The best way to tell if you applied the thermal paste correctly is to monitor the CPU temperatures while it is operating. If you remove the HSF (Heat sink Fan) unit then you'll have to clean off the old thermal paste from both the CPU and HSF and reapply a new drop and stick it all back together. Of course in 2 days you'll want to remove it again and see if it spread out correctly, so you'll have to clean off the old paste and....Yadda Yadda Yadda.

How much paste did you apply? A drop in the middle of the CPU cap about the size of a small grain of rice or half a bee-bee is the correct amount. Any more than this and you run the risk of actually insulating the CPU from the HSF rather than connecting them thermally.

Did you clean off the surface of both the CPU and HSF before applying Thermal paste? These surfaces need to be oil (like your greasy hands oil) and lint free before sticking them together.

There should be NO paste leaking around the edges. See 1 above.

What is your CPU and what temps are you seeing? If you insist on inspecting your work then gently twist the HSF off of the CPU. Don't pry it off, don't strain yourself, avoid sharp instruments. It may be a little sticky but will eventually work free. I have used a blow dryer to heat up the HSF and CPU junction, just a little, to work things free on older installs but be advised that dry, hot air blowing across an electronic surface is a prime breeding ground for static electricity and all the nasty repercussions that come with it.

If you applied too much thermal paste then yes, you need to remove the HSF, clean the surfaces and install correctly. Be patient and do no harm here. See the Arctic Silver site for some good illustrated instructions on the proper amount of paste to apply.

 

twist the HSF side to side while applying an outward (pull) pressure should do the trick.

unless u used like.. thermal GLUE then i dono thats a bit harder to get out .. since its gluueee :giddy:

 

Its Artic Silver thermal compound,

and my idle cpu temps range from 36-40C
Playing Counter-Strike:Source is about 45C average.

 

the temp seems to be okay. These thermal compoound sometimes sticks the heatsink very well. ONe quick and easy way to separate them is using the blow dryer to blow low heated air to it to soften the compound then you should be able to separate them.

 

Your CPU temps sre very good. They'll continue to decrease over the next 100 -200 hours as the paste cures and settles in. I'd leave things as is.

 

that was a very good little guide merc...

 

Thx ATk :unch:

 

Thanks a lot guys, I figured out how to disable the fan speed from changing, so now its on full RPM the whole time.

3000+ rpm did the trick, its now 32-35C idle, and about 39C playing games.