Thermal paste

I get irritated with FUD that says that your CPU has to run as cool as possible.

Most CPUs do not run any specialised thermal paste/grease solution, and do not melt down. The E6400 is rated at around 65 degrees, so 45 is not too hot. If the CPU were to get too hot then it would shut down....

99% of PC users will be fine using the cheap white thermal compound. If your PC still overheats then look at other ways of cooling your PC, like a case fan. Do not feel compelled to cool down your CPU just because you can....
 
Indeed, but take into account a margin. When things get going they heat up. When they get too hot they shut down. Now if he is seeing over 50, and the rating is to around 65, then giving some work to do he'll be right on the max. Ofcourse, these CPUs probably never get to do that much work that they heat up that much, but still.

There's no need to run it super cool, but having a slightly better margin between normal operation and final cut out is still a good idea.

Besides that, it's clear the thermal paste isn't helping any.
 
That does look too little i agree :)

So... ok how is your case airflow looking like? how many fans, what size? What are your ambient room temps? Have you tried opening a side panel and seeing if it help?
 
That does look too little i agree :)

So... ok how is your case airflow looking like? how many fans, what size? What are your ambient room temps? Have you tried opening a side panel and seeing if it help?

Airflow is fine. Dust cleaned out about 2 weeks ago. 2 120mm fans and 1 80mm and tried it with out the side panel

*sigh*

I think I'm just going to upgrade my processor. Can't be bothered wasting my time with this
 
Last edited:
Well I don't think 45c is bad for an e6xx cpu tbh. But i'd think upgrading to a 45nm processor will give you better temps. I rarely hit 35c with an e7200@3ghz
 
While on the subject of thermal paste. The other day I had to remove CPU from Heatsink using a flat screwdriver to gently pry them apart because the paste had become hard and sort of glued them together pretty good.. Not ideal but came right in the end :) haha. Glad it wasn't my PC though. You scheme this was cheap paste? or just poor maintenance? Might I add I lifted the heatsink to find the CPU come with it without me unlocking the socket. :eek:
 
And what if your new processor has the same issue because you've incorrectly applied the paste?
 
I won't be overclocking the new CPU.

In any case I followed instructions as pointed out by online websites who've had a drop in temps and still no luck.

This is starting to remind me of my old PC problem. I bought a R300 cooler as advised and it did nothing. :(
 
Last edited:
The zalman paste is fine. I have it as well. I'd say you could get...maybe R600 or so? Bit less, bit more.
 
Why else would I want to bring CPU temps down :erm:

You need to find out why its heating up in the first place, before spending money on it. There are a few areas to check, starting from the processor to the outside of your case, as the heat is dispersed:

1. Ambient room temp. If you room is too hot, then whatever you do inide the PC is a waste of money. Open the windows, doors and curtains of the room. when my lab is running at full speed at home, things start beeping when I close the windows.

2. Localised ambient temp. Is your PC in a little box in a desk? Is it stuck against the wall? Move it clear of obstacles to ensure proper air flow.

3. Temps inside the case. Make sure your wires are neatly tied and that the air can flow between components inside your case. Remove all the case fans and leave the side of the PC off to see if it is airflow inside the case.

4. Heat buildup at the heat sink. Make sure your fan is spinning by gently touching it, it should offer some resistance. You can also download speedfan to measure the fan RPM; it may look like its spinning fast, but only doing 900 rpm, which could be too little.

5. Heat buildup at the CPU. If your heatsink is not attached to the CPU then it will get hot. Feel the base of the heatsink, if its hot then the fan could be buggered (i.e. not cooling the heatsink down). If it is not hot, then it could be that the heat is not being transferred to the heatsink correctly (it could also just mean that the fan is working).

6. Heat buildup at other components. If you have a stack of disks getting hot, and your CPU is close to them then it would cause a problem.

7. There is no problem at all. Its like going to the doctor because your elbow bends through 180 degrees; he's going to tell you its normal behaviour :)
 
Strange thats your temps are so high though, i had a E6600 and ran 24/7 at 3ghz with a Thermaltake big typhoon and Temps never went above 40 under full load
 
Apologies for the thread necro but I'm not in the mood to start a new thread.

Thermal paste prices seem to have got a bit out of hand lately.

There is of course this...


How bad is it?

Reviews are great but I think that's more from a value for money perspective.

There is SOOOOO much written about various thermal compounds but the general consensus seems to be mid range thermal compounds pretty much perform on a par.

This is a bit of an entry level thermal paste though. Anyone used it? Worth the savings or no??

The price discrepancy is SIGNIFICANT.
 
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X