How to replace thermal paste at home on a laptop processor, analogue

• What is thermal paste
• Is it possible to replace thermal paste with thermal pad?
• “Analogs” of thermal paste popular on the Internet

Thermal paste can only be replaced with thermal paste! Below is a list of household items that some craftsmen have tried to use instead. Do not use them under any circumstances.

The ingenuity of people knows no bounds. However, new brilliant ideas are not always effective. When trying to find options for replacing thermal paste, people mistakenly use popular ideas that they found on the Internet.

It is impossible to replace this product at home, so there is no need to look for other options, and besides, the price of thermal paste is not high and anyone can afford to buy it.

If you need to replace thermal paste on a processor, for example, for an asus laptop on an nvidia video card, it is better to use the same thermal interface that was provided by the manufacturer.

What is thermal paste

Thermal paste is an adhesive, plastic and thick substance with high thermal conductivity. It is used for proper cooling of electrical equipment. Thermal paste fills all microcracks between the processor and the radiator, ensuring proper heat transfer between these parts.

The main disadvantage of thermal paste is that it dries out while the PC is running, causing it to lose its properties. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly replace the thermal paste - once a year is enough. Otherwise, the laptop or PC will overheat and simply break down.

Despite this drawback, almost all manufacturers use thermal paste. However, on the modern market there is a good alternative option - thermal padding.

Is it possible to replace thermal paste with thermal pad?

Sometimes manufacturers use thermal pads instead of thermal paste, which perform essentially the same functions. If you want to replace thermal paste with a thermal pad or vice versa, you need to take several features into account.

1. When replacing the gasket with paste, the radiator no longer fits tightly to the processor or video card. This is due to the thickness of the thermal pad. The free space will begin to fill with air, which will lead to overheating.
2. If you replace the paste with a gasket, the pressure on the springs with bolts will increase. As a result, the part may fail and unstable operation of the device will be observed.

It is also not recommended to use two thermal interfaces at the same time. They will negatively affect thermal conductivity. If the manufacturer uses thermal paste in a laptop, then you only need to replace it with paste; if it is a gasket, then you only need to replace it with a gasket.

“Analogs” of thermal paste popular on the Internet

Having found out how much it costs to replace thermal paste, many decide to carry out this procedure themselves, using other “analogues” instead of special paste.

When looking for an alternative, people often use options such as:

• toothpaste;
• mayonnaise;
• sour cream;
• foil;
• chewing gum;
• glue "Moment";
• silicone grease;
• sunflower or vaseline oil;
• liquid metal or Wood's alloy.

It should be noted that none of the presented options is suitable instead of thermal paste. Each remedy will negatively affect the functioning of the device and render it unusable.

To replace it yourself, it is better to purchase a popular and affordable product:

• KPT-8;
• Arctic Cooling MX-4.

You can also find more expensive analogues, however, there is practically no difference between them. Therefore, there is no point in overpaying. If you cannot replace the thermal paste yourself, contact a service center.

The cost of such a service is low, and the specialist will not only do his job efficiently, but also inspect the device and clean it for an additional fee.

What can replace thermal paste with? This question arises among people who think that it is possible to use another means instead of the one provided for this purpose.

It would be a mistake to look for alternative replacement methods, since thermal paste itself is not an expensive product, and moreover, it fully performs its functions. And homemade substitutes can damage the device - at best, you will need to replace one part, at worst, the entire device.

What can be used instead of thermal paste for a processor?

During operation of the laptop, persistently high temperatures of the processor or video card may be observed. In most cases, this indicates that it is time to clean the laptop from dust and replace the thermal paste on the processor. Most likely, almost every computer user knows about this. However, some may wonder why thermal paste is needed and what it is.

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Why do you need pasta?

Modern powerful processors have high operating temperatures and require additional cooling, not to mention more powerful processors in some instances, for example, in gaming computers. They have a critical value at which they will not be able to work or even fail - this is about 90-100 degrees. The normal temperature value under average loads is 60-70 degrees.

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Due to the peculiarity of temperature distribution from a point with a high value to a point with a low value, there is a need for efficient temperature transfer. This principle of temperature distribution was adopted as a cooling system for the processor. In order for complete and effective heat transfer from the processor to the radiator to occur, tight and hermetically sealed contact between the surfaces is necessary.

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At first glance, it may seem that the radiator cap and the processor cover are perfectly smooth and that there is no need for paste. However, if you use a magnifying glass and look closely, you will notice that there are microcracks, scratches and pits. When a radiator is installed on a processor, these voids will be filled with air, and, as is known, air is a poor conductor of heat. In addition, tight contact does not always occur during assembly. In order to eliminate this drawback, a special mixture is used.

