
Video cards
This is perhaps the most difficult section in the topic. Video adapters are very sensitive, and selling a disassembled copy once will be more difficult. Try to be careful about how to properly apply thermal paste to your video card, and remember that in most cases this will void your right to warranty service.
You will need to remove the video card cooler and its radiators. Be extremely careful if the video adapter does not have a backplate (a part of the video card that protects its board from mechanical impact).
Using the techniques described above, apply thermal paste as thinly as possible, after wiping the application area with a degreasing solution.
Bottom line
After completing the operation with all the necessary components, return the system unit to its previous state.
So, we figured out the basics of how to properly apply thermal paste to the processor and other PC components. With a little practice, the process will no longer be difficult for you.
