Volcano9 clear tape may kill CPU

Today, I installed my MSI K7t Turbo2 mobo with an XP1600+ I've had. I wanted to try how well a thermal pad would work so I used one. Everything booted upto and before the screen showed all the drives I have connected when the system seemed to freeze so I waited a few more seconds and then I heard what sounded like a pop. I did an emergency restart only there was no video signal. The cpu seems to be the culprit even though I don't see any damage to it. My Duron works fine. I'm pulling my hairs out as you can imagine.

Could it be the thermal pad? But then again the heatsink wasn't even hot when the apocalypse occured. My poor cpu died a premature death you see. I'm afraid of getting a new XP cpu and install it on this mobo if the same thing will occur.

If a cpu states 3 year mfg warranty, does that mean AMD will replace my cpu? what does mfg mean?

Mfg is Manufacturer's or something of the like...

You sure it was a real thermal pad? Was it made of paraffin wax? One of my friends put the wrong pad beneath his heatsink and it fried his Athlon XP. The pad was sticky, included to attach a thermister to the heatsink to regulate the fan speed.

I think it's your CPU that's dead....Look on the bottom of the HSF...any black burn marks on the 'thermal pad'? Also, try to test a different CPU in that machine, or your 1600+ in a different machine, to make sure.

What model of heatsink was it?

Sounds to me like you fried the CPU, which you have pretty much decided for yourself. Did you make any voltage changes? Maybe something got between the CPU and socket and shorted it out? there are a thousand things that can cause a CPU to die when it is first installed.

What you just described IS a thermal pad, though much smaller than one used between a CPU/HSF. It would be stupid to try and use it there.

He already said the CPU shows no signs of damage, which means nothing because most dead CPUs I've seen have no black marks either. Usually an IC only shows signs of damage if it has been over powered. He also said that his Duron works in it, so I think the board is ok.

What does this matter? The HSF isn't going to kill the CPU unless it is the wrong type.

I've used the XP cpu before and I'm using a Volcano9, which included the thermal tape. It's just like a clear tape with glue on both sides. Right now I can't decide whether to annihilate this XP cpu or sprinkle it with holy water. It's an XP1600+.

Today I bought a replacement(XP1700+). The heatsink it came with has a thermal pad on the bottom; however, it's different from the one that came with the Volcano9. This one is blue and looks like gum.

I'm not familiar with clear thermal tape. I have never seen any that is clear. The blue "gum" material you speak of however is familiar. I've never used it with a CPU but have used it many times with large TRIACs and SCRs. And what I used was grey which is probably just the differnce in brand. The thermal tape I sometimes use(mostly with SCRs and power Transistors) is a thin piece of an almost rubbery material. We have large sheets of this stuff at work that we cut to size according to the particular application.

I agree completely, thermal paste is far more effective at conducting heat, and also you can spread it over the HSFs contact surface to smooth out any possible inperfections. Even cheap thermal paste is far more effective than a thermal pad, but some good quality paste such as Arctic Silver will help to provide better thermal transfer and with a good airflow lead to lower system temperatures.

It's just been brought to my attention that this clear "thermal pad" that came with the volcano9, should have been used to attach the thermal sensor and not as a heat conductor. If this is the truth, then I am so much more relieved, strangely enough. At least I know what could have killed the cpu. But then again, this tape is thin enough to have some heat transfer capability. Given how quickly the cpu croaked it's as if I didn't even have a heatsink on there.

Stupid me for not paying attention to the pictures on the box.

So, will amd replace my cpu?

do I need some kind of purchase receipt? can you provide the link on who I should contact?

do you need help going to the toilet as well? you should go back to the shop you got it from and ask for a refund.....

like I said this cpu is not new.

Seeing as you bought it retail, it's covered by the 3 year warranty. Call AMD up.