Arctic Silver Ceramique - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Glava · 01-19-2005, 04:19 AM

I am about to reinstall my Athlon 2500+ CPU on another motherboard, and another heatsink, and I ordered some Ceramique to hopefully lower the temperatures a little. On their website, it says that you just need to put a little blob without having to spread it, as the force of the heatsink pushing down upon it will do just that. Is that accurate?

Here is the site with instructions.

Also, the CPU currently has Arctic Silver 3 on it. Would it be OK if I cleaned that off using 91% rubbing alcohol and a coffee filter? Would it also work for the factory-installed thermal interface pad on the new heatsink?

Redjake · 01-19-2005, 06:56 AM

I would actually suggest putting LESS than what they offered. Start with the smallest possible globuole you can get on your CPU. It will definitely spread out when you attack the heatsink to the processor and motherboard. Especially with the 2500+: do NOT put a huge chunk of it on there (a la Elmer's Glue in Kindergarten art class). It takes an absurdly small amount.

I would just wipe off the current Arctic Silver you have on there with a paper towel, I'm not sure if I would use rubbing alcohol or not. You should be able to get most of it off with just a paper towel.

Homey_V · 01-19-2005, 08:28 AM

Do what Redjake said, but I suggest taking a small plastic card of some sort that you dont intend on using that much and spreading the globule into a thin even layer over the processor. It should work fine if you just press the heatsink down, but I dont like leaving things like that up to chance.

Also, the rubbing alcohol and coffee filter would be fine for cleaning off the processor. I'd also use some cotton to make sure you get all of it off. Unfortunately, factory thermal pads dont come off as easily. I've always had to scrape mine off with a bank or library card or the like. The fine cleaning will be fine with Alcohol, but to get the bulk of it off you'll probably have to do some scraping.

Best of luck to yah.

shakran · 01-19-2005, 01:52 PM

you've already applied it so this won't help you, but others building should know that AMD will void the warranty if they find arctic silver on the chip.

No clue why, but they do.

Glava · 01-19-2005, 02:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakran

you've already applied it so this won't help you, but others building should know that AMD will void the warranty if they find arctic silver on the chip.

No clue why, but they do.

I've had this chip since September of 2003. Out of curiosity, would my warranty be valid right now if I hadn't applied AS?

Also, how do they test for it?

shakran · 01-19-2005, 03:31 PM

I'm pretty sure your warranty would have expired. I usually see 90 day warranties on chips. They test for it by having you send in the defective chip, then they look for the stuff on the chip. If they find it, you're sunk.

Crisis · 01-19-2005, 04:44 PM

The glob you put on should be around the same size as a grain of rice. I put that in the middle and press the heatsink on it and twist just a tad and pull it off to see it has made proper contact. If it hasn't covered the entire core I spread it with a credit card to those areas and then fasten the heatsink on.

laconic1 · 01-19-2005, 08:02 PM

I have a retail Athlon XP 2400+ and it has a 3 year limited warranty on it. The warranty booklet states that it must be used with the stock heatsink and fan. It doesn't specifically prohibit the use of other thermal compounds, but I imagine that is implied with the requirement to use the stock heatsink. I know OEM processors have a shorter warranty, I didn't realize it was just 90 days.

The booklet also states "This Limited Warranty does not cover damages due to external causes, including improper use, problems with electrical power, accident, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing."
I guess several of those terms could be conceivably used to get out of replacing a processor that has had other compounds applied.

Homey_V · 01-19-2005, 08:25 PM

Arctic Silver voids the warranty because it is capable of conducting electricity and thus shorting your processor.
I'd check in my warranty where it says any sort of thermal compound except that which is provided voids the warranty, but Im pretty sure we all get the point.
Either way, just make sure there is an even application of thermal paste ONLY ON THE CORE!
If its anywhere off the core itself, wipe it off. The chances of it screwing your processor are small, but I wouldnt take it myself.

shadowalker · 01-19-2005, 09:16 PM

The ceramique is a bit diffrent than the rest of the AS line, I use it on every system I put togeather and I have never spread it out the pressure from applying the HSF is more then enough to work on the ceramique, it heats up and spreads out before setting, that is why you will notice a slight temp increase as you start to use it and it will drop greatly as it sets up properly.

