How to apply cooling paste on processor

How to apply cooling paste on processor

Before applying thermal paste on the processor, first make sure that the following conditions are applied:

1. The computer must be turned off and unplugged.

2. The computer case must be put horizontally on a flat surface.

After the previous conditions are met, then you can begin to apply the thermal on the CPU in this order:

1. Unplug the CPU fan from the motherboard, and by using a screwdriver unscrew the CPU fan from the heatsink.

2. Depending on the heatsink, every model has a unique fixing mechanism. In standard/stock models, you must remove the heatsink by using a small screwdriver to unlock the two hinges that are holding the heatsink on the two sides of the processor.

3. Remove the heatsink and the processor will be visible to you. Do not remove the processor or tamper with it.

4. Take the thermal paste and apply a very small amount on the surface of processor (be careful not to put more than 1 pebble on the processor's surface).

5. After you applied the thermal paste, put back the heatsink carefully without moving it too much on the CPU's surface. Be sure to fix it back using it's two hinges the same way you unlocked it.

6. Make sure the heatsink is tight on the CPU.

7. Screw back the fan on the heatsink, plug it back on the motherboard.

8. It is now safe to turn on your computer.

How to apply cooling paste on processor

The cooling paste you are saying is called thermal grease or thermal paste or thermal compound. It is a substance used to promote better heat conduction between two surfaces and is normally used between a microprocessor and a heatsink. A thermal paste is used because the top surface of most microprocessors is not perfectly flat. Several have microscopic grooves and others might even have a slight curve.

This imperfection produces air gaps between the heatsink and the processor which reduces the cooling performance of the heatsink. These air gaps are filled by applying a thin layer of thermal paste to the top of the processor and the base of the heatsink. There are two types of thermal paste: conductive and non-conductive. The conductive type includes silver, copper, and aluminum-based greases.

The non-conductive type includes silicone and zinc thermal greases. These are considered superior but must be used carefully or they can cause electrical shorts if applied to the microprocessor’s pins or the electrical pathways on the circuit board. When applying the thermal paste, you don’t need to actually put it on both surfaces (processor and heatsink).

To properly apply it, just put one small drop or amount of thermal paste on the middle of the top surface of the processor. After that, you don’t need to spread the paste over the surface. Just put the heatsink on top of it and let it spread the paste underneath it. I’ve seen lots of processors where the thermal paste was spread all over the top surface. This is wrong.

Note: the thermal paste doesn’t reduce the temperature of the processor. Its role is to quickly pass the heat to the heatsink.