do i NEED thermal paste?

freightgod

Confused and Bewildered
Joined
12 Feb 2002
Messages
561
Just received a Thermaltake Volcano 7 which is gonna replace a stock cooling fan on my Athlon XP 1900.

I'm not using thermal paste at the moment, just the sticky pad that came with the stock fan. How important is it that I hold off on installing my new fan until I buy some paste? I'd really rather not wait but would value opinions on the matter. Also any tips on removing/replacing proc. fans.

I do not overclock and don't plan on it either.

Thanks in advance!
 
Use thermal goo. You need it. I wonder if got a Volcano 7, or a Volcano 7+ . It's a brute force cooler. and a very nice one.

Without thermal paste...it does not work well. your chip won't fry but....

You need thermal paste

and be careful of the cpu core. You can crush it if you press too hard with the HSF.
 
Ok I guess I'll wait until tommorrow, if Radio Shack even carries such an animal (thats my only local option). Thanks
 
Firstly some Thermal Paste should have come with the Volcano 7+.

But it would be better with some Arctic Silver
(http://www.arcticsilver.com)
It is one of the best thermal interface materials that you can get. You will also need to read the application instructions that are on their site.
 
Originally posted by Nick M
Use thermal goo. You need it. I wonder if got a Volcano 7, or a Volcano 7+ . It's a brute force cooler. and a very nice one.

Without thermal paste...it does not work well. your chip won't fry but....

You need thermal paste

and be careful of the cpu core. You can crush it if you press too hard with the HSF.

cooling is practically the same for the 7/7+ and the 9...

the 7 and the 9 are the most hassle free of the lot... I did not like the 7+ whenI had it... returned it for the 7 I have now....

btw for the initial poster... you can use the thermal pad @ the bottom that comes stock... but the reason people are suggesting using thermal paste... its because there are better conducting properties... so your cpu temps will be a little lower...
 
I have the Volcano 9 sazar, and that's quite nice, runs at about 30c idle, 36c load.

7 and 7+ are almost the same, I agree.

Why didn't you like 7+ though?
 
Well after further consideration and beer I went ahead and plopped the fan in without any paste. I can always add some later. Temps seem normal but I'll check again in a couple hours and let you know.

I bought it on eBay and it did not come with any thermal paste...unless that's what I rubbed off when I thought I was cleaning it....duhhhh moment there I think on my part.

Anyway, it sure is quieter than the stock fan!!! That was my main goal anyway.
 
Make sure you aren't running it at the lowest RPM setting! That's bad!
 
Originally posted by freightgod
Well after further consideration and beer I went ahead and plopped the fan in without any paste.
:D lol... good ol' helpful beer.
 
Originally posted by Nick M
Make sure you aren't running it at the lowest RPM setting! That's bad!

I'm not sure what you mean or how to adjust that...it's got a built-in sensor so I'm imagining that its speed varies with the temp. Correct me if I'm wrong.

Beer + modding = adventure!
 
Oh. You're using built in sensor?

There's a little switcher thinger that comes with the Volcano, there are 3 settings on it, high, med, low, something like it.

You don't have a one of a em? ;)
 
No switches, its a temp controlled variable speed fan; box says Volcano 7.
 
Perhaps that was the Volcano 7+ then.

No worries!
 
Originally posted by Nick M
Perhaps that was the Volcano 7+ then.

No worries!

yes the volcano 7+ and the volcano 9 both have an addon where the the user and set the fan speeds per the speed selector... nothing fancy... just a little tiny thinger :)

btw the volcano 7+ I put together first of all... and then the thing did not cool that well...

I had a cooler master copper pipe before (not the quiet one... the one with a 6800rpm fan) and it sounded like a jet engine compared to my volcano 7... and thats saying something coz the 7 is NOT quiet :)

anyways the coolermaster gave me my best temps... was an amazing cooler... but just too loud...

the volcano 7+ was not as good a cooler for me... plus the putting it together and the one I got had some fins bent...

I rma'd it back and got a 7 instead and I liked it better...

it feels lighter which is good considering the weight of these babies...
 
Heh Sazar, I didn't install it for myself, so I don't care too much, but I had the PC for burn in, a week, and it was kinda loud, and I bent some fins also, cut my fingers on them! Sharp!

I really don't notice the noise though, since all my fans mute it out.

I have Volcano 9 cool mod now. :) Good cooler!
 
i have the same coolermaster heatpipe one... i just switched out the fan. did the same when i built my freind's and my dad's pc. awesome cooler.
 
The pad will work in a pinch. But, seriously, get yourself some Arctic Silver III. A very thin layer.
 
The pad will work in a pinch. But, seriously, get yourself some Arctic Silver III. A very thin layer.
 
Originally posted by xsivforce
The pad will work in a pinch. But, seriously, get yourself some Arctic Silver III. A very thin layer.

I think he trusts beer judgement over the info he requested from us :)

thermal pad should work fine per se but will not really cool it much...
 

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