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It is designed to fill all voids on surfaces and is, as it were, an intermediary in heat transfer. As a result, the heat transfer process will look like this:

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• heat transfer from the processor cover to the bottom edge of the thermal paste layer;
• heat transfer in the mixture layer itself;
• transmission from the upper border of the paste to the lower radiator cap.

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Functions and composition of thermal paste

There are a number of requirements for pasta. It must have a high coefficient of heat transfer and thermal conductivity, and its layer must be as thin as possible. Perhaps the most important characteristic of thermal paste is thermal conductivity, but in addition to this, it must meet the following requirements:

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• serve as long as possible;
• easy to apply and remove from surfaces;
• work in a wide temperature range;
• be able to be applied in a thin layer.

Due to the fact that any composition has less thermal conductivity than the metal from which the radiator and processor cover are made, its layer should be as thin as possible. Most pastes on the market are made from a mixture of synthetic or mineral oils with low volatility rates. Each brand has a different content. Each filler has its own guaranteed service life and thermal conductivity index. That is why prices for this product vary so much.

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In order for the thermal conductivity to be maximum, various types of metal dust or metal oxide dust are added to it; these are the main filler. In some places there are even pastes with diamond dust, because diamond conducts heat very well. You can guess that the price for this type will be rather high.

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One of the best metals in terms of thermal conductivity is silver. In addition, there are also special thermal pastes based on liquid metals. They are mainly used where extreme processor overclocking takes place.

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Thermal paste analogues

First of all, it’s worth saying that there is simply no truly complete substitute for thermal paste. But if it happens that the computer begins to heat up critically and you urgently need to replace the paste, then you can use some materials for a while.

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You should immediately warn that such a replacement is not long-term and a special paste should be applied at the first opportunity. More or less real substitutes include:

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• pencil glue;
• silicone and thin foil plate;
• thermal pad;
• grinding the bottom surface of the radiator and processor cover;
• graphite paste;
• hot glue;

Using special sanding paper, you can achieve smooth surfaces, thereby ensuring complete heat transfer. This method is good because the next time you disassemble to apply real paste, you won’t have to scrape off the old layer of material from the radiator and processor. But this method is more labor-intensive. You can also replace the thermal paste with aluminum foil mounted on silicone for a while.

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Unsuccessful alternative

Human ingenuity, as we know, has no limits. Everyone is sophisticated in different ways, and we make different attempts to do something in our own way, this is no exception. On the Internet you can see absolutely absurd proposals for thermal paste substitutes.

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For example, using toothpaste. It may be somewhat similar in consistency, but in terms of properties it is no good. When heated, it will dry out and stick to the processor. Moreover, at high temperatures there is a risk of toothpaste igniting.

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Sour cream and mayonnaise are also inappropriate here. Needless to say, when heated they will spread and nothing good will come of it; the entire processor of the laptop or computer will be covered in fat. Perhaps some tried to attach the heatsink to the processor using glue. Such an action will result in the processor being tightly stuck and the entire computer becoming unusable.

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Foil also won't work because it won't spread perfectly evenly and won't fill all the voids. Alternatively, it is still quite tolerable, but only if you put it on silicone. Again, this is temporary; such a substitute is not suitable in the long term.

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How to change thermal paste yourself

Watch a useful video on this topic:

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Can the thermal pad be replaced with thermal paste?

In practice, this is recommended to be done only as a last resort. Since such manipulation can lead to failure due to an increase in the temperature of the video card or processor of the laptop or PC.

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The fact is that the thickness of the thermal pad is most often greater than the maximum permissible layer of cooling paste. If thermal paste is applied instead of a gasket, the cooler heatsink may no longer fit tightly to the graphics adapter or processor. As a result, this will lead to overheating of the system.

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But if circumstances force you to decide on such a step, at home you can spread a thick thermal paste, for example, OCZ Freeze, on a medical bandage (or on a piece of gauze).

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Some advanced DIYers construct a layer cake from copper plates approximately 1 mm thick and cooling paste.

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How much does it cost to clean a laptop from dust and replace thermal paste at a service center?

If you are not confident in your abilities, then it is recommended to contact professionals with any problem with equipment. Cleaning your laptop from dust and replacing thermal paste is not as expensive as it might seem. Prices for such a service are approximately 1000 rubles. It's better to pay that amount and extend the life of your laptop than to risk losing it completely.

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It is better to put any substitute, even if it is quite suitable for short-term use, aside and use special materials in professional hands. This way you will extend the life of your computer, and you will not have to pay money for repairs in the future. When the time has come, it is better to simply completely replace the thermal paste.

Thermal paste analogues

First of all, it’s worth saying that there is simply no truly complete substitute for thermal paste. But if it happens that the computer begins to heat up critically and you urgently need to replace the paste, then you can use some materials for a while.

