Fingerprint on thermal paste

[Deleted]

So I just got home from the store with a new processor and when I opened it and took out the fan I accidentaly touched the thermal paste on the bottom. Will this have any effect? Nothing's really gone. Just a little fingerprint.

[haxartus]

Replace the thermal paste.

[Lemonlust]

The oils from your fingerprint will affect how heat transfers from the Chip to your heat sink. Also if the paste isn't spread evenly, even a little smudge will affect it. Little air bubbles in between the chip and heat sink will affect temperatures.

Clean the thermal paste off with some isopropyl alcohol and re-apply.

[Deleted]

So now I have to go buy effing Thermal paste. BRILLIANT!

[Lemonlust]

Just go to the local Computer store. Your heatsink should have came with some.

[Deleted]

Just go to the local Computer store. Your heatsink should have came with some.

It's the stock one from the processor. i5 2500k. It already had paste on it.

So before I reapply, do I just like swipe the old paste away? And do I need to do it in 3 lines like they did or can I just do it when you put on a little, put a plasic bag on your hand and smudge it out?

[Auralian]

That's funny I have always used my finger to apply the Paste, and yet I have had no issues at all. I think you guys way exaggerate this stuff. I smeared the last batch on after eating greasy Fritos and other than the back of the computer smelling like corn chips everything temp wise is fine. Really I could let my 6 year old finger paint the stuff on and it would work fine, it doesn't take a nuclear scientist to dap some silver slop on a piece of electronics.

[Deleted]

The paste is 30 SEK (About 3 pounds) in the store. I have 85% alchohol at home that you use for your hands. What should I use as a cloth? Can I use one that I got with the phone to clean the screen?

[Cilraaz]

That's funny I have always used my finger to apply the Paste, and yet I have had no issues at all. I think you guys way exaggerate this stuff. I smeared the last batch on after eating greasy Fritos and other than the back of the computer smelling like corn chips everything temp wise is fine. Really I could let my 6 year old finger paint the stuff on and it would work fine, it doesn't take a nuclear scientist to dap some silver slop on a piece of electronics.

This only shows that you really don't understand thermodynamics. Smearing the paste creates air bubbles in the contact between the CPU and heatsink, which impedes heat transfer. Finger oils also impede heat transfer, let alone grease from dirty hands.

Does it matter? That depends on the user. Is it optimal or considered good practice to introduce air pockets or foreign matter? Hell no.

[edit: The temperature difference between a poor TIM application and good TIM application can be as much as 5-10°C. That only counts improper application, not finger oils or food grease.]

The paste is 30 SEK (About 3 pounds) in the store. I have 85% alchohol at home that you use for your hands. What should I use as a cloth? Can I use one that I got with the phone to clean the screen?

85% isopropyl is not optimal, but will work. You can use any cloth you like, so long as it's clean and doesn't leave any remnants behind.

[garrotte]

That's funny I have always used my finger to apply the Paste, and yet I have had no issues at all. I think you guys way exaggerate this stuff. I smeared the last batch on after eating greasy Fritos and other than the back of the computer smelling like corn chips everything temp wise is fine. Really I could let my 6 year old finger paint the stuff on and it would work fine, it doesn't take a nuclear scientist to dap some silver slop on a piece of electronics.

+1

Agree 100%.

Mod Warning: Post more constructively. "This"-like posts are not allowed.

[Sephiracle]

That's funny I have always used my finger to apply the Paste, and yet I have had no issues at all. I think you guys way exaggerate this stuff. I smeared the last batch on after eating greasy Fritos and other than the back of the computer smelling like corn chips everything temp wise is fine. Really I could let my 6 year old finger paint the stuff on and it would work fine, it doesn't take a nuclear scientist to dap some silver slop on a piece of electronics.

You can apply it with your greasy fingers if you like. Most of us prefer the only thing between the cpu and heatsink to be a super thin layer of TIM. More conducive towards heat transfer than having bits of fritos in between.

[Philenia]

The paste is 30 SEK (About 3 pounds) in the store. I have 85% alchohol at home that you use for your hands. What should I use as a cloth? Can I use one that I got with the phone to clean the screen?

Just an old tshirt that is clean.

But I dont see the problem tbh I never had problems and touched it often.

[Sephiracle]

The paste is 30 SEK (About 3 pounds) in the store. I have 85% alchohol at home that you use for your hands. What should I use as a cloth? Can I use one that I got with the phone to clean the screen?

Qtip imo.

tooshort

[Deleted]

This only shows that you really don't understand thermodynamics. Smearing the paste creates air bubbles in the contact between the CPU and heatsink, which impedes heat transfer. Finger oils also impede heat transfer, let alone grease from dirty hands.

Does it matter? That depends on the user. Is it optimal or considered good practice to introduce air pockets or foreign matter? Hell no.

[edit: The temperature difference between a poor TIM application and good TIM application can be as much as 5-10°C. That only counts improper application, not finger oils or food grease.]



85% isopropyl is not optimal, but will work. You can use any cloth you like, so long as it's clean and doesn't leave any remnants behind.

Does the paste matter at all? Can I just go for the cheapest one?

[Cilraaz]

You are honestly really dumb.

Just use an index card or something to smoother it over and spread it around, using your fingers is a bad idea.

The spread method is not optimal for any modern CPU. The current methods are usually the "pea" method or "line" method, which consist of placing (as their name implies) a pea (or BB) sized amount of TIM or a small, thin line of TIM, and then allowing the heatsink to spread it properly.

Also, don't insult other people.

Does the paste matter at all? Can I just go for the cheapest one?

The difference in cooling between pastes is much less than the difference caused by improper application. Unless you're going to be doing some heavy overclocking, pretty much any TIM will do fine.

[Rixis]

Qtip imo.

tooshort

cotton buds can leave fibres if you ain't careful about it

[CW]

To be honest, you dont even NEED to spread it around for it to work. A blob the size and length of an uncooked grain of rice is all you need. Simply squeeze a little out onto the chip, put the heatsink on it and twist it side to side to spread it out and then lock it down without lifting it off. Job done.

Currently got a Noctua NH-D14 on my i7-2600K and the first time I seated it I tried spreading the TIM out with a laminated piece of card and my temperatures were nearly 7c higher than with the grain of rice method.

[Simca]

I'm pretty sure we could do testing here, but I bet that temperatures would not change with a fingerprint by more than 2 degrees ABSOLUTE TOPS (multiple trials of course to eliminate bias).

[Sephiracle]

I'm pretty sure we could do testing here, but I bet that temperatures would not change with a fingerprint by more than 2 degrees ABSOLUTE TOPS (multiple trials of course to eliminate bias).

In heavy overclocking, those two degrees may push someone out of the comfort zone.

[Saithes]

I'm pretty sure we could do testing here, but I bet anyone in this thread that temperatures would not change with a fingerprint by more than 2 degrees ABSOLUTE TOPS (multiple trials of course to eliminate bias).

I agree.. There's no sense in wasting paste just because of a small fingerprint. If he smeared his finger into it and around in it then it'd be cause for alarm, but being its just a simple fingerprint there shouldn't be a major raise in temperatures compared to not.