do i really need thermal cpu paste?

[Roll]

The fan stopped a while back on my mates XP2200 cooler and I helped him to fit a new one. When I got the old cooler off I was horrified to see it had no thermal paste or pad whatsoever, and incredibly had neen running like that for getting on for 2 years He originally bought the system from a local computer shop so obviously whoever installed the first cooler could not be bothered to use any paste.

The only explanation could come up with as to why he got away with it was that the heat was being conducted away quite well as the old cooler was 100% copper. I doubt it would have lasted that long with an aluminium cooler.

 

[chopchop]

all thermal paste does is fill in a few bits of the heatsink. it will decrease the load temp by maybe 3or4 degrees, if using artic silver then the difference will be about 5 degrees.

IT IS NOT GOING TO KILL A CHIP.

 

[da_mic_1530]

well after all the conflicting views on the matter i think for the sake of 5 quid il buy some just to be on the safe side, reason being shuttle hasnt come through the post yet, sigh annoying, but maybe its for the best so i dont "fry the chip".

Thanks to all who gave advice

 

[Street]

ive seen countless systems with no thermal paste on them... And theyve been running fine with no problems! Saying not putting will kill a chip is a load of bs to be fair! Its not some magical substance that drops temps by 50C when you put it on, it just makes the heatsink contact better with the core of the CPU and knocks a few degrees off the temp.