You should immediately warn that such a replacement is not long-term and a special paste should be applied at the first opportunity. More or less real substitutes include:

• pencil glue;
• silicone and thin foil plate;
• thermal pad;
• grinding the bottom surface of the radiator and processor cover;
• graphite paste;
• hot glue;

Using special sanding paper, you can achieve smooth surfaces, thereby ensuring complete heat transfer. This method is good because the next time you disassemble to apply real paste, you won’t have to scrape off the old layer of material from the radiator and processor. But this method is more labor-intensive. You can also replace the thermal paste with aluminum foil mounted on silicone for a while.

Introduction

Each of us has encountered a situation where, when assembling a new system unit or upgrading an old one, the thermal paste suddenly ran out. What if it happened at the most inopportune moment? For example, it’s already night outside, all the shops are closed, and you need a computer urgently and immediately! And here the available tools that surround us in everyday life come to the rescue. You can guess for a long time which of them is the best alternative to conventional thermal paste, but it is wiser to check this experimentally.

The search for such products should start with the refrigerator, if, of course, you have one and it is used for its intended purpose: opening it, you can see butter and sunflower oil, mayonnaise - add them to the experiment basket. You can also find a pot of yesterday’s borscht, which is best left alone. I’m afraid that you won’t be impressed by its effectiveness, but you will definitely earn anger and a month of abstinence from your wife - she tried, she cooked, and you are so bad, you took and used, as they say, “bypass the cash register”, her dish. Instead, it’s better to ask her for food foil - it will definitely come in handy.

After successfully searching for samples for the experiment, you should add the usual KPT-8 thermal paste for comparison, and in order to finally make the experiment more objective, you can conduct testing without a thermal interface at all - more precisely, air will come out instead of it.

Recommendations for replacing thermal paste

Removal of the old layer of such a substance should be carried out in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and instructions. In addition, do not use plain clean water or acetone. The best way to remove such a thermal interface is alcohol applied to synthetic wipes. If the user needs to replace the thermal paste on a device such as a laptop, then this process should be approached with special attention. Due to the fact that the central processors of some laptop models do not have protection. Therefore, there is a possibility of accidental damage. Caution must be exercised both when disassembling the device and when cleaning it from dust.

Butter

For testing, a pack of regular butter called “Peasant” was purchased with a mass fraction of fat of 72.5% and a weight of 180 grams. The tested sample was manufactured in accordance with GOST R 52969-2008. It tastes good, but true gourmets wouldn’t dare recommend it. As you understand, this does not play a big role in the test, the most important thing is the thermal conductivity of the butter. This is exactly what I will check during the experiment.

freeBoot instructions

Freeboot Xbox 360. Description.

freeBoot XBOX 360 is the most popular and current hacking method in our service center. Allows you to play without discs. freeBoot is a hacked original dashboard, which requires a special chip (Reset Glitch Hack) or wiring of radio components for JTAG Hack to run. The freeboot dashboard looks no different from the original one of the same version, but it can run code that is not signed by Microsoft.

Basic features of freeBoot.

• Run all games of any region (PAL, NTSC, NTSC-J) from external hard drives or from the internal HDD of the console.
• Download or make full all LIVE Arcade games.
• Ability to use downloaded DLC content for free.
• Run emulators of old consoles, video players, etc.
• Do not depend on any game discs at all.

Installing and configuring FreeStyle Dash (FSD)

To launch FSD automatically, Dash Launch must be installed. In most cases, it is installed immediately along with freeBoot, if it was done by a normal wizard.

Download and open launch.ini in notepad. In Default, at the beginning of the path, write hdd - to autorun FSD from the root of the built-in hard drive of the XBOX 360 or usb - to autorun FSD from the root of an external USB drive. Save your changes.

Place the FSD folder and edited launch.ini at the root of your XBOX 360's internal hard drive (via XeXMenu) or to the root of your external USB drive (via My Computer). After restarting the set-top box, the copied FSD will start automatically.

Changing basic settings:

Settings -> Content settings -> Content paths -> press the Y button -> Select path -> go to the media you want to add and press the Y button. Set the scanning depth to 4 and press the X button. Thus, you need to add all connected media , where games, programs, etc. are contained.

Setting up loading game covers:

Register at xboxunity.net. Then go to Settings -> Main settings -> JQE360.com -> enter your xboxunity.net registration information. Next, go to Settings -> Content settings -> Loading covers -> check the box for Enable loading covers, then set the check interval to 5 minutes, check the box for Medium (330x450).

Where to download games

1. In the Games package, which can be located on the internal Hdd1 of the console or an external Usb drive. You can drop unpacked ISO images and games in GOD format into this folder.

