CPU cooling on PC build

[vball]

Hi folks,

I'm new to this forum, so forgive me if I faux pas somewhere. I abase myself before the throne of the hackmasters. I'm probably going to go with the stock cooling fan for my AMD 3800+ x2 and I notice there is no thermal paste included with the package. I s that only used for custom coolers? Can I generally assume that if I'll not doing a lot of totally insane overclocking, the stock fan will work OK? I mean why would they give you one that didn't, unless they wanted to sell lots of replacements for burned out CPUs? Hmmm. Anyway, should I also assume it's probably a bad idea to park my new rig next to the wood stove?

Thanks

[KaptCrunch]

note use a thermal paste on any heatsink applyed to CPU.

yes the radiant heat will cook case temps an chips, welldone to beep beep shutdown. best place near outside wall, less hotter then woodstove.

[CandyKid]

KC? Are you drunk?

 

vball,

 

There should be a small square of thermal compound pre-applied to the stock cooler with a small piece of plastic covering it. REMOVE that small piece of plastic before installation.

 

If the bottom is clean metal, you MUST use thermal compound or your CPU will fry, even with automatic thermal shutdown on the part of your mainboard.

 

Lately, I've been more and more let down by stock cooling solutions as they're rather pathetic and won't do for even small overclocks on some of the hotter chips.

 

If I were you, I'd buy an aftermarket cooler, but it's all up to you.

 

In a 70*F room, stock coolers should keep the CPU's in their normal operating ranges, but they're still usually hotter than I like.

 

My Pentium used to idle fairly warm and get near 60*C when truckin' which, although below thermal spec, is too hot for me! So I went to water cooling, now I never break 45*C, even at 4.25GHz.

 

PLUR

CK