How much thermal paste is wise?

[Sparrowhawk]

How much thermal paste should I apply to the chipset of my GeForce4 Ti4600? Is too much or too little bad for cooling?

 

[fastco]

This is for Arctic Silver but still a good guide.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions.htm

 

[kirock]

I prefer to use the "too much" method. Just have a clean rag handy to wipe around the edges to prevent it from dripping on to the device pins. Basically the thermal paste is meant to replace the air in the gap between the two surfaces, so not much is needed really. Apply a 1/8" layer, press the HSF down hard (ok not too hard, as in to break something) so any extra paste squirts out. Wipe off excess.

Cheers.