2. In the folder Hdd1:\Content\0000000000000000, where you can drop games only in GOD format.

Games in GOD format have the following form: a folder with the ID name of the game (alphanumeric name of 8 characters), which is unique for each game, and in it the folder 00007000 or 00004000 (where the game itself) and, possibly, the folder 00000002 (where the installation content and DLC).

Multi-disc games are downloaded like this: installation discs are copied to Hdd1:\Content\00000000000000000, and the game disc is copied to the Games folder.

After downloading the games, in FSD go to Settings -> Content Settings -> Scanning -> and click the Scan button. By default, content is automatically scanned after each launch of the XBOX 360 (FSD). After this, the downloaded games will be displayed in Library -> XBOX 360 Games.

How to install Title Update (TU)

1. Via FSD (if you have Internet configured on your XBOX 360).

Go to Library -> XBOX 360 Games, highlight the game you want, press Y, then select TU Manager, then press Y again and wait for FSD to download everything, then press A to make it active.

2. Manually, downloading the required TU from the xboxunity.net website.

You can find out the Title ID and Media ID of the game by pressing the central XBOX button on the gamepad while the game is running, where you will see the necessary information in the lower right corner

Download only the latest TU, as it already contains all previous versions!

There are two types of TU: TU_ (at the very beginning two capital letters and a lower space) and tu (at the very beginning two small letters without any spaces).

tu copy to Hdd1:\Content\0000000000000000\ID_game_name\000B0000 TU_ copy to Hdd1:\Cache

How to download games via FTP

When FSD or XM360 is running, the console acts as an FTP server, allowing you to connect to it through almost any FTP client, such as FileZilla, to upload, download and delete games and other content.

Windows Vista/7.

Computer settings. Connection via router.

Click Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings, then double-click the left mouse to open Local Area Connection, then click Details... Remember the third section (sections separated by dots) of the IPv4 address (it may have a value 1 or 0).

Computer settings. Connection directly via network card.

Click Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Sharing Center -> Change adapter settings, then left-click on Internet Protocol Version 4, then click Properties. Enter the IP address and subnet mask as in the picture below.

Configuring XBOX 360 network settings.

Exit FreeStyle Dash to your native dashboard. Connect the network cable to the set-top box, select Settings -> System -> Network Settings -> Wired Network -> Configure Network, then select the part of the list where there are IP Settings, then select Manual and enter the IP address 192.168.1.99 there. If you are connecting via a router, then the third section of the IP address should contain 1 or 0 (see setting up a connection via a router). Click OK to save the changed settings.

Before trying to connect via FTP, make sure FreeStyle Dash is running.

It is recommended to use the FileZilla client to connect -

For Mac OS, Yummy FTP is best -

Host: XBOX 360 IP Address Username and Password: xbox

How to download games from a USB drive via FSD Explorer

Insert the USB drive with the game downloaded onto it into a free USB port of the XBOX 360. Go to Programs -> Explorer. On the left side of the window, go to the Games folder, and on the right, select the folder with the game you want to download, then hold down LB on the gamepad, and then without releasing LB, press A.

Wait until copying is complete and press A to close the window.

This way you can copy not only unpacked images, but also games in GOD format, which are placed in the Content\00000000000000000 folder

Deleting a folder occurs in a similar way: the object to be deleted is selected in the left part of the window, then press LB, then without releasing LB press B, after which a warning will appear,

Use the D-pad to select Yes and press A to confirm the deletion. The same is done for the right side of the window, only RB is used.

How to copy a game disc to HDD

Using this method, you can copy all licensed discs, and if the drive is flashed with 2.0/3.0, then also non-licensed discs with LT Plus 1.9, LT Plus 2.0 and LT Plus 3.0 firmware, but recorded 100% correctly.

1. Through a standard dashboard. The game will be in GOD format.

Insert the game disc into the DVD drive and exit the FSD. Point at the disk image and hold down X until the option overview appears,

then use the D-pad to select Install and press A to begin installing the disc onto the internal HDD of the console.

Wait 20-40 minutes for the installation to complete.

2. Through DVD to FSD extractor.

Insert the game disc into the DVD drive and go to Programs -> Unpack DVD. In the window that appears, specify the path to the Games folder. The name of the game folder is assigned automatically. Click Start to begin extraction.

Wait 20-40 minutes for unpacking to complete.

Converting an ISO image to GOD format

Conversion to GOD format is best done with the Iso2God program

It doesn’t matter what firmware and wavelength the converted image is made for, it does not affect further work in freeBoot.

After launching the Iso2God program, follow the following instructions:

1. Click Add ISO

2. In Image Location, select the image to convert.

3. In Output Location, select the folder where the game folder will be saved in GOD format. The folder with the game itself will have a name in the form of the game title ID (alphanumeric name of 8 characters) - Title ID.

