how to apply thermal paste to xps1530 please help

Hey guys, my laptop is no longer under warranty and I really need to solve this heating issue before it goes kaput ( seeing as I cannot afford to buy a new laptop). I already undervolted my computer which did help, but the fan is so weak now that I feel i need to do everything possible to keep it from overheating. Does anybody have an extensive guide on applying thermal paste? I really need to do this. I am pretty noob at computer hardware, So i would need a guide that would even tell me how to take apart my entire case/etc... I am sorta running out of options.. thanks!

 

Here's a guide including pictures. If your fan feels weak that tells me it probably has a buildup of dust on the heatsink fins which is blocking airflow. When that's the case temps will go up.

http://support.dell.com/support/edocs/SYSTEMS/xpsm1530/en/SM/cpucool.htm#wp1084976

Here's the Artic Silver guide depending on which one you plan on using. It also has lots of pictures.

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

 

nice... i heard AS 5 was hard to install because you need it to be so thin, and that MX-3 does the job... do you have any experience with this?

 

The method used to apply the compound depends on the processor. Read the instructions! Your XPS has core2duo right? AS5 will do just fine.

The most important thing is to clean the surfaces as perfectly as you can before applying paste. Your machine calls for a thermal pad but silver at that juncture seems to work better.

High Temperatures on XPS M1530 - Gaming Talk Forum - Gaming - Telligent

Bronsky

I did not know that the older XPS had such great access to the thermal cooling unit. This is not a very difficult job. Don't apply too much and don't let the paste squeeze out of the joint and onto the board. Three things I would do before lifting a finger to touch the thermal unit is 1 - read the directions, 2 - read the directions, and 3 - read the directions.

 

I have with AS5 but not MX-3. You need to be careful with AS5 because if you use to much it will short things out since it is conductive. Personally I get good results with Arctic Silver Ceramique because it's non conductive.

The instructions are pretty self explanatory. You'll need to clean and prep the heatsink first by cleaning off the heatsink. I personally use rubbing alcohol or 99% Alcohol or you can buy their products which basically does the same thing. After you clean the heatsink you'll need to prep the heatsink with a small amount of thermal paste and rub it into the heatsink with a plastic grocery bag.

As per the instruction the amount of AS5 should look like a grain of rice, you could go a little more but not too much. Place it on the center of the Chip. Place the heatsink on top of it and lightly twist from side to side to remove any air bubbles. Clamp down the heatsink with the fasteners.

The next step is very important and that is to monitor your temps for at least 10 minutes. If my temps look ok at 3-5 minutes I go into Windows and run the WEI program which will benchmark and stress the hardware. Use a program like HWMON to monitor your temps. If everything look normal than you are good to go.

My advice is to write down oyur temps before you begin at idle and then at load so you can compare the two.

It's pretty easy once you do it, just take your time.

 

Hey Rodknee, for a first timer would it be better to use the Ceramique? Does that eliminate the chance of my frying my computer if I do it wrong? I don't plan on doing it wrong, as the directions seemed pretty straight forward... I did have one question if you were to look at the Artic silver's instruction, what they described as "tinting" the heatsink. The heat sink is what snaps over the top of the core processor right? But didn't you say only use about a grain of rice worth of paste? But if they are smothering paste all over the heatsink, and then i connect that to the processor, wouldn't that be overkill? I don't really understand... can you look at page 5 on this article http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/ss/intel_app_method_surface_spread_v1.1.pdf and tell me what they mean by this?

Also... what is the difference between these two:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...007&cm_re=artic_silver-_-35-100-007-_-Product


and...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...008&cm_re=artic_silver-_-35-100-008-_-Product


Also... what the heck is this?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...013&cm_re=artic_silver-_-35-100-013-_-Product ( i am pretty sure I don't need the adhesive for a xps 1530 right?

 

The amount of thermal paste that you put on the heat sink and compress into a heat conducting oval is different from what you do to prepare the surface of the sink first.

Tinting is a word that comes from soldering. Before you solder two surfaces it is easier to "tint" the surface to be soldered. That meant, coating it with a thin film of solder (made with tin - thus the name) . This way, when you went to bond the two parts to be soldered, there was a better heat bond because the tin conducted the heat on all of the parts being joined.

The concept is the same for the heat sink. Only you are preparing the clean surface by working some of the thermal paste into the heat sink. I use a credit card to work in a thin film of the paste. Then, when you press down the thermal paste and clamp it, the "tinted" heat sink has better contact thermal paste placed between the core and the sink.

Once you have tinted the sink's surface and cleaned off any excess, then you put the rice sized line of thermal paste onto the core and seat the sink.

I also use the ceramic but I understand that may it have different thermal conductive properties than the silver. It could just be paranoia, but I would stay with the silver. Just don't overload it. I think your cores call for the spread method, not the line or the cross but double check this.

It really is not hard once you've done it. It's probably much harder to explain than to do. If you go to seat the sink and something messes up, you have to reclean all of the parts, tint again and repress. You should not have any problems.

I agree that it is important to keep an eye on the temps when starting up the unit. Good luck. Post your temps when your done.

Bronsky

The only difference between the first and second listings above is the volume of product 3.5g vs 12g. You wont use 12 grams in your lifetime. You don't need adhesive.

 

so I am still a little bit confused... Basically I am going to sandwhich the tinted heat sink, on top of the rice sized blob of artic silver on my core...then twist it back and forth a bit if possibel... Also, what is the "line" method, and what does this entail?

 

I should never write late at night ... in rechecking your type of processor, the line method is for desktop Core2Duo processors. For Mobile Core2Duo, use the surface spread. Now you know why I said to double check this. I changed the post above so nobody will be confused reading it. Click onto the artic silver instructions above, click intel and go find the method. After you put the rice blob on you will have to spread it and then put the parts together. Good pics of tinting on page 5 and the spread method on 6.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appmeth/int/ss/intel_app_method_surface_spread_v1.1.pdf

For your own peace of mind (and mine) read the artic silver instrcutions again and check your processor to confirm the method.

Bronsky

 

Thanks Bronsky.... I guess i just don't understand how people can warn me about only using a rice size blob on the core... yet when tinting the heatsink it seems like the pictures in the guide has the cream just smothered on there.. aren't i going to be putting the two together anyways? Wouldn't that negate the purpose for only putting a minuscule amount of paste on the core?

 

The tinting should not be globbed. I lightly wipe the tinted section with a coffee filter to get excess off.

I think people always caution about the final blob put on the sink cause some people think they need all 3.5 grams in the tube. When they lock down the sink, crap squeezes all over the place causing shorts. I don't think you'll have any problems. I am interested to see if your temps come down. Be sure to let us know.

Good luck.

Bronsky

 

my last question is how to properly use a grounding bracelet. do i just put it on my wrist, and that's it? ... and for the tinting, i am just going to put about 2 rice size drops on it, smear it with a credit card, and then wipe it down with the coffee filter, or do i leave like a thin .05 mm layer on there? or do i rub it in?

 

Wrist to ground. You're the conductor. On the tinting, you use the edge of the card to work the material into the small pores of the sink. I use a coffee filter to avoid lint. don't wipe it all off. Leave a thin film on the sink. It should not be copper colored anymore. It should have a pasty look but it should not be as thick as you will be applying to the spread application on the core before locking down the unit.

Bronsky