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    GL73 Torn Thermal Pads

    Discussion in 'MSI' started by Valour549, Jun 18, 2019.

  1. Valour549

    Valour549 Notebook Geek

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    Doing a CPU/GPU repaste. As you can see the thermal pads around the GPU were stuck on very tight and thus torn when I removed the heatsink (those around the CPU are fine and stayed in one piece). What should I do now:

    1) Clean all the torn pads and apply thermal paste (non-conductive CM Mastergel Maker) to all the rectangular chipsets (is that the correct term?), as I would for the CPU/GPU.

    2) Just do the CPU/GPU and leave the torn pads as is.

    3) Other suggestions? Thanks!

    [​IMG]
    image upload
     
  2. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    Replace the thermal pads, though you will want to determine the thickness of the pads which might be in service manual or perhaps a member here could get you that information.
     
  3. Valour549

    Valour549 Notebook Geek

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    Dunno where to get them TBH, and as you said also the thickness. What's the second best thing I could do?

    Obviously if I just put the heatsink back on there will be gaps between the torn pad-interface. What if I don't remove the pads and just apply a small amount (tiny dot) of my 11W/mk non-conductive thermal paste onto each rectangle, that way the paste will bridge the gaps between the torn pad-interface?
     
  4. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    Not generally a good idea. Amazon/ebay has plenty of thermal pads

    Best thing to do is figure out what your thermal pad sizes are and purchase them, if your machine isnt used in immediate production that would be for the best instead of rushing it.
     
  5. Valour549

    Valour549 Notebook Geek

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    I don't live in a country that has access to ebay/Amazon unfortunately. And I quite want to use the laptop since I just bought it. I don't think there will be any downside of CM mastergel filling the thermal pads interface, its not like they'll react right?

    I'm debating between doing my idea and just leaving the pads be and just close the heatsink. BTW what are those black rectangles? Chipset? Part of the GPU?
     
  6. Reciever

    Reciever D! For Dragon!

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    Its not simply about having thermal paste on those surfaces, the pads create resistance to the heatsink in most cases, no pads = no resistance = potential lopsided heatsink.

    Those are VRAM modules

    But it doesnt sound like your going to take the safe route, best of luck I guess lol
     
  7. Valour549

    Valour549 Notebook Geek

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    Well the two fans on either side actually dictate the entire heatsink's being even, I may have to tighten the four screws on the GPU to ensure good contact of the GPU and heatsink if that's what you're referring to.

    Guess I'm just gona yolo it and go with my theorycrafting of tiny amounts of paste between pads and hopes it works out XDDD
     
  8. senso

    senso Notebook Deity

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    They are not torn..

    Its just a thicker thermal paste, that behaves like a jam, if you use thermal paste, you will need to use a LOT on each VRAM, inductor and MOSFET, because that thermal goop is bridging a 0,5 to 1mm gap..

    If you really can't get thermal pads where you live, use a fine tweezer and try to put as much squeezed out thermal "goop" on the top of each chip, so it will be spread again when you put the heatsink back on.
     
  9. Valour549

    Valour549 Notebook Geek

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    But I'm not removing the pads, neither the parts remaining on the VRAMs nor the parts stuck to the heatsink. So I guess buffering their thickness with paste works? I don't want to put too much paste, or the whole board is gonna get so messy next time I open up lol.