Thermal paste for new boxed CPU?

[grok]

Building new system for first time so stupid question perhaps. New boxed cpu came with no thermal paste & nor anything about it in the manual. Should I apply thermal paste between the cpu & included (standard) fan or not?

 

[Scooby_Doo]

put it on the base of the heat sink (the metal block that will have contact with the cpu) and install.

 

[W@P]

Yes it would be a wise choice, do you have some?

 

[Surv0]

Usually there is a square of paste mounted on the heatsink already, just need to place heatsink on top of cpu and fasten to motherboard...

If there is none (although strange) then you can apply a small amount onto the center of the chip and place heatsink on top, make sure there is enough to provide more heat dissipation.. placing either on heatsink or cpu works.

 

[grok]

There's 3 lines of <something> on the underside of the fan/heatsink assembly. Will do as instructed, thx.

 

[Scooby_Doo]

There's 3 lines of <something> on the underside of the fan/heatsink assembly. Will do as instructed, thx.

yes thats it spread that around before you put it on, make sure it covers the whole area.

 

[Cadavre777]

There isn't a real need to spread the compound (thats making life complicated and very messy), it will heat up and spread to the surface of the CPU by itself. Just dont use the white thermal paste that comes in little sachets, it takes days to cure properly. Go for a quality brand and spread thinly (even aswell ofcourse) on the surface of the CPU. Place the heatsink and fasten as instructed in the manual.

Wrap your fingertips in elastoplast if you are handling an Intel heatsink. It will spare you days of painfull reminders of your efforts.

 

[Ivan...]

use verrry little of it. apply some in the centre and thats it.
I can remember a day when I looked like this: