Arctic Silver II Sucks!

[JCLJorgenson]

I have an AThlon 1333 mhz CPU with a Volcano II heatsink/fan and it was running a little hot (low 50s C). I was just using the thermal tape and everyone said I need Arctic Silver II in order to drop the temps down. Well I removed the thermal tape and put on Arctic Silver II, and now my CPU runs about 5 degrees Celsius hotter than it used to. What the hell!!!!? I have two case fans. Now it runs about 57 C without any load!

 

[Staz]

There is something seriously wrong. Those temps are way to high. And the only way ASII is the problem is if it wasnt applied properly. It should have dropped your temps 2-3 C.

Here is a link that explains how to apply it.

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

remember it says it should only be applied about the thickness of a sheet of paper.

 

[JaY_III]

also think you put it on wrong....
you probably put on 2 much....
you want a thin layer... also make sure you have cleaned the heatsink and core 1st. ...
do this with a cotton ball and Hydrogen Peroxide (rubbing achool)...
then use a clean razors edge (exacto knife) to apply the thermal paste, don't use your finger as it has oils on it, not good.

Once you have done this, your temps should drop back down...

Another thing that could have gone wrong...
(the reason I don't use AS, but they may have fixed that with ASII)
If your CPU core is too hot, it can cause the AS to turn into a foil, and this will cause your temps to go up, as it does not transfer heat very well as a foil... so watch out for that.

Hope that help and you get your temp back down the goal should be in the 40's under 100% load. (lower is always better)

 

[Cowtown]

You also have to make sure that you have properly cleaned off any of the old thermal pad. I mean REALLY clean the pad off, not just pick off what you can. The mating surfaces have to be completely clean for it to work well.

 

[Blue Jester_2112]

There's definately something wrong there friend. I agree that you should reaply the ASII and reseat the HS. Try using nail polish remover, or anything with acetone in it to clean the ASII off of the HS and core then swab it with rubbing alcohol to make sure you got all the nail polish remover off and any thermal paste that might still be on there too. Also, make sure you got all of the thermal tape off of there too, if there is any residue from that still on the HS or core it would screw up your heat transfer alot. If there is still residue from the tape on the HS use lighter fluid to get it off then clean it again with alcohol. If there is residue on the core you can take a cloth (preferebly a lint free one) and dampen it with lighter fluid then wipe the core. Then do the same again with alcohol.
Also, if you use lighter fluid be very careful with it and make sure you clean it off of your HS and chip with alcohol, it evaporates fast but it's best to be sure. I know I don't have to mention this but it makes me feel better to.
Don't use too much ASII and good luck.

 

[Colin]

Volcano II at 57C with no load? Either the clip is on backwards or the HS is not seated properly. A thick layer of Arctic Silver will just squish out over the ceramic plate, it will not cause such a large temperature increase. Think it through.

 

[Nevin]

Only way to get that high of temp idle with a decent heatsink is if it is not sitting flush on the CPU core. Verify that the heatsink is oriented the proper way and that the clip is applying pressure directly above the center of the core. (The clip is offset, so if it is backwards, the pressure will not be centered above the core.) If you are using a shim, it could keep the heatsink from properly contacting the CPU core if it is slightly out of tolerance or bent as little as 0.003" (This small bend would be undetectable unless you laid the shim on a flat piece of glass.)

Arctic Silver II will not bridge an excessive gap like a thick thermal pad will so it is imperative that the heatsink be installed properly. There are several threads like this on other forums and after multiple Arctic Silver bashing posts, the originators all eventually discovered that the heatsink was backwards, or the clip was backwards, or the CPU was not fully seated in the socket, or there was an eyelash hair between the CPU and the heatsink, or the shim was bent, or the shim was defective.

Nevin House
Arctic Silver, Inc.

 

[oc jason]

dont know where to start- make sure all the thermal tape is gone- either take a razor blade to it or sand it off-and then use a thin layer of As2 between the HS and the chip- i mean that is a dangerous temp for anything. i doubt that the HS i flush against the chip- is so then your using too much as2-or the tape is not completely gone

 

[outhouse]

Sorry but there is no way a thermal pad is better then AS-2 as all of the other post have replied you need to make sure that it is seated properly. Also there may be other factor's such as ambient temps case cooling ect ect. and last you may have a CPU problem that is causing your high temps. my first AMD temps ran way to high out of the box so i took it back.

goodluck

 

[Da Whip]

It definately sounds like bad contact between the heatsink and the CPU. You should try lapping your heatsink and then reapply the A/S2. Lapping my heatsink gave me a 5C drop in temps. Here is a how to;

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[William]

you have a real fan on that thing. Other than what Colin has stated i am at a loss assuming you removed the other crap off of there.

 

[Colin]

I can’t understand why this keeps coming up. Arctic Silver often gets blamed for an improper installation of a HS. Looking at the data, there is no other explanation. You could slather on your choice of thermal compound and the results would not be what were described in the original post in this thread. Think it through.

 

[JCLJorgenson]

I know my heatsink is on correct and I know my thermal tape was completely removed. I followed the directions from the AS2 website. I already tried the arctic silver II twice the firdt time I put int on super thin, then the second time a little thicker. I only used nail polish remover to get off the thermal tape and prior arctic silver II. I don't really feel like taking apart my whole PC again to try reapplying AS2, but I don't know what else to do. What is interesting, is that my bios cpu temp always reads about 8C less than my software's reading. What is more accurate? Also, is it harmful if some of the arctis silver II gets slightly around the core - on the chip? It got a little messy cleaning it up from the first time.

 

[AmIdYfReAk]

arnt you sapost to use Rubbing alchol?

 

[Cowtown]

He could of gotten one of those lemming Volcano II's that I got. I read that one link someone posted about a recent review of it and it says that it was cooling well. All I know is that the one I had BLEW CHUNKS!!!

The one thing we haven't heard yet is what his motherboard and ambient temps are, that could do it. In my freaking boilerroom apartment it was in the high 20's and my system at idle was @ about 56, but ambient temps in the case were near 40 so it's relational. I can't wait for this friggin air pumpin 80mm fan I ordered to show up, should be tommorow, just as that cold front rolls in..

 

[William]

something is way wrong with the way you have that Volcano2 mounted like colin said. Too much isn't an issue here.