Pre-applied paste 2011 vintage

[Incredibilis]

Hey guys! My old pc that is mainly used by my mother mounts an i7 2600k with an H60 aio that I disassembled after almost 9 years of service due to fear of pump failures or leakage with it being so old. I slapped on the stock intel cooler that I had never even taken out of the box before and checked the temperatures. It idles at 32-39°C but prime95 makes it quickly shoot up to 90°C in the first minute, with room temperature being around 20-22°. 

 

Now, I don't have a very good idea about how hot that cpu should run because the info i found were a bit conflicting. My mother only uses that pc for browsing and maybe to occasionally play free cell so she would definitely never reach those levels of load, but I'm still wondering if it's a good idea to keep it that way or if I'd be better off buying a new budget air cooler or at least some new thermal paste. I really don't know whether 9 years sitting in a box would make pre-applied paste worse (or better like wine? prooobably not) or not have any effect, what do you think?

[Juular]

These thermals look completely normal for a stock cooler to me.

[Radium_Angel]

5 minutes ago, Incredibilis said:

what do you think?

Fresh thermal paste is naught but a few dollars.

[manikyath]

sounds right for a stock cooler.

 

let's hopr that your mom doesnt use her computer for calculating prime numbers

 

[boey]

9 minutes ago, Incredibilis said:

I really don't know whether 9 years sitting in a box would make pre-applied paste worse (or better like wine? prooobably not) or not have any effect, what do you think?

Yeah it does. Thermal paste dries out and stops filling air gaps between CPU's IHS and cooler.

 

Thermal paste is a few dollars online, just get one tube of Arctic MX-4, should last like 8 uses

[Incredibilis]

Ok then, might as well get some mx4 and see what happens, it probably won't bankrupt me.

Thanks a bunch!

[Incredibilis]

Update: I found the leftover NT-H1 from when I put my current rig together! Pre applied thermal paste was, in fact, pretty much completely dried out. Poor 2600k. Anyway I put everything back together and full load temps now stay in the 70-75° range, so not bad at all.