4. In Mode, select Full (ISO Rebuilt).

5. Uncheck Save Rebuilt ISO Image.

6. In Temporary Location for Rebuilt ISO, specify the folder with the ISO image to be converted.

7. Click Add ISO to add the image to the list of jobs.

This way you can add multiple images for conversion.

8. After adding images to the job, click Convert to begin conversion.

Unpacking the ISO image

Since the XBOX 360 file system is similar to FAT32, it cannot contain a file larger than 4GB; therefore, ISO images that weigh 8GB must be unpacked for further downloading.

Before downloading the game to an external USB drive or internal hard drive of the XBOX 360, you need to extract the contents from the ISO image. To do this, you will need the Xbox Image Browser program.

Attention for Windows 7! If the MSCOMCTL.OCX error appears when launching the Xbox Image Browser, then run Instal MSCOMCTL.OCX Win 7 x86 for a 32-bit operating system, Instal MSCOMCTL.OCX Win 7 x64 for a 64-bit operating system. You can find out what type of system you have by going to Start -> Control Panel -> System

In the upper left corner of the program, click File -> Open Image File, then open the ISO image of the game through the window that appears. 1. In the left part of the window, right-click on the name of the ISO image. 2. Click Extract. 3. In the window that appears, select the Games folder on your USB drive. If the game will be downloaded to the internal hard drive of the XBOX 360, then you can choose any location on the computer where the unpacked game can fit. 4. Click Create Folder. 5. Write the name of the folder where the image will be unpacked, in English only. 6. Click OK. Wait...

How to get to the native dashboard and back to FSD

Exit from FSD to native dashboard:

1. When starting the console, when the XBOX logo appears, hold down RB. 2. In any game, application or in the FSD itself, press the center key of the joystick, then press Y, then select YES (A) and immediately hold down RB.

Exiting the native dashboard in FSD:

Press the center key on the joystick, then press Y (XBOX pad).

What to do if some games do not launch, restart the console

Go to FSD in Settings -> Plugin Settings -> Status and click the Unload button, which is located opposite the FSD Plugin, to disable this plugin.

Thus, the FSD Plugin will be disabled until the next FSD restart, after which the disabling procedure will need to be repeated, if necessary.

What to do if the FSD starts to slow down and freeze a lot

Go to Settings -> Main settings -> Reset settings -> click Erase database. This will remove all downloaded covers and other additional information related to the FSD content.

If the above does not help, use the XeXMenu file manager to reinstall it.

Sunflower oil

The sample was produced by the Yarko trademark, a local manufacturer in Saratov. Therefore, this brand is hardly known in other regions. But I can assure you that the vegetable oil manufacturer does not fundamentally change the physical properties of this product. And the oil itself is ordinary, sunflower, refined, produced in accordance with GOST R 52465-2005. The volume of the bottle is 1 (one) liter. The oil should be applied to the processor cover carefully, since it tends to spread very strongly; a few drops are enough to cover the entire surface.

What should you not replace thermal paste with?

1. A large number of people are deeply mistaken that toothpaste can replace heat-conducting paste. In general, it is prohibited to apply it to the processor. The similarity lies only in its consistency. However, at high temperatures it tends to heat up and ignite. But this can lead to global processor failure.
2. Food products such as mayonnaise or sour cream are best used for food and not for working with equipment. At the temperature generated by the processor, these products begin to melt. And if a drop falls on part of the device, then there is a high probability of a short circuit. Since this food is quite fatty, this fat will need to be washed off with great effort.
3. Under no circumstances use instant-curing adhesives instead of heat-conducting paste. After all, it will firmly connect the parts of the device. After this, you will have no other option but to buy a new computer.
4. It is also written on the Internet that at home you can replace heat-conducting paste with chewing gum. However, many people know and understand that when heated, chewing gum begins to turn black and curl. In addition, you will spend a huge amount of time tearing it off the chip.
5. When using foil, you will not do anything bad to the device, but there will be no benefit either. Just don't waste your time on this nonsense. That's the only thing that can be said.
6. “Experts” on the Internet recommend using thick silicone lubricant to solve this problem. However, they are simply blatantly deceiving you, because heat-conducting paste and grease have completely different compositions.
7. None of the oils, be it sunflower, machine or olive, will provide a worthy replacement. And all because they do not contain substances that provide heat conduction.

If you decide to replace thermal paste at home with one of these substances, throw the idea out of your head. Otherwise, your PC may be finished.

Engine oil

Any internal combustion engine requires lubrication for long-term operation; this role is usually performed by motor oil: synthetic, semi-synthetic or mineral. In theory, motor oil is also suitable for heat transfer. For testing, the last bottle of CASTROL Magnatec 5W-30 C3 oil worth 350 rubles was borrowed from a neighboring motorist. The oil is supplied in a liter container, from which a couple of drops were taken. As it soon turned out, there was a lot of that too.

