self-built computer is acting up, HELP!

tgxiii · October 16th, 2003, 02:20 AM

I'm sorry, I did not mean to make you feel like a dolt. Thermal paste works better than pads. I can't give technical reasons why, but they transfer the heat from the CPU to the HSF better. There are arguments as to what is the best brand, but most people would agree that Arctic Silver III is the best.

Lemme look for threads that talk about thermal compounds for you.

Elvaandragoon · October 16th, 2003, 02:24 AM

Please no apologizes are neccasary, I guess I am just going through growing pains with my new computer. I took the heat sink off and the top covering to my pentium 4 was melted to the bottom of the heat sink.

Could I use both a pad and thermal paste?

tgxiii · October 16th, 2003, 02:27 AM

how to apply thermal compound

Interesting... I just came across a thread that said thermal pads are better than compounds. I always thought it was the other way around.... Anyone more knowledgeable care to explain which is better, compound or paste?

tgxiii · October 16th, 2003, 03:37 AM

Oh, well. Maybe tomorrow Elvaandragoon.

John Prophet · October 16th, 2003, 04:03 AM

I have always heard thermal paste is..but one point to consider is that the pad is more fool proof. Also the pad comes FROM INTEL, or FROM AMD...so there is no reason to say a pad is bad.

And as far as using a pad AND paste.....why would you want to?? So the answer there is definitely...no. It all has to "squish" down and be airtight etc...so the pad and paste would probably interfere with each other and not work so great.

Since you already have the heatsink and it doesnt have a pad on it, just use paste.

There are articles on AMD's site with pictures and step by step instructions for applying paste etc. Probably on intels site also.

JP

videos and all, lol

Along with a video for "thermal pad or paste"
http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/...5E6678,00.html

DRF138 · October 16th, 2003, 04:10 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elvaandragoon
I took the heat sink off and the top covering to my pentium 4 was melted to the bottom of the heat sink.

Could I use both a pad and thermal paste?

melted to the bottom of the heatsink...I don't know what the error means...but I'd think that'd be your first clue as to the culprit as well as the other items listed previously...Gaming taxes a PC, GPU or not(worse without GPU)
Man I'd hate to burn any intel processor especially yours-those ain't cheap...Before scraping it I'd try thermal paste-but you can't just smear that stuff on....get you some rubber gloves-put a tiny bit on your finger tip (really tiny) put it only on the part of the cpu that will come in DIRECT contact with the heatsink,smear it around on that spot only in a circular motion and then take a business card or a match book and scrape of the remainder(from the edge of the part of the cpu taht comes into direct contact with the HS) don't get on anything else not the motherboard or anything only the part that comes in direct contact with the heat sink...Any way after you have removed the excess compound using a biz card or match book cover-then put a little dab on the processor dead center and install heat sink-lock fan down-try not to move that heatsink around much while locking the fan...
If your not comfortable with the above maybe a pad is the way to go-maybe not what do you fellas think? Maybe a pad is the only way to go becasue of the melting issue ?

The other thing is this i don't know the specs on your card off hand nor the mobo-but if it is Say agp 8X and your board is only compatible with 4X or 2X you may be able to use the card for a while( which is not a good thing a not recommended) you will get problems blue screens crashes lines etc. or may not board may not post or fry the card... my buddies worked for a while-with problems of the above nature and we just pulled it and put pack in the oem agp card and no more issues....
That's all I got for now I'd like to learn more myself...
PS don't feel dumb-I think it is safe to say that if goes in or is related to a computer These hands have killed it...:-)
DAVID

tgxiii · October 16th, 2003, 04:25 AM

I thought video cards were backwards compatible. If you put an AGP 8x card on a 4x mobo, the card will run at 4x.

DRF138 · October 16th, 2003, 04:35 AM

possible like i said I don't know the specs on the card or the board-sounds correct though...I didn't work on my buddies compaq that way...star wars was terrible to play and the computer kept faulting frezing restarting-pulled the card put back the oem which was 2x by the way it ran fine maybe an 8x is b-compatible to 4x but not to 2x?? could be the case with our friend here...What do you think? DAvid

twistedbrntucker · October 16th, 2003, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Elvaandragoon
I haven't tried the ram thing yet but...

I just put the heat sink right on top of my processor bare bone with a snap-snap of the the side locks.

I think you found the problem.Good Luck.Hope everything works out now. tbt

Elvaandragoon · October 16th, 2003, 10:46 PM

Bump!