Re-applied the thermal paste on my MacBook Pro... AMAZING results!

This thread is about an issue that no longer exists.

1. speak for yourself - there are many users with CD machines (myself included). my machine keeps getting hotter and hotter, i have been putting off getting thermal paste.

2. thermal paste will eventually stop working as efficiently as it did when you purchased it, thats enough of an issue to me.
 
1. speak for yourself - there are many users with CD machines (myself included). my machine keeps getting hotter and hotter, i have been putting off getting thermal paste.

Of course I meant for current in-production machines since people are asking if this still exists in the latest computers.
 
2. thermal paste will eventually stop working as efficiently as it did when you purchased it, thats enough of an issue to me.

are you sure.
I don't think so.

If thermal pastes eventually stop working as efficiently then we'll see computers that are over 5 years old overheating etc.

Thermal pastes last, as long as you don't take off your heatsink and reseat them.
 
So, you put too much paste and the cpu is getting warmer. But what if it's not?

I'm wondering, can the excessive paste that has gone around the core of a cpu work more as an expanded surface for the heatsink rather than be a problem? I mean, it's there, it gets heated up and it is also attached to the heatsink. What could go wrong?
 
Good read but I'd rather just use the computer as it was meant to be used and I have Apple Care for 3 years (max length I would keep it) because I am positive this voids the warranty in case something else would go wrong.

Magnuson-Moss Warranty act, they cannot legally deny you warranty unless they can prove that you opening up the case is the cause of whatever the problem you need warranty for.

It's still risky in my opinion...I guess I am lazy because I don't like to tinker around too much with my gadgets.
 
On the note, I had no idea there'd be that much of a difference between Arctic Silver 5 and their crap. Having never done it myself and having no need to (between a Mini, MP, and MB Air), I would say if you're careful and can conceal it as it should very well be, possibly not.

I mean, is it so different that they can come back and say you did re-apply it? Or would it really take a keen eye (which many geninuasses don't have) to differentiate between the two?

Well the stock stuff is white and AS5 is silver, unless you get their ceramique product. I don't think anyone tech should be removing your heatsink though unless you are having overheating issues.

are you sure.
I don't think so.

If thermal pastes eventually stop working as efficiently then we'll see computers that are over 5 years old overheating etc.

Thermal pastes last, as long as you don't take off your heatsink and reseat them.

I have seen it happen. I had a system that was crashing and it's thermal paste has completely solidified so it was acting as an insulator more than a conductor. I don't think that would happen with AS5 or a high quality product, but it is definitely possible.
 
Just finished reading this entire thread

Thank you all for the great insight. I will give Arctic Silver 5 a try on my 2.33Ghz Core 2 Duo MacBook Pro (2,2).:D
 
Finished

removing old paste and applying Arctic Silver 5. There was just about the same amount of extra paste as the original photos first posted on this thread. The first time I reassembled my book after the job the fans were constantly on full blast. I ran the Apple Hardware Test off my install disc and low and behold I got a error warning. So I took my book apart again once more and reapplied the paste again. At last, checked hardware test again and all is well.

I can see a difference already. My fans used to run at full blast after about 5 minutes of watching a ripped DVD with VLC. Now I've been watching a DVD full screen for an hour and fans stay at 2000rpm and the CPU at 60˚C or below.

Thanks for the help all. I can watch movies again.
 
just purchased some paste, its not ready to be picked up. i will do it on the weekend. fingers crossed!

*original MBP, idles at 70°C).
 
good results

I must say, the results are great. Ran Handbrake at an average of 190% CPU load for about 3 hours and temps never hit above 79˚C.
 

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Sorry if I'm being dense but if I were to buy a new MBP now and then reapply something like ceramique to the chips would there be much of a temp decrease? Do they use pads in the unibody's? I don't care about the warranty to be honest, I'll be opening it up to put dual x-25's in anyway.
 
Sorry if I'm being dense but if I were to buy a new MBP now and then reapply something like ceramique to the chips would there be much of a temp decrease? Do they use pads in the unibody's? I don't care about the warranty to be honest, I'll be opening it up to put dual x-25's in anyway.

