I had a 3.5g tube of Arctic Silver. It came with a cpu/mobo combo I
purchased. I was able to use it on not only that cpu, but about 20 more. I
think I still have half the tube left somewhere.

Part of the answer to your question will have to do with what type of cpu's
you are using it on. At the time, most AMD cpu's came with a heat-sink
contact that was about 1.5cm x 1.5cm. Intel cpu's were about 4cm x 4cm (both
of these are estimates; I've never actually measured them). This meant that
the Intel cpu's always required more of the paste than AMD cpu's. I would
say that about 80% of the cpu's I used my tube on were Intel.

I always use a chamois cloth for cleaning (using the aforementioned
denatured alcohol) and applying the paste. This is as truly lint-free a
cloth as you can find. Carefully scrape off the cheap wax that comes on the
heat-sink with a razor blade. You want to avoid any scratching or pitting as
much as possible so the heat-sink will make as clean a seal with the cpu as
you can get. Clean the heat-sink with the alcohol and put a teeny-tiny small
dot of Arctic Silver on it where it will contact the cpu after the alcohol
has dried. Then rub it in with the chamois until the area is discolored. You
don't want the same kind of layer on the heat-sink as the cpu.

Now use the alcohol to clean the top of the cpu and apply as thin a layer as
possible of Arctic Silver. I always took the side of one of the tines on a
plastic fork to smooth it out, but you could use something in the form of a
credit card as well (hey, use your Best Buy Rewards card; that would be
poetic justice, would it not?). You want the layer to be as smooth as
possible. Set the heat-sink in place and clamp it down. That's it.

Good luck.

Cheers!
Kyle Elmblade
[log in to unmask]

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 8:13 PM, Thomas Mayer <[log in to unmask]>wrote:

> Any thermal paste should be applied sparingly. A thin film will suffice.
> You are only trying to fill in any minute pitting in the contact surfaces to
> most effectively spread the heat.
>
> Old paste should be wiped off with a lint free cloth. As an added measure,
> you might even use an alcohol wipe/liquid to remove any possible oil/grease
> deposits. Use denatured alcohol and not rubbing alcohol.
>
> It is too late at night to even attempt to mathematically answer your last
> question.
>
> Tom
>
> Tom Waddell wrote:
>
>> Need to know how to apply artic silver. Bought it based on recomendation
>> here. Was told to follow directions. No directions on box or on web site.
>> Bought new AMD chip. Is it recommended to replace the heat transfer paste on
>> fan base with artic silver? How many cpu's will 3.5 grams of artic silver
>> cover?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>>
>>
>
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