Might try asking the 8790 Tech Forum???

I Just did the Arctic Silver to my 8790 last night. Dropped the functioning temperature by about 6 degrees easily. It's almost identical to the 5690 method, but you probably won't be able to lap the heat sink using the method described above because of the collars around the heat shield.

Otherwise it's a breeze just follow the 5690 method and use your own common sense. Take about an hour.

Wow, great guide. I had a couple of questions before I go out and do it too.

Firstly, after you applied AS to the heat sink, did you rub it all off with the lint free cloth? Or did you leave a thin layer on... i cant really tell from the pics.

Secondly, with regards to the application of AS onto the cpu, is it better to spread it out thinly like you did, or to put a rice sized blob and just wiggle the heat sink around on top of it.

Thanks for any help!

there is a web site called arcticsilver.com with instructions.

yeah, but he does it a little differently to the guide... so I'm just wondering which way is better really...

Assuming flat surfaces (which is not a given), less is better. If you don't want to go the lapping route, the 'little dab squished out' method won't hurt. Too much is a waste anyways -- ends up on the edges of the heat spreader and not helping with the cooling (but helping AS by running our of your paste quicker)...

I got around to pulling apart my rig last night to move it to AS. The heatsink was quite flat -- I was surprised by that as most heatsinks I've run across required lapping. The P4 heat spreader was another thing altogether. I wet lapped it successively with 400, 600, 1000, and 2000 grit sandpaper. Removed much of the silver coating by doing this (flat copper is much better than non-flat silver). Then blew some compressed air over the little hole and a bit of moisture exited around the PCB -- so I cleaned that up. It's good that it wasn't air tight as I didn't want to wait around after lapping to put stuff back together. Applied a very thin layer of AS with a saran-wrapped finger to both the heatsink and CPU, then dropped them into my system and gave it the smoke test. Success -- no smoke escaped the system

Temps running same as before, but with a much better cycle time on the fan (i.e., off for longer, on period shorter as well).

Ok I should be getting my AS-5 in the mail really soon, and I just want to get all of my ducks in a row before I start this. I had opened up my 8890 ( was nervous as hell.. didn't want to mess it up)... I had pulled out the heatsink, and looked at the bottom of it, and I didn't see that thin piece of metal..or whatever it is.. that he had pulled off. So my question is anyone that has done this on an 8890, did you have to use the plastic card to remove it?? Thanks

Laterz
Rage

^ Can someone one help me out please
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My 8887 had a 1 1/4" square of burned-looking mess. It was a thermal "tape" or layer, and was peeling on mine. I just peeled it off and started cleaning and sanding. If your heatsink that this square is on is anything like the rest, it is made of sturdy metal that looks like and probably is steel. Scrape of whatever is in the square, with a plastic card or whatever. Clean it with some rubbing alcohol and a Q-tip, and do the fine-fine grain sanding bit if you want. My heatsink steel was grooved and I was going to have to sand for years to get it mirror-like, so I just sanded it clean and continued with the AS instructions. I also cleaned the top of my CPU with alcohol and Q-Tip, SPARINGLY. Surf the forums for 8890 and Silver and perhaps you'll get some hits from 8890 users.

Hi,

I recently upgraded my Alienware 51m to a P4 3.4Ghz chip so took adavantage of the opportunity to remove the existing thermal pad and replace with Arctic Silver 5. I had not seen this useful post yet so followed the Arctic Silver instructions. Due to the thixotrpoic nature of AS5 in particular, I do not think the pre-treating of the heatsink seems necessary (as it is for AS3). The Goof Off worked with limited effort and latex exam gloves were great (helps to work in the health care field). BTW, plenty of room on the alienware to slide the heatsink to remove air bubbles from the interface.

So here is my question: Is there a diferent technique needed to remove the AS5 when I want to clean the CPU and re-do the thermal compund in the future (after all i have over 3 grams left to use)?? Or do I just follow the same procedure as if it were a thermal pad? (but this time remove it from the CPU as well)

Thanks

Fidelio

The method to improve the cooling system of the notebook is very good, but I'm not sure that everybody is able to use it. To simplify the job it's much easier just to open the first cover as it's shown at the original picture (3 screws) and use a "Dust Off" The versatile Cleaning Tool (I bought one in the nearest Fry's Electronics) with a compressed gas to clean up the cooling system of the laptop. It took about 3 minutes and the noise from the working laptop is much lower now, the cooler uses the lowest speed. Actually I used two bottles of gas because one bottle after 10-15 seconds of using becomes very cool and doesn't work very efficiently, I took a second one leaving the first one to warm up for a further using.

Dmitri.

All i have to say is that if you dont need to do this then DONT....
if your getting below 45c then i would not even do this..

Also what ever you do do not lap you CPU because it voids the warranty through Intel and sager. because if you lap off the serial number then its voided.

because i laped mine and I got it down to the copper to make it flat and to get the heat to tranfer better.. but i was getting around 48~51 idel and then after i was done no change. then later today i (man im a jack ass) was cleaning out my laptop and i took out the CPU and then i was trying to take off the heat spreder to get the little pices of copper out from the inside ( i found a web site on how to do this....) but when i finly got it off i noticed that it didnt look like the picture i was looking at it had riped the CPU Chip off. but i guess luckly i didnt get the CPU through sager. so i had to order a new CPU so, i was like this is a sign so i went with the 3.4 EE so i should get it wednesday at the latest and i hope i do. so in clnclution DONT LAP YOU CPU! or heat sink unless you need too!

Dude, nowhere in that guide does it say to 'lap' the CPU. It says clean it with cotton swabs and alchohol. Not lap it.

*shakes his head*

it says that you can lap it but be carfull and iv seen multipul sites on how to do it. but i know im a jack ass for trying to take it apart . but i if i didnt learn anythhing from it then i would be stupid for the whole thing . so i guess its not a total wast i did decide to get the 3.4 EE ( ) . i guess better then me then you can always think.