small blob of Thermal paste for Graphics ?

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Hi all, just got a few bits to help keep my case a lot cooler, which includes some thermal paste. Now I've read that for the CPU (Pentium 4 3.2) you put a small blob of paste in the centre of the heatsink, about the size of a cooked grain of rice, which will then spread evenly. Is it the same for the Graphics (x800xt) chip, or should I smooth it all over ?

Thanks
 
Soldato
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An even smaller blob! Thermal compound is used to fill in 'microscopic' groves on the heatsink which greatly helps in transferring heat from the CPU/chip. So a large amount might be a hindrance.

Smoothing out is not always needed because the pressure from the heatsink should & might do this better for you :)
 
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Thanks, cleaned off both the old thermal paste, applied the new stuff and that is now sortred. Now the small problem of working out why my PC won't boot properly (all fans turn on, no beeps, no output) :O

Had this problem when I first put it together a few years ago, think it was something to do with the Power Led, Reset switch etc etc (those pesky little plugs on a 2 row thing)

-edit- bah! One day I would love it if a PC would work first time after taking it apart :p

Those little plugs can't be the problem because i've tried them both ways (they are in correct pos, I have a diagram stuck on to the case).

My monitor is on and nothing happens apart from the green light continuously flashing.

Maybe I havn't plugged the graph card in properly <shrugs>

This is doing my nut!!!!! Its always the same problem lol

Reading various posts people always say that if you get NO POST beeps then either the m'board or CPU are dead. I just can't accept that because nothing happened to them. The only contact I had with the CPU was cleaning the old thermal paste from it so I could apply some new stuff. For this I used some Isopropyl (sp ?) with a cotton bud, then dryed it with a cotton bud. The CPU never once came out of its socket, and it wasn't as if I put any pressure on the chip itself. So for the moment I can't see how it would be the CPU.


The motherboard, again I can't think of anything that would have blown it up or fried it. Ok I took it out of the case in the usual manner that I have taken all of my motherboards out, and placed it upon a nice straight non-static surface whilst I messed around installing fans and what not. The 24 pin power is plugged in, the 12v 4pin is plugged in, CPU Fan is in, Graphics is in, thought this could be the prob but no Post Beeps means its not getting anywhere.

As I was saying above, I'm always having this problem and its always something to do with the little LED connectors, but I've tried them all back to front, they all sit in the correct space according to the diagram. Surely they should all face the same way as each other ? (This is the only thing I havn't tried, maybe 1 of the HDD Led, PWR Switch, Reset Switch, or Speaker plugs goes in an opposite direction) ????

ARG! It's Trial and error I know, but its like hitting your head against a brick wall.

Frustrating as ever.
 
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Erm have you tried resetting the bios either by unplugging the power lead and removing the battery or moving the battery jumper for 30 seconds.

Seeing as nothings changed that shouldn't be the problem but anythings possible.
 
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ok, anyone that reads this may now (with my permission) slate me with all they have :p

I was upstairs, trying everything when I thought "I havn't tried taking the battery out to reset everything yet", so I first went along unplugging everything except memory, and graphics, then took the battery out, placed it back in, turned the PC on and....voilla!

Boy was I happy to hear the BEEPS, there were at least 14 of em lol :D

I've since been back into windows, just letting all know what a fool I was :D

Oceaness, you were 1 step ahead of me :p Just read your post now.

Just got to plug back in all the fans and hopefully my idle temp of 35 degrees should drop a bit (if 6 fans can't do that, then I don't know what can).
 
Soldato
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Rosco127 said:
(if 6 fans can't do that, then I don't know what can.

water ? lol
some people *so ive heard* use selotape around the cpu to 'mask off the edges' then spread the paste with a razor over the die or IHS then remove the tape giving a near perfect selotape thin layer od paste. it is then cooled and the heatsink applied.
never tried it my self but it sound good.

jst the only problem is getting the heatsink on evenly withoug muckiung your paste up :|
Rick
 
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