Tech Support Forum - View Single Post - cooling an Intel 3.2GHz 540 processor: Arctic Silver 5 advice

lobsterboy · 03-03-2005, 07:59 PM

I'm starting this thread with the hopes of building up some advice on cooling down my Intel 3.2GHz 540 LGA775 processor by removing the stock heat sink + fan and using some Arctic Silver 5. I'm still not 100% sure I want to try this myself, but I'm about 85% sure anyway.

The gripping tale that leads me to this conclusion is in the thread

Temperature for an Intel 540 processor??

where I come to the conclusion that with a case temp. of 20-24c on average idle & under a load, & my cpu temp at 36-40c on average idle, but rising to 67-68c under a load, there must be a problem with the heat sink.

So far I've had some great advice from mark3567
( http://www.techsupportforum.com/show...0&postcount=26 )
and Sarkast
( http://www.techsupportforum.com/show...4&postcount=28 )
and lots of other tips. Essentially I've learned that I should read all the instructions carefully. And preferably at least twice.

So here is my first round of questions:

1) kranky advised that before I even take out the HSF, I should look carefully at how the posts are aligned, especially from below the mobo. I'm guessing this means I should be taking the mobo out of the case? I've tried to have a look at the posts under the mobo already, and can't see them with the right panel off my case.

2) Sarkast let me know that I shouldn't run into problems with accidentally ripping out the cpu when taking off the heat sink, as the 775s are locked in differently than the 478s were. This is good news. mark3567 warns that should I decide to take the cpu out to clean it, I should be very careful. So, should I take the cpu out when I clean it? Is it better to take it out, or to leave it on the mobo?

3) mark3567 suggests cleaning the mobo & heat sink with alcohol, but how should I apply the alcohol? I noticed the Arctic Silver site stresses a LINT FREE cloth or a coffee filter -- really? A coffee filter? Will this work?

4) The Arctic Silver instructions say the step for applying AS1, 2 or 3 involves rubbing the AS on the heat sink & then rubbing it off (with the coffee filter again). But they don't seem to want you to do this with AS5 -- do you skip that step with AS5, and head straight for the top of the processor?

5) The Intel site talks about this "thermal pad" -- what is that? Is this just the bottom of the heat sink, or is this something that I should be removing (or leaving on) when I clean the heat sink?

Sorry, the post got a little long. Any advice/comments/dire warnings are appreciated.

03-03-2005, 07:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
lobsterboy Registered User Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 16 OS: WinXP / Ubuntu Linux	cooling an Intel 3.2GHz 540 processor: Arctic Silver 5 advice I'm starting this thread with the hopes of building up some advice on cooling down my Intel 3.2GHz 540 LGA775 processor by removing the stock heat sink + fan and using some Arctic Silver 5. I'm still not 100% sure I want to try this myself, but I'm about 85% sure anyway. The gripping tale that leads me to this conclusion is in the thread Temperature for an Intel 540 processor?? where I come to the conclusion that with a case temp. of 20-24c on average idle & under a load, & my cpu temp at 36-40c on average idle, but rising to 67-68c under a load, there must be a problem with the heat sink. So far I've had some great advice from mark3567 ( http://www.techsupportforum.com/show...0&postcount=26 ) and Sarkast ( http://www.techsupportforum.com/show...4&postcount=28 ) and lots of other tips. Essentially I've learned that I should read all the instructions carefully. And preferably at least twice. So here is my first round of questions: 1) kranky advised that before I even take out the HSF, I should look carefully at how the posts are aligned, especially from below the mobo. I'm guessing this means I should be taking the mobo out of the case? I've tried to have a look at the posts under the mobo already, and can't see them with the right panel off my case. 2) Sarkast let me know that I shouldn't run into problems with accidentally ripping out the cpu when taking off the heat sink, as the 775s are locked in differently than the 478s were. This is good news. mark3567 warns that should I decide to take the cpu out to clean it, I should be very careful. So, should I take the cpu out when I clean it? Is it better to take it out, or to leave it on the mobo? 3) mark3567 suggests cleaning the mobo & heat sink with alcohol, but how should I apply the alcohol? I noticed the Arctic Silver site stresses a LINT FREE cloth or a coffee filter -- really? A coffee filter? Will this work? 4) The Arctic Silver instructions say the step for applying AS1, 2 or 3 involves rubbing the AS on the heat sink & then rubbing it off (with the coffee filter again). But they don't seem to want you to do this with AS5 -- do you skip that step with AS5, and head straight for the top of the processor? 5) The Intel site talks about this "thermal pad" -- what is that? Is this just the bottom of the heat sink, or is this something that I should be removing (or leaving on) when I clean the heat sink? Sorry, the post got a little long. Any advice/comments/dire warnings are appreciated.