I’m building my first pc and I think that I might have put too much thermal paste onto the CPU. Is there a way to check if any paste leaked onto the CPU without removing the cooling fan? Can the CPU be cleaned if some paste leaked onto it?
If you don’t know for certain that you put too much on then it’s unlikely that it would be enough to cause damage. Most of the reason that you don’t want to put a lot on is due to waste. It’s kind of expensive for paste. If it rolls over the edge after squeezing out it really won’t hurt anything. I doubt that it would get under the processor.
Are you having any issues with it?
If you are not sure then check out some Newegg tutorials for applying and removing thermal paste, over on youtube.
I had some help from my cousin when I was applying the thermal paste. Unfortunately we only realized that just a bit of thermal paste the size of a grain of rice was required after we watched some Youtube tutorials. My cousin had used the entire tube of paste and tried to spread it evenly across the surface of the CPU with a piece of plastic. After the fan was set onto the CPU and screwed in, I didn’t see any paste leak out. However, I’m not sure if it did leak because the fan is big and it blocked my view. I couldn’t get a good look at the place where the CPU and the cooling fan meet. I’m just wondering if it’s alright if some paste leaks into the surrounding area but doesn’t get onto the pins or the socket.
Yes. You should redo it.
Now this i can help with. You certainly need to take off the cpu cooler. Take it off and check if there is overflow. If there is, you can clean it with some alcohol(not the kind you get at the licqour store but the type you can get at the hardware store that has additives in it to make it not drinkable…unless you are really desperate that is) clean all the residual stuff off and start over with a small blob about the size of a Grain of rice. Use the cpu cooler to mold it so it covers the entire heatsink surface. Take off the cpu cooler and check. If not covered add a tiny bit more paste. Repeat until perfect. Attach the cooler
if your thermal paste isn’t cunductive then all that will happen from too much paste is higher temperatures.
Remember, pea sized amount in the middle and put the cooling block onto it.
Paper thin should do.