They use a silicon based thermal paste. Honestly, I don't really see a huge decrease, around 5 deg C maybe.
 
warranty

Sorry if I'm being dense but if I were to buy a new MBP now and then reapply something like ceramique to the chips would there be much of a temp decrease? Do they use pads in the unibody's? I don't care about the warranty to be honest, I'll be opening it up to put dual x-25's in anyway.

Just to let you know, putting in two drives won't void your warranty as long as you put the original drives back in once you bring your lappy to Apple.

I too have 2 drives in my book right now and love it. I could only imagine what the performance would be like with 2 160GB X25 SSD's!
Though at least for my laptop the second bay where the optical drive used to be is PATA and not SATA, so the X25 on that port would have a slight bottle neck. Right now I can barely tell a difference between the my hard drive placed in the SATA vs. PATA. (WD 320GB 7200RPM)

If you like taking things apart I would definitely reapply with Arctic Silver 5, if anything I found the process fun and educational
 
Have a Core Duo MBP, reapplied with AS5 a few days ago... and it's a completely different machine. I mean, forget just not overheating anymore, this thing is barely running warm. Used to idle between 80-90C with smcFanControl running at 4000-6000rpm. Now, it idles at around 45-50C and I've disabled smcFanControl (didn't think I'd ever be able to say that with this machine). Tried running Handbrake and it never got past 75C, all while still just being warm to the touch.

After the amount of trouble the heat issue has caused over the past few years, I'm honestly expecting something even worse to occur now with this MBP. Really... a $7 tube of goo and an hour of my time did not just fix every major issue I have with this 3 year old laptop. It's surreal.
 
Have a Core Duo MBP, reapplied with AS5 a few days ago... and it's a completely different machine. I mean, forget just not overheating anymore, this thing is barely running warm. Used to idle between 80-90C with smcFanControl running at 4000-6000rpm. Now, it idles at around 45-50C and I've disabled smcFanControl (didn't think I'd ever be able to say that with this machine). Tried running Handbrake and it never got past 75C, all while still just being warm to the touch.

After the amount of trouble the heat issue has caused over the past few years, I'm honestly expecting something even worse to occur now with this MBP. Really... a $7 tube of goo and an hour of my time did not just fix every major issue I have with this 3 year old laptop. It's surreal.

this is excellent to hear!!

i also have a CoreDuo machine, i have the paste (Cooler master) ready to go next monday (got uni assignment due sunday night, dont wanna stuff anything up). im glad to hear the results! computer idles at 80°C :( i dont use any custom fan speeds.
 
I'm not confident enough to do this. Is there anyway I can give Apple my MBP for the day and get them to do the job? I have applecare and bringing in the pics from the OP should be sufficient, right?
 
I'm not confident enough to do this. Is there anyway I can give Apple my MBP for the day and get them to do the job? I have applecare and bringing in the pics from the OP should be sufficient, right?

haha this will void your warranty. meaning that apple will not do it. sorry
 
I'm not confident enough to do this. Is there anyway I can give Apple my MBP for the day and get them to do the job? I have applecare and bringing in the pics from the OP should be sufficient, right?

You don't want to do it yourself ... trust me.

I did it myself and being a PC geek, I still messed up on some parts but do fine now :)

If your laptop isn't THAT hot, I suggest not even reapplying it.
 
You don't want to do it yourself ... trust me.

I did it myself and being a PC geek, I still messed up on some parts but do fine now :)

If your laptop isn't THAT hot, I suggest not even reapplying it.

Running Leopard my Mac was fine and I didn't hear any noise coming from the fans at all. Now it's loud. I'm going to hold out until 6.2, hopefully that'll make Snow Leopard the OS Leopard was, but better.
 
i also have a CoreDuo machine, i have the paste (Cooler master) ready to go next monday (got uni assignment due sunday night, dont wanna stuff anything up). im glad to hear the results! computer idles at 80°C :( i dont use any custom fan speeds.

Good luck with your repai.

Also... I've encountered my first "problem" since the fix. Since the fan speeds are regulated on their own and not set at a minimum 4000rpm, I find the constant speed changes incredibly obnoxious. Something comforting about the constant drone I suppose. :p
 
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