CPUs using Thermal Compound

[Bob Gezelter]

It is worth remembering that the thermal compound used to ensure heat transfer from CPUs to heat sinks has a finite life, measured in significantly less than a decade.

Thermal grease failure can masquerade as many different problems, with the common root cause being processor overheating. One could easily think that the problem is elsewhere, perhaps a failed CPU, clogged fan, or failed fan; all of which are far more costly than the US$10 for a small syringe of thermal grease.

An Intel article on replacing thermal grease can be found at: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[Robert A. Brooks]

Post by Bob Gezelter
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

The last several boxed Intel CPU's I've bought for builds have come with the
thermal interface material already applied.

[Bob Gezelter]

Post by Robert A. Brooks

Post by Bob Gezelter
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

The last several boxed Intel CPU's I've bought for builds have come with the
thermal interface material already applied.
--
-- Rob

Rob,

Quite. However, the material that comes with the original package has a finite life, a few years. The problem happens when the material ages.

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

[John Reagan]

Post by Bob Gezelter

Post by Robert A. Brooks

Post by Bob Gezelter
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

The last several boxed Intel CPU's I've bought for builds have come with the
thermal interface material already applied.
--
-- Rob

Rob,
Quite. However, the material that comes with the original package has a finite life, a few years. The problem happens when the material ages.
- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com

I used Arctic Silver. I removed the one that came with the CPU/fan combo from Intel. That's been 5+ years ago.

Just started HW Monitor and I'm at a chilly 23C/73F temperature. I'm not a gamer but I do run Virtual Box. I should go start one of those to see. Spiked to 27C/80F but back to 25C/77F.

Besides the thermal paste, keep out the cat hair. :)

[Stephen Hoffman]

Post by John Reagan

Post by Bob Gezelter

Post by Robert A. Brooks

Post by Bob Gezelter
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

The last several boxed Intel CPU's I've bought for builds have come
with the thermal interface material already applied.

Quite. However, the material that comes with the original package has a
finite life, a few years. The problem happens when the material ages.

I used Arctic Silver. I removed the one that came with the CPU/fan
combo from Intel. That's been 5+ years ago.
Just started HW Monitor and I'm at a chilly 23C/73F temperature. I'm
not a gamer but I do run Virtual Box. I should go start one of those
to see. Spiked to 27C/80F but back to 25C/77F.
Besides the thermal paste, keep out the cat hair. :)

I've met more than a few crusty thermal connections on AlphaServer DS10
and DS10L servers.

Some that were particularly prone to overheating were found with mere
scraps of badly-degraded thermal tape under the heatsink.

if you have a DS10 or earlier Alpha, or one prone to running warm, I'd
suggest swapping the coin cell while you're in the box, and re-pasting
the Alpha processor.

[John Reagan]

Also, on my last build, I bought a case with a side-window (it was on sale compared to the normal case).
I did it to have a view of the dust situation on the inside. I can look at the CPU fan without taking the machine
apart or even powering it off. My PCI bus is actually empty as I don't have a fancy graphics card.

[Rich Jordan]

Post by Stephen Hoffman

Post by Bob Gezelter

Post by Robert A. Brooks

Post by Bob Gezelter
https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

The last several boxed Intel CPU's I've bought for builds have come
with the thermal interface material already applied.

Quite. However, the material that comes with the original package has a
finite life, a few years. The problem happens when the material ages.

I used Arctic Silver. I removed the one that came with the CPU/fan
combo from Intel. That's been 5+ years ago.
Just started HW Monitor and I'm at a chilly 23C/73F temperature. I'm
not a gamer but I do run Virtual Box. I should go start one of those
to see. Spiked to 27C/80F but back to 25C/77F.
Besides the thermal paste, keep out the cat hair. :)

I've met more than a few crusty thermal connections on AlphaServer DS10
and DS10L servers.
Some that were particularly prone to overheating were found with mere
scraps of badly-degraded thermal tape under the heatsink.
if you have a DS10 or earlier Alpha, or one prone to running warm, I'd
suggest swapping the coin cell while you're in the box, and re-pasting
the Alpha processor.
--
Pure Personal Opinion | HoffmanLabs LLC

Did the CPU thermals and the Dallas clock chip also on the DS10-L and the DS10. We did lose the DS10 a couple of years ago (mainboard, something failed) but the DS10-L mainboard is now living happily in the DS10 case with those delightful extra slots.

[Stephen Hoffman]

Post by Rich Jordan
Did the CPU thermals and the Dallas clock chip also on the DS10-L and
the DS10. We did lose the DS10 a couple of years ago (mainboard,
something failed) but the DS10-L mainboard is now living happily in the
DS10 case with those delightful extra slots.

https://www.tindie.com/products/glitchwrks/gw-12887-1-ds12887-rtc-replacement-module/

[John H. Reinhardt]

Post by Stephen Hoffman

Did the CPU thermals and the Dallas clock chip also on the DS10-L and the DS10.  We did lose the DS10 a couple of years ago (mainboard, something failed) but the DS10-L mainboard is now living happily in the DS10 case with those delightful extra slots.

I upgraded a 466Mhz DS10 with by swapping in a 617MHz mainboard from a DS10L. Works nicely. I didn't do the thermal paste (didn't occur to me) but I did upgrade the fans with slightly higher CFM modern units.

Post by Stephen Hoffman
https://www.tindie.com/products/glitchwrks/gw-12887-1-ds12887-rtc-replacement-module/

Nice units. I have one in each of my two DS10's