by ProHandyman on Tue Apr 10, 2007 11:36 pm
"Wiggling" in a back and forth motion before locking down is recommended by half the people who do it all the time. You can't tell whether your getting good contact unless you remove it. If you remove it, you can remove the paste from your IHS (CPU), and just buff clean the HSF base, then put the same amount back on the way you did just previous, and fasten down!
I only do removals for new HSFs I'm not familiar with, or a system I have before me with cooling issues. Some pastes tell you to do the HSF base buff, then put a drop on the cpu (about the size of a lg wheat grain). Others tell you to rub in on both surfaces, then "skim off" with a straight edge like an old credit card. The "liquid" type you just brush on and press down.
I'm not sold on the "wheat grain" thing, but the integrated heat spreaders do react differently then a bare core. But no matter... you need an even, thin, complete coverage of the cpu and heatsink.
(when I refer to "wiggling", i mean in a back and forth motion, not a "rocking" motion on the cpu. This helps to dirtibute the paste/goo out, espeacially when using the wheat grain method (Artic Silver Alumina))