How often should I replace the terminal paste on my CPU

[LeeroyGoldmane]

Like I haven’t replaced the thermal paste on my CPU ever since I first applied it years ago I’m a due replace the thermal paste cause inbuilt my pc pre pandemic and I’m not sure

[RONOTHAN##]

You replace it whenever temps seem abnormally high. This usually translates to 5-7 years but can be longer or shorter depending on the specific paste. 

[LeeroyGoldmane]

1 minute ago, RONOTHAN## said:

You replace it whenever temps seem abnormally high. This usually translates to 5-7 years but can be longer or shorter depending on the specific paste. 

So I’m due then alright I’ll get some new thermal paste when I can also I got thermal grizzly as recommended by Linus

[RONOTHAN##]

2 minutes ago, KaliberKitsune said:

So I’m due then alright I’ll get some new thermal paste when I can also I got thermal grizzly as recommended by Linus

You don't really need to get Thermal Grizzly stuff though, for most computers you won't notice a difference between it and the significantly cheaper Arctic MX-4 and similar. 

[Fankywanky]

7 minutes ago, RONOTHAN## said:

You replace it whenever temps seem abnormally high. This usually translates to 5-7 years but can be longer or shorter depending on the specific paste. 

Pretty much what he said, thermal paste basically can’t expire. If your temps are abnormally high though it could mean that your thermal paste got dried out.

[OhYou_]

cute profile pic

[LeeroyGoldmane]

3 hours ago, Fankywanky said:

Pretty much what he said, thermal paste basically can’t expire. If your temps are abnormally high though it could mean that your thermal paste got dried out.

Can the thermal paste dry out from disuse cause i haven’t turned my pc on in like weeks

[LeeroyGoldmane]

3 hours ago, OhYou_ said:

cute profile pic

Hello

[Fankywanky]

1 hour ago, KaliberKitsune said:

Can the thermal paste dry out from disuse cause i haven’t turned my pc on in like weeks

No you should be fine, it takes a lot to dry out thermal paste.

[DeerDK]

8 hours ago, KaliberKitsune said:

Like I haven’t replaced the thermal paste on my CPU ever since I first applied it years ago I’m a due replace the thermal paste cause inbuilt my pc pre pandemic and I’m not sure

counterquestion: are you experiencing any issues with your CPU?

[LeeroyGoldmane]

2 hours ago, DeerDK said:

counterquestion: are you experiencing any issues with your CPU?

I’m not sure I don’t know my CPU could be burning up and the only way I’d find out is after it dies so I’m gonna just replace the thermal paste anyway just to be safe

[it_dont_work]

9 minutes ago, KaliberKitsune said:

I’m not sure I don’t know my CPU could be burning up and the only way I’d find out is after it dies so I’m gonna just replace the thermal paste anyway just to be safe

it wont, theres enough protections built into the uefi 

[LeeroyGoldmane]

19 minutes ago, it_dont_work said:

it wont, theres enough protections built into the uefi 

Still better safe than sorry 

[TatamiMatt]

1 hour ago, KaliberKitsune said:

Still better safe than sorry 

We guarantee you, it wont, not a bad idea to repaste it anyway, but your cpu wont burn out

[DeerDK]

2 hours ago, KaliberKitsune said:

I’m not sure I don’t know my CPU could be burning up and the only way I’d find out is after it dies so I’m gonna just replace the thermal paste anyway just to be safe

if you use some sort of monitoring software, like MSI afterburner, you should be able to spot that long before it happens. Also, i think modern CPUs will thermal throttle (slow down) if they get too hot, so your first indication of malfunctioning thermalpaste would be a slow cpu.

[RevGAM]

On 2/29/2024 at 5:28 PM, Fankywanky said:

Pretty much what he said, thermal paste basically can’t expire. If your temps are abnormally high though it could mean that your thermal paste got dried out.

Actually, TIM can expire. Some get better over time, like phase-change compound (e.g. Honeywell PTM7950), and some have to be replaced when your temps are no longer controlled like before. 

 

On 3/1/2024 at 4:00 AM, KaliberKitsune said:

I’m not sure I don’t know my CPU could be burning up and the only way I’d find out is after it dies so I’m gonna just replace the thermal paste anyway just to be safe

It won't die unless the mobo kills it. If it's too hot, your computer will shut down to protect itself. There are lots of programs that can tell you what the CPU temps are, such as what came with your mobo, or you can get software from the CPU manufacturer, and there are many 3rd party programs, like HWInfo.

 

Please note that the temps your mobo gives may not be accurate, so it's always better to use a program that can read the sensors in your CPU.