New CPU, high temps

So, I recently replaced my 720QM with a 920XM, and had a bit of trouble with the thermal paste (TX4), as it was rather thick. Now, my temps are rather high. Idling in the 50s, load hitting 90, and throttling. I replaced the thermal pad with a 1mm one, then cleaned off the old thermal material from the heatsink with some rubbing alcohol, and put on new thermal paste. I have a suspicion that there is not enough paste, and I was wondering if it would be okay to just add more thermal paste on top of what is already there. It has been recommended to me to somehow gently heat the TX4 beforehand, like putting near a lightbulb or in the sun or something. I don't feel comfortable cleaning the thermal paste off the core, as getting the OEM thermal paste off the heatsink required some elbow grease. So, is it okay to just add more on top? Thanks for reading this block of text, and thanks in advance for any responses.

 

I have worked extensively with tx-4, placing it by a light bulb for 20 minutes make it extremely plyable a lot easier to spread and for the mosfet pad I used.5 mm pad there alows for better contact between the cpu and heatsink. I have added some thermal paste on to an already pasted cpu/gpu not much though(but it is always better to just redo it). Also for the 920 it is recommended to adjust the heatsink while monitoring. Your temps instead of screwing it all the way down. Also how did you apply the tx-4?

 

I applied it with the little plastic card that came with it. Put a line down the side, and tried to spread it across. But, it was all rubbery and viscous, so it didn't work too well. Hence, crappy paste job XD

 

Haha no worries man, tx-4 was a pitd to work with my first time using it. I am the one that actually said to put it by the lamp to make it easier to spread. I wouldn't put it out in the sun though. Just honestly redo the job and what I tend to do is place two small lines and meet them in the middle one on each side of the cpu. With tx-4 you don't want a really paper thin application as the heatsinks are rather loose fitting. I have found what looks like too much seems to be about right, but don't glop it on.

 

I'm a little worried about cleaning off the core, though. Getting the OEM stuff off the heatsink was hard enough. I'm a bit frightened of having to out pressure on it.

 

the paste on there now is not like the crappy dry stuff dell uses. It will come off easy just wipe the excess off first with q tips then use the alcohol to clean it.

 

Okay, cool. I'll give it a shot tomorrow and post my results. Just hope what happened last time won't again. Booted up with the error code for display, and had to take the whole thing apart 3 times before I finally got the LCD cables back in right XD

 

Just take your time and double check twice before moving on spend a little extra time doing it. Will still be less time than having to take it apart again.

 

Use alcohol and a soft cloth when cleaning the cpu die. Makes it much easier as it disolves the old paste and helps ensure that the die is totally clean. I've cleaned a cpu a time or two

 

I've heard recommendations for using both q-tips and a little cloth, you know, the kind that comes in a glasses cleaning kit. Which is better to use?

 

Personally I tend to use tissue but then a cloth like the one you suggested to clean any fibers left by the tissue. I don't use the cloth to get the paste off because paste stains them. qtips are good for getting the corners when the die meets the chip. Also use alcohol on the heatsink. Again i mainly use tissue because its cheap

 

I just use qtips to do everything lol

 

Uhh... I've just run a final Prime95 before I repaste tomorrow, and my temps maxed at 75? I had had the multipliers down to 19 or so, so I changed it up to 24 and upped TDP/TDC to 80/70, then ran it, and temps maxed at 85? LOLWUT? I'm good with that.

 

Could be that the tx-4 heated up and spread out.

 

Why couldn't you use Arctic Silver? I never had a problem applying that to the CPU.