Do you repaste thermal compound each time reinstall heatsink?

By ps786, Oct 23, 2020 1,210 8 0

  1. ps786

    OP ps786 Member
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    Do I need to remove CPU heat shield and reapply thermal paste between CPU and copper foil when remounting heat sink? I understand you need to repaste the layer between copper foil and heat sink, but what about the layer underneath? The reason I am asking is when I am removing heatsink, I noticed the copper foil was lift up a few millimeters by the adhesion. Would this cause the paste underneath to shift?

    Thanks!
     
  2. DinohScene

    DinohScene Feed Dino to the Sharks
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    I repaste every CPU/GPU heatsink of every bit of electronics equipment that has a CPU/GPU with heatsinks/active cooling that can be assembled and disassembled.

    I'm actually shocked that there's people who don't do it.
     
  3. Latiodile

    Latiodile Profesionnal Scalie
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    yes, irrelevant of what device uses thermal paste.
    having an air bubble in between the die and the heatsink is an unacceptable mistake, even if it's wasteful to constantly reapply paste
     
  4. MaxiBus

    MaxiBus GBAtemp Regular
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    He speaks about the gap between CPU and heat(?)shield. If he doesnt take it off, theres no need to reapply the stuff in my opinion.
     
  5. ps786

    OP ps786 Member
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    Yes, I did it anyways but it turns out totally unnecessary. The slight upward movement when removing heatsink didn't affect thermal paste between heat shield and cpu. :D
     
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  6. squee666

    squee666 Advanced Tech Pleb
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    I just remove the copper sticker and paste directly from heatsink to cpu because honestly the sticker does nothing and usually the thermal paste applied underneath is trashly done
     
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  7. ps786

    OP ps786 Member
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    When you turn the CPU shield over, there is a white strip surrounding copper foil. Did it came off when you remove the copper foil? I could be wrong but I think that strip is to insulate CPU caps from heatsink.
     
  8. susi91

    susi91 GBAtemp Regular
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    Could be wrong too, but afaik thats a 'glue' coating or something like that..
    glues/connects the copperfoil and the shield together, i.e. electromagnetic shielding ;)

    If you remove the foil, its hard to get the thing back in place. Ofc both sides of the foil needs thermal paste...
     
    Last edited by susi91, Oct 26, 2020
  9. britain4

    britain4 GBAtemp Fan
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    I’ve removed the copper foil on mine, it didn’t take the white insulation off.

    Removed the copper foil and used MX4 when reassembling after the chip install and I haven’t really noticed a difference in cooling/fan speed either way.
     
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