How long does a thermal paste/grease last for Intel P3 CPUs?

[Guest]

Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for a
Pentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago I
had to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After a
year, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling and
getting too hot; 106 degrees(F)).

I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot during
summer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few days
ago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't just
get hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will still
crash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering if
thermal paste/grease is supposed to last years.

Thank you in advance. :)
--
"I have to sit up with a sick ant." --unknown
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[Kelly Mclaren]

First thing to check, are all your fans working? dust bunnies inside the
case?

Marc..
<ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message
news:vjrq3vis96hq6f@corp.supernews.com... Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for a Pentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago I had to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After a year, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling and getting too hot; 106 degrees(F)). I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot during summer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few days ago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't just get hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will still crash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering if thermal paste/grease is supposed to last years. Thank you in advance. :) -- "I have to sit up with a sick ant." --unknown /\___/\ / /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx | |o o| | E-mail: philpi@earthlink.netANT or philpi@apu.eduANT \ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup. ( )

[Rob Stow]

Kelly Mclaren wrote:
First thing to check, are all your fans working? dust bunnies inside the case? Marc.. <ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message news:vjrq3vis96hq6f@corp.supernews.com...Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for aPentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago Ihad to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After ayear, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling andgetting too hot; 106 degrees(F)).I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot duringsummer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few daysago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't justget hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will stillcrash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering ifthermal paste/grease is supposed to last years.

You might just have to accept that sometimes it is simply too hot in
your room for your computer. My apartment often hits 33'C when I am away
during the day and the cooling system for my computer just can't do
the job when the ambient temp is that high - I have to fire up the
air conditioner and wait until the temp comes down to at least 30'C.

[Guest]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips Kelly Mclaren <kmclaren@videotron.ca> wrote: First thing to check, are all your fans working? dust bunnies inside the case?

Yep, both power supply fan and CPU fan. Temperatures are similiar before and
after the problem started. It is the same exact problem last year before I
put a new supply of thermal paste/grease for the CPU.

Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for a Pentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago I had to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After a year, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling and getting too hot; 106 degrees(F)). I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot during summer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few days ago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't just get hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will still crash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering if thermal paste/grease is supposed to last years. Thank you in advance. :)
--
"I killed an ant, now all my relatives are afraid of me." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: philpi@earthlink.netANT or philpi@apu.eduANT
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

[Guest]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips Rob Stow <rob.stow@sasktel.net> wrote: Kelly Mclaren wrote:
First thing to check, are all your fans working? dust bunnies inside the case? Marc.. <ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message news:vjrq3vis96hq6f@corp.supernews.com...Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for aPentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago Ihad to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After ayear, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling andgetting too hot; 106 degrees(F)).I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot duringsummer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few daysago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't justget hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will stillcrash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering ifthermal paste/grease is supposed to last years.
You might just have to accept that sometimes it is simply too hot in your room for your computer. My apartment often hits 33'C when I am away

Hmm, the weather and my room was hot last month too. I only get problems
if I do something intensive like compile, run cpuburn, etc. Right now, the
CPU temperature is 102 degrees(F) idled.

during the day and the cooling system for my computer just can't do the job when the ambient temp is that high - I have to fire up the air conditioner and wait until the temp comes down to at least 30'C.

Still crashes even at night and the CPU temperature is in the 90s.
--
"I killed an ant, now all my relatives are afraid of me." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: philpi@earthlink.netANT or philpi@apu.eduANT
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
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[Guest]

6 months? Dang!! Are you serious that peanut butter grease work?


In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems sadfasgf <eb5016@nokolumbusspam.fiplease.> wrote: I would not give it more than 6 months. That is what you get whit synthetic pastes. After changing the paste for the third time I desided to try peanut butter. The crease in it keeps it conductive for years. Watch the chunky varietes though.
<ANTant@zimage.com> wrote in message news:vjrq3vis96hq6f@corp.supernews.com... Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for a Pentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago I had to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After a year, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling and getting too hot; 106 degrees(F)). I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot during summer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few days ago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't just get hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will still crash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering if thermal paste/grease is supposed to last years. Thank you in advance. :)
--
"I killed an ant, now all my relatives are afraid of me." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: philpi@earthlink.netANT or philpi@apu.eduANT
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

[Bob Shuman]

"Kelly Mclaren" <kmclaren@videotron.ca> wrote in message
news:vns%a.44951$pS2.390959@wagner.videotron.net... First thing to check, are all your fans working? dust bunnies inside the case?

