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    CPU heatsink

    Discussion in 'Hardware Components and Aftermarket Upgrades' started by hehe299792458, Jan 6, 2010.

  1. hehe299792458

    hehe299792458 Notebook Deity

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    I can't seem to figure out what I should do with this heatsink (see attached picture).

    1) there seems to be a thin layer of thin foil on the heatsink. Should I tear that off?

    2) there seems to be a clay-like substance under the tin foil. Do I just use that or should I still apply regular thermal paste?
     

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    hehe299792458, Jan 6, 2010
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  2. H.A.L. 9000

    H.A.L. 9000 Occam's Chainsaw

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    I've heard of this stuff, it's a really soft metal that when it gets hot it kinda "forms" to the cpu... really conductive for heat.. but that's just what I've read. IDK honestly. That's an interestingly *clean* setup there. Is that an HTPC? I see it's got SO-DIMM and a T9600 so I'm guessing so..
     
    H.A.L. 9000, Jan 6, 2010
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  3. hehe299792458

    hehe299792458 Notebook Deity

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    Yes, it's a HTPC. So should I rip off the thin layer or thin foil or whatever it is and keep the soft stuff underneath?
     
    hehe299792458, Jan 6, 2010
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  4. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    Yes, remove the foil and the clay-like stuff underneath until you get to bare metal. You'll want to put your thermal paste to make contact between your CPU/GPU and the bare metal of the heatsink.
     
    Judicator, Jan 7, 2010
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  5. K-TRON

    K-TRON Hi, I'm Jimmy Diesel ^_^

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    You can get rid of the metal, but keep those thermal pads on the end of the heatsink. Thermal pads are substantially thicker than thermal paste, so if you removed them, the parts which they touch will not conduct heat into the heatsink

    K-TRON
     
    K-TRON, Jan 7, 2010
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  6. Judicator

    Judicator Judged and found wanting.

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    Oh, yes. The clay/plasticene like stuff on the end (thermal pad) that's not connected to the foil at all should stay.
     
    Judicator, Jan 7, 2010
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