how often should thermal paste be reapplied?

[blue&whiteman]

I don't overclock my cpu at all but my home has a finished attic and thats where I have my computer. needless to say at the warmer times of the year it gets kinda warm up here so I use thermal paste to be sure the G4/500 zif doesn't get too hot.

anyway, I last applied some about a week after I got the new cpu so it would have been late november. should I add more or is once enough till the heatsink is removed again? btw.. this (http://startech.com/ststore/itemdetail.cfm?tab=a&ProductID=SILVGREASE1&topbar=topbarm.htm) is the paste I have and what is on the cpu now.

thanks in advance :)

[cb911]

hhmmm... i've never heard of using thermal paste on a Mac, i think it's definitely more of a PC thing somehow. well if no one here can answer you, i think that would be a very easy topic to find on a PC forum. but when you go there, just remember to look, don't post. ;) :p :D

[Daveman Deluxe]

I have never heard of reapplying thermal paste except when the heatsink is removed.

[Jonathan Amend]

First off, I would only trust Arctic Silver as my thermal compound. But if it's good anyways, you should only apply it once. It works by filling in all microscopic abnormalities on both surfaces to ensure the best heat transfer. The process of "setting in" takes about 3 or 4 days and it should last forever. If you remove it and reapply, it will probably only make it worse because you'll be adding more impurities.

[blue&whiteman]

First off, I would only trust Arctic Silver as my thermal compound. But if it's good anyways, you should only apply it once. It works by filling in all microscopic abnormalities on both surfaces to ensure the best heat transfer. The process of "setting in" takes about 3 or 4 days and it should last forever. If you remove it and reapply, it will probably only make it worse because you'll be adding more impurities.

its been on there for 6 months so all is well. I bought it at a good trustworthy pc shop and the guy highly recommended it.

thanks for the tips

[blue&whiteman]

hhmmm... i've never heard of using thermal paste on a Mac, i think it's definitely more of a PC thing somehow. well if no one here can answer you, i think that would be a very easy topic to find on a PC forum. but when you go there, just remember to look, don't post. ;) :p :D

pretty much every mac user that overclocks uses paste. as I said my system is in an attic and often its a good amount warmer up there over anywhere else in the house. the cooler a cpu runs the better it performs so pardon me for trying to find help.

[saabmp3]

Basically every computer in the last 5 years (and don't kill me on exceptions) uses thermal paste or compound (aka a pad). Jonathan said it best, once it's on, it's on and doesn't have to be reapplied again until the heatsink is removed.

BEN

[Wyrm]

Only when you remove the heatsink, or 83 years, whichever comes first.
:rolleyes:

-Wyrm