Agreed. Also, are you overclocking ? If so, may need to slow back down. Marc..

[Charles Howse]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems ANTant@zimage.com wrote: Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for a Pentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago I had to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After a year, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling and getting too hot; 106 degrees(F)).
I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot during summer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few days ago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't just get hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will still crash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering if thermal paste/grease is supposed to last years.

Used correctly it lasts decades. More likely the rest of your cooling
system is underdimensioned or some other component is failing, e.g.
the PSU.

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
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"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

[Charles Howse]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems Gnasher <gnasher@spamtrap.invalid> wrote: On this day of our lord, 19 Aug 2003 00:07:50 GMT, Arno Wagner <me@privacy.net> quilled:

Used correctly it lasts decades.
Really? And how would you know that? I don't know about thermal paste but I know that thermal tape crap doesn't last long. I remember taking off an old T-Bird 1.3ghz cpu where I had used the provided tape instead of grease and the tape was completely gone (dissolved from heat).

Tape and grease is not suitable to be removed and re-attached.
If the cooler and the power-semiconductor (CPU) are planar
enough the grease/pad will be streteched so thin that they are
invisible.

Apart from that I have now been doing electronics for over 20
years and the 80 or 90C a CPU heats up is nothing special.
Many power semiconductors are rated for up to 200C and they
are mounted using termal grease. Problems with this stuff
only happen if cooler and semiconductor are moved or if there
is a significant gap between cooler and semiconductor, which
causes "pumpout" in temperature-changes.

Power semiconductor technology is nothing new and is
well understood today.

Regards,
Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

[Guest]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote: On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 08:17:03 -0000, ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
Hi. I am wondering. How long does one thermal paste/grease last for aPentium III 600 Mhz CPU (Katami/Slot 1)? I noticed that a year ago Ihad to clean the CPU's old grease/paste and put a new supply. After ayear, my computer started crashing when in stress (e.g., compiling andgetting too hot; 106 degrees(F)).
First people get annoyed when you quote temps in ?F - it's not considered suitable for scientific work. Are you sure your CPU is only at 106?

Yes. Since I am from U.S.A, I am used to say fahrenheight and I don't have
a calculator nor remember the formula to translate to C. :)

(~41?C)? The Katmai 600MHz was one of the hottest CPUs for its day - it was basically an overclocked part by Intel. Then again absolute temps from

Hmm, I didn't know that. Maybe that is why I had so many problems with heat
and CPU stress. I remember buying it the first time (yes, I even tried another
CPU) that my games and anything intensive (like CPUburn) crashed like heck.
This was on an ASUS P3B-F motherboard before swiching to my old DFI motheboard
(the one I have now). Identical symptoms.

mbrd monitors are not a good measure due to calibration differences. WHat you need to look at is relative temps: working vs. not working?

The BIOS and softwares were the identical. Right now, almost idled
temperatures 98.6 degrees(F)/38.0 degrees(C) with:
load average: 0.12, 0.17, 0.11 ... Not working temperatures were listed in
my original posts. I don't want to compile or do anything intensive to crash
again. The system has been up for 2 days so far, pretty much idling. :)

Before the problems came back up from my compile, I had 160+ days uptime.
Darn it. :P

Was that CPU a retail version with the Intel installed heatsink/fan? I

Yep. Retail with the goodies.

still have my retail PIII 450 and it runs at 65?C on a warmish day - say 25-30?C room ambient. I've never touched the thermal grease on it because it looks like it is still a paste - the stuff that I can see anyway. The lower cost thermal pastes *do* tend to separate out and bleed the oil/grease away, particularly for the cache chips which do not actually make direct contact with the heatsink plate - IOW the thermal paste actually fills an air gap.

That is what happened last time. I am thinking the grease fell apart
again. :( I don't remember what brand I used last time since it was almost
a year ago or so. Which brand do you suggest? I live in Southern CA, USA.

