So, I recently removed my stock CPU cooler to clean out the heatsink for the first time in five years. After giving it a good clean, I just popped the cooler back on without applying any new thermal paste—just the old, dried-up stuff that was already there. Now, my rear fan is making a noise louder than my dad's snoring, and my CPU temps shot up to 100°C, which freaked me out and made me turn the computer off. Did I screw up by not using new thermal paste? Am I just being really foolish?
3 Answers
Honestly, it's a rookie mistake, but it happens to the best of us. Just make sure to research before making changes like this in the future. You could end up frying your CPU if you're not careful!
You definitely should have used new thermal paste! The old stuff can lose its effectiveness over time, and without fresh paste, you might just be creating a bad thermal interface. Power off your PC immediately and clean everything again. Then, put on some new paste before trying to boot it up!
It's pretty common to clean and then forget to reapply thermal paste. The rule of thumb is to always apply new paste whenever you remove the cooler. A quick search could have helped you avoid this situation. Just remember, the CPU can get damaged if it overheats too much, so be careful!
Yeah, didn't see that coming...
Thanks for the advice! Guess I really needed that reminder.