01-19-2005, 04:19 AM	#1 (permalink)
Glava Betitled	Arctic Silver Ceramique I am about to reinstall my Athlon 2500+ CPU on another motherboard, and another heatsink, and I ordered some Ceramique to hopefully lower the temperatures a little. On their website, it says that you just need to put a little blob without having to spread it, as the force of the heatsink pushing down upon it will do just that. Is that accurate? Here is the site with instructions. Also, the CPU currently has Arctic Silver 3 on it. Would it be OK if I cleaned that off using 91% rubbing alcohol and a coffee filter? Would it also work for the factory-installed thermal interface pad on the new heatsink?

01-19-2005, 06:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
Redjake I'm a family man - I run a family business. Location: Wilson, NC	I would actually suggest putting LESS than what they offered. Start with the smallest possible globuole you can get on your CPU. It will definitely spread out when you attack the heatsink to the processor and motherboard. Especially with the 2500+: do NOT put a huge chunk of it on there (a la Elmer's Glue in Kindergarten art class). It takes an absurdly small amount. I would just wipe off the current Arctic Silver you have on there with a paper towel, I'm not sure if I would use rubbing alcohol or not. You should be able to get most of it off with just a paper towel. __________________ Off the record, on the q.t., and very hush-hush.

01-19-2005, 08:28 AM	#3 (permalink)
Homey_V Psycho Location: Canada	Do what Redjake said, but I suggest taking a small plastic card of some sort that you dont intend on using that much and spreading the globule into a thin even layer over the processor. It should work fine if you just press the heatsink down, but I dont like leaving things like that up to chance. Also, the rubbing alcohol and coffee filter would be fine for cleaning off the processor. I'd also use some cotton to make sure you get all of it off. Unfortunately, factory thermal pads dont come off as easily. I've always had to scrape mine off with a bank or library card or the like. The fine cleaning will be fine with Alcohol, but to get the bulk of it off you'll probably have to do some scraping. Best of luck to yah. __________________ You did what with a duck?

01-19-2005, 08:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	I have a retail Athlon XP 2400+ and it has a 3 year limited warranty on it. The warranty booklet states that it must be used with the stock heatsink and fan. It doesn't specifically prohibit the use of other thermal compounds, but I imagine that is implied with the requirement to use the stock heatsink. I know OEM processors have a shorter warranty, I didn't realize it was just 90 days. The booklet also states "This Limited Warranty does not cover damages due to external causes, including improper use, problems with electrical power, accident, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing." I guess several of those terms could be conceivably used to get out of replacing a processor that has had other compounds applied. Last edited by laconic1; 01-19-2005 at 08:08 PM.. Reason: added info

01-19-2005, 08:25 PM	#9 (permalink)
Homey_V Psycho Location: Canada	Arctic Silver voids the warranty because it is capable of conducting electricity and thus shorting your processor. I'd check in my warranty where it says any sort of thermal compound except that which is provided voids the warranty, but Im pretty sure we all get the point. Either way, just make sure there is an even application of thermal paste ONLY ON THE CORE! If its anywhere off the core itself, wipe it off. The chances of it screwing your processor are small, but I wouldnt take it myself. __________________ You did what with a duck?

01-19-2005, 01:52 PM	#4 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	you've already applied it so this won't help you, but others building should know that AMD will void the warranty if they find arctic silver on the chip. No clue why, but they do.

01-19-2005, 03:31 PM	#6 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	I'm pretty sure your warranty would have expired. I usually see 90 day warranties on chips. They test for it by having you send in the defective chip, then they look for the stuff on the chip. If they find it, you're sunk.

01-19-2005, 04:44 PM	#7 (permalink)
Crisis Tilted	The glob you put on should be around the same size as a grain of rice. I put that in the middle and press the heatsink on it and twist just a tad and pull it off to see it has made proper contact. If it hasn't covered the entire core I spread it with a credit card to those areas and then fasten the heatsink on.

01-19-2005, 09:16 PM	#10 (permalink)
shadowalker Psycho Location: Firefox yourself and change the world!	The ceramique is a bit diffrent than the rest of the AS line, I use it on every system I put togeather and I have never spread it out the pressure from applying the HSF is more then enough to work on the ceramique, it heats up and spreads out before setting, that is why you will notice a slight temp increase as you start to use it and it will drop greatly as it sets up properly. __________________ I'll make ya famous!