Consequences of running a computer without thermal paste

Without thermal paste, the processor temperature increases noticeably. Even if you don’t particularly load the system, the value will still increase by 5-10 degrees. When running resource-intensive applications, the temperature will approach peak values. Overheating leads to freezes, system braking, emergency shutdown of the computer, and failure of components.

If a situation arises that the computer will have to work for some time without thermal paste, then the main advice is not to load it. In addition, you need to constantly monitor the temperature. The most convenient way is to install the free Speccy utility. In the program settings, you can choose to display the processor temperature in the system tray.

The Speccy program displays the temperature of all critical components

If you see that the temperature is approaching the maximum permissible value (it is indicated in the description of the processor), then turn off the computer and wait until it cools down. And apply thermal paste as soon as possible.

Mayonnaise

The mayonnaise of the “Maheev Premium” brand was not chosen by chance; the packaging proudly displayed the inscription “Mayonnaise No. 1 in Russia!” It became interesting how he would show himself in the tests; Perhaps it will become the very best replacement for thermal paste. And the mayonnaise turned out to have the addition of quail eggs. Looking ahead, I will say that during the testing process the room smelled distinctly of fried eggs. This is logical, because in addition to vegetable oil and mustard, it also contains egg yolk.

It was a pleasure to spread this sauce over the processor: it goes on smoothly and quickly. The packaging weight of this “Premium” was 210 grams - it should be enough for a long time if you decide to use this product as a permanent thermal interface. Another important fact is that after testing with mayonnaise, the base of the radiator slightly changed its color as a result of the oxidation process.

Step-by-step replacement of thermal paste at home

Replacing this substance at home is a very common procedure, which is used by fairly experienced users. But still, without the necessary knowledge and skills, it’s not worth taking on this task yourself.

On a note! It is better to leave this to professionals who will perform this manipulation quickly and with guaranteed safety for your PC. Moreover, it is worth considering the very affordable cost of this procedure in specialized service centers.

If you have a high-quality and original thermal substance, you can independently update the layer. Among the tools you will need to prepare is a screwdriver, a synthetic cloth, alcohol, a vacuum cleaner, a plastic card and a brush. After this, the computer owner can begin the process itself:

Toothpaste

A fairly well-known Colgate brand of toothpaste was taken as a test sample, but not a simple one, but with (naturally!) medicinal herbs. According to the manufacturer's assurances on the packaging, this paste guarantees a whitening effect, but this does not matter, I am not going to whiten my teeth. By itself, it is applied without problems, the consistency is similar to regular thermal paste, but slightly runny, and at the same time two-color. The laboratory received a BOX version of a 100 ml tube.

Unsuccessful alternative

Human ingenuity, as we know, has no limits. Everyone is sophisticated in different ways, and we make different attempts to do something in our own way, this is no exception. On the Internet you can see absolutely absurd proposals for thermal paste substitutes.

For example, using toothpaste. It may be somewhat similar in consistency, but in terms of properties it is no good. When heated, it will dry out and stick to the processor. Moreover, at high temperatures there is a risk of toothpaste igniting.

Sour cream and mayonnaise are also inappropriate here. Needless to say, when heated they will spread and nothing good will come of it; the entire processor of the laptop or computer will be covered in fat. Perhaps some tried to attach the heatsink to the processor using glue. Such an action will result in the processor being tightly stuck and the entire computer becoming unusable.

Foil also won't work because it won't spread perfectly evenly and won't fill all the voids. Alternatively, it is still quite tolerable, but only if you put it on silicone. Again, this is temporary; such a substitute is not suitable in the long term.

How to replace thermal paste: simple instructions that will extend the life of your PC

When thermal paste dries out, the computer becomes very hot, and the processor and video card may fail.

Thermal paste is a thick substance, often white or light gray. Its most important property is high thermal conductivity. Therefore, thermal paste is applied to the central processor and video card chip so that these heat-prone elements dissipate heat better.

Over the years, thermal paste dries out, which often leads to overheating of the computer. If the temperature of the processor and video card in your PC rises above the permissible level and the thermal conductivity composition has not been updated for several years, then you need to act. The service center will gladly replace the thermal paste for a fee. But you can also do it yourself and save money.

Thermal paste needs to be changed in both desktop computers and laptops. This guide will help in any case.

Prepare everything you need

First of all, you need the thermal paste itself. It can be purchased at any computer store.

Which pasta to choose is a debatable question. There are no large-scale studies on the effectiveness of thermal pastes on the Internet. But service centers often recommend the brands Zalman, Noctua and Arctic. A syringe with four grams can be purchased for 300–400 rubles. This should be enough for several replacements.