I do a lot of compiling on this machine. My room can get very hot duringsummer times (85 degrees(F)). I didn't have this problem until a few daysago, and in the past few months, it has been very hot so it didn't justget hotter. Even during cooler hours (at night), my computer will stillcrash due to enornmous stress and heat it produces. I am wondering ifthermal paste/grease is supposed to last years.
You might want to take a look at the phase change thermal interface materials that AMD recommends for their current CPUs. Other than that maybe a better thermal grease would work better and make sure you don't use too much. Also, have you checked the heatsink fins are not clogged with dust?

Fins seem to look fine. I am thinking it is the grease since it is a
repeat of the last time the grease had to be recreated.
--
"I killed an ant, now all my relatives are afraid of me." --unknown
/\___/\
/ /\ /\ \ Ant @ The Ant Farm: http://antfarm.ma.cx
| |o o| | E-mail: philpi@earthlink.netANT or philpi@apu.eduANT
\ _ / Remove ANT if replying by e-mail from a newsgroup.
( )

[Charles Howse]

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems ANTant@zimage.com wrote: In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote: On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 08:17:03 -0000, ANTant@zimage.com wrote:

[...] still have my retail PIII 450 and it runs at 65?C on a warmish day - say 25-30?C room ambient. I've never touched the thermal grease on it because it looks like it is still a paste - the stuff that I can see anyway. The lower cost thermal pastes *do* tend to separate out and bleed the oil/grease away, particularly for the cache chips which do not actually make direct contact with the heatsink plate - IOW the thermal paste actually fills an air gap.
That is what happened last time. I am thinking the grease fell apart again. :( I don't remember what brand I used last time since it was almost a year ago or so. Which brand do you suggest? I live in Southern CA, USA.

That should not happen. Thermal grease only works well when there
is no air-gap and the surfaces are pretty smooth. Otherwise
you need to use a thermal pad that has worse thermal conductivity
but is designed to bridge a gap, i.e. will work for a longer time
in this situation. Also you have to use a pad of the kind and
thickness.

The problem is that if there is any significant gap, the grease will
dry out and shrink, which makes it ineffective. You cannot correct
this problem with better grease.

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

[George Macdonald]

On Wed, 20 Aug 2003 04:07:47 -0000, ANTant@zimage.com wrote:
In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.systems George Macdonald <fammacd=!SPAM^nothanks@tellurian.com> wrote: On Sat, 16 Aug 2003 08:17:03 -0000, ANTant@zimage.com wrote: mbrd monitors are not a good measure due to calibration differences. WHat you need to look at is relative temps: working vs. not working?The BIOS and softwares were the identical. Right now, almost idledtemperatures 98.6 degrees(F)/38.0 degrees(C) with:load average: 0.12, 0.17, 0.11 ... Not working temperatures were listed inmy original posts. I don't want to compile or do anything intensive to crashagain. The system has been up for 2 days so far, pretty much idling. :)Before the problems came back up from my compile, I had 160+ days uptime.Darn it. :P

I'm not sure if your mbrd is measuring the CPU temp using the on-chip diode
or an external probe but 38C is really very low from my POV. My PIII/450
runs at 60-65C in a P3B-F, depending on ambient.
Was that CPU a retail version with the Intel installed heatsink/fan? IYep. Retail with the goodies. still have my retail PIII 450 and it runs at 65?C on a warmish day - say 25-30?C room ambient. I've never touched the thermal grease on it because it looks like it is still a paste - the stuff that I can see anyway. The lower cost thermal pastes *do* tend to separate out and bleed the oil/grease away, particularly for the cache chips which do not actually make direct contact with the heatsink plate - IOW the thermal paste actually fills an air gap.That is what happened last time. I am thinking the grease fell apartagain. :( I don't remember what brand I used last time since it was almosta year ago or so. Which brand do you suggest? I live in Southern CA, USA.

I haven't bothered with any of the exotic heatsink compounds, like Arctic
Silver et.al... so I can't recommend anything from experience but it might
be worth trying for you.... or as previously noted, the AMD recommended
phase change stuff.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??