There is also a popular budget option - thermal paste KPT-8, but reviews about its quality are contradictory.

In addition to thermal paste, you will need:

• screwdriver for disassembling a computer;
• dry paper napkin, cotton swabs and alcohol to remove remnants of the old substance and excess of the new one;
• vacuum cleaner for cleaning dust (preferably);
• plastic card or brush for applying new thermal paste.

Disassemble the computer

Turn off your computer and unplug the power cord. Then remove the housing cover using a screwdriver.

Improper disassembly and cleaning may damage your computer. If you are not confident in your abilities, do not take risks. And remember: opening the case will void the warranty.

At this point, it doesn't hurt to carefully vacuum the insides of the computer. By getting rid of dust, you will reduce the overall temperature of the system. But don't overdo it: the vacuum cleaner should not touch the parts.

After unscrewing the bolts on the cooling system, disconnect it from the motherboard - you will see under it a metal plate with the remains of old thermal paste. This is the processor. Next to it there may be another plate - a chip of the built-in video card.

It happens that the laptop case interferes with separating the cooling system from the motherboard. In this case, you will first have to pull the motherboard out and only then disconnect the radiator from it, as in the video example above.

If your computer has a separate video card with its own cooling, remove it, and then remove the radiator from it. Underneath it, the video card should also have a plate with remnants of the old substance - a video chip.

If you have difficulty disassembling your computer or individual components, search YouTube for a service video for the same model of device as yours.

Remove any remaining old material

Take a dry cloth and carefully remove the old thermal paste from the processor, video card and cooling elements. If the substance does not give in, wet the cotton swabs with a small amount of alcohol and try to remove the residue with their help.

Apply new thermal paste

Squeeze a drop of thermal paste from the syringe onto the processor and distribute the substance in a thin, even layer over the entire area of ​​the plate. To do this, use a brush, if it was sold as a kit, or a plastic card, or any suitable item. The main thing is that it is dry and cannot scratch the processor. If any substance gets outside the plate, wipe it off with a paper towel.

To replace thermal paste on a built-in or external video card, apply the substance to its chip in the same way as to the processor.

You can apply thermal paste both to the chip itself and to the heatsink (see video). Or you can get by with just a chip: that will be quite enough.

Build a computer

After replacing the thermal paste, install all components in place. Make sure they are well secured and you haven't missed any bolts. Then close the housing cover.

Turn on your computer and monitor the temperature of the processor and video card. If its average value drops, then replacing the thermal paste will benefit the devices. If unsuccessful, consider other causes of heating.

Things to consider

Replacing thermal paste is a very important moment, which is best left to professionals:

• firstly, difficulties may arise in disassembling a laptop or PC due to inexperience;
• Secondly, different computers and other computing devices differ in their structure, which can also cause difficulties.

When applying thermal paste, care must be taken to ensure that the substance itself does not get on the motherboard or aluminum parts. This can lead to a short circuit and damage the entire device.

What can I use instead of thermal paste on a processor?

Those who are often looking for what can be used instead of thermal paste on a processor expect a miracle in the answers: now, now they will be advised to take waste, improvised material, which will relieve problems with overheating and will not require material, physical or time costs. Sometimes this happens: they give advice, but the result is always disastrous. Simply because there are things created specifically to perform certain functions, and they cannot be replaced with something universal. Are you asking what to wear on your feet instead of shoes?

• Why do you need thermal paste?
• How to replace thermal paste

April Fools' reviews of various compositions for replacing thermal paste have been circulating around the RuNet for more than 10 years. They included mayonnaise, vegetable oil, Vaseline, and a condom. But April Fool's Day is not called that in vain, because from time to time some Internet users believe this comic advice and even put it into practice. How does it end? At a minimum, by cleaning and cleaning the motherboard, and more often by replacing it. Modern processors, thank fuses, do not burn.

Apparently, from April Fools' jokes and the gullibility of users, the question arose whether it is possible to use toothpaste instead of thermal paste. And someone quite confidently answers that it is possible, because “a friend of a friend of a neighbor does just that, and I myself experimented in my youth.” In fact, toothpaste is similar to thermal paste only from a distance in terms of thickness. The composition, consistency, properties, and purpose of these substances are completely different, so there is no question of interchangeability. Toothpaste should not be applied to the processor cover and radiator base in order to improve heat dissipation (which is what thermal interfaces are used for). As, indeed, any other substance that does not have high thermal conductivity.

Why do you need thermal paste?

For those who already understand that it is impossible, but still hope that a little is possible (what if for a short time? and what if without a load? and what if you mix it?), it is worth remembering why thermal paste is needed in general and what it is. The processor is a part that is as hot as possible, and therefore requires constant and high-quality heat removal, otherwise overheating will lead to system shutdown. Heat is removed from the surface of the processor cover through a heatsink - metal plates on a flat base. Heat is dissipated from their surfaces by air flow from fans or liquid flow in special tubes in liquid cooling systems.

Both the processor cover and the radiator base are usually not very smooth, and scratches, dents, and traces of processing are visible to the naked eye. The higher the quality of the parts, the smoother the surfaces, but microscopic irregularities are always present. When a heatsink is installed on a processor, air bubbles remain in these irregularities, which do not conduct heat well. It turns out that at some points the processor overheats, and accordingly, the system cannot continue to operate.

Thermal paste is a mixture of metal powder, metal oxides, graphite, graphene, which have high thermal conductivity, and low-evaporation oils, which gives the mass plasticity. A thin layer of such paste fills uneven surfaces instead of air, the particles conduct heat, the processor is cooled, and the system works. Oils and oil-containing liquids in the composition do not dry out for a long time, allowing you to forget about a correctly applied thermal interface for a long time.

Someone may object: graphene, graphite and oxides of aluminum and beryllium are very good, but any substance has a much higher thermal conductivity than air, so lubricating it with at least something is better than nothing. But let’s not forget that the mixture must also be plastic, not change properties under the influence of high temperatures, not dry out or spread. The toothpaste that has given rise to so much talk contains water, which will evaporate, and the mass itself will melt and burn.

How to replace thermal paste

And yet: what can be used instead of thermal paste? Let's say there are a number of objective reasons why this syringe or tube is inaccessible. You won’t be able to get by with improvised means, but if this is not an end in itself, then thermal pads will probably be found in stores of radio components, electronics and components. They perform the same function: they remove heat, and only slightly less successfully than paste. A piece is cut from the plate to the size of the processor cover (or a ready-made one can be sold), the protective film is removed from one side, and the gasket is placed on the processor with an adhesive surface. The protective film on the other side is removed and the radiator is installed. The texture of this thermal interface resembles rubber; it is soft and fills unevenness well.

In the arsenal of electricians you can find hot melt glue - a mixture of thermal paste and glue. It will help remove heat from the processor properly, but removing and replacing the radiator will be problematic: the composition sets tightly. Actually, it is needed to fix parts in places of strong heat. If the system has already lived well and there are no plans for an upgrade, this is a good option, not inferior in quality to thermal paste.

If the problem with thermal paste is related to the fundamental absence of it in stores, then you can spend money on a new cooler, absolutely any one. Most manufacturers supply even their cheapest products with either thermal paste in a bag (bingo!), or already installed “chewing gum” - a thin plate of thermal interface on the base of the radiator. All that remains is to carefully clean it and transfer it to the prepared surface.

What can and cannot be used to replace thermal paste?

Instead of thermal paste, some computer or laptop owners use completely useless substances - oil, toothpaste, instant-drying glue, and the like. However, this is absolutely impossible to do, because all these substances are not only useless, but can also be harmful to computer technology. For example, “glue-moment” will tightly glue the surface of the radiator with the “CPU”, after which you will have to replace them, because it will be almost impossible to peel them off from one another. Toothpaste, in turn, can catch fire at high temperatures. And oil is an absolutely ineffective product that will stain all microcircuits and lead to a short circuit.

In addition, many advise using the following temporary substitutes:

• Silicone Grease;
• foil;
• chewing gum.

Silicone grease should never be used, because it has a completely different composition and does not contain the required amount of metals. According to some users, foil promotes heat transfer, but in this case it will not bring any benefit at all. Chewing gum, in turn, is an enemy to any microcircuit, and even more so to the “CPU”. When exposed to temperature, it changes its color to black and curls up. In this case, difficulties arise with its removal.

If you don’t have a new tube or syringe with the required substance at home, you can only replace it temporarily with the help of special thermal glue. However, at the first opportunity, it is recommended to clean the processor and use high-quality thermal paste. A regular thick silicone lubricant containing silver oxide may also be helpful.

Important! None of these substances are 100% safe for your device, so you should definitely contact the experts for a professional replacement.

You can also sand the surface of the processor cover with your own hands using simple fine sandpaper. This will temporarily improve the heat transfer between the CPU and the radiator, while reducing the temperature of the former. But it is worth considering that all of the above recommendations can lead to computer failure if the owner lacks experience in handling such equipment.

To monitor the current state of the processor and thermal paste, you need to download special software to the device that will read the temperature. If the indicators turn out to be too high, an urgent replacement of the substance will be required. You can determine the temperature using a program called “Speccy”. In addition, it analyzes the entire system and allows the user to be aware of its current status.