Thermal Paste Study and Conclusion

This is a good article discussing the re-application of thermal paste, and comparisons. Check it out...........
http://www.macgeekery.com/hacks/hardware/thedefinitive_macbook_pro_thermalroundup

And the answer is....
The short version is that reapplication helps… but I’m not sure it helps enough to bother with.
Nice. That's simple enough, then. Let's all move on.

Similar Messages

How can I successfully reapply the thermal paste in my MacBook Pro? (2008)

I'm having issues with keeping my computer cool, mainly while playing games like SC2 that require a good amount of power. I've downloaded fan control apps, bought cooling pads (usb powered) and still no luck in cooling this thing down. I recently learned that Apple for some reason applies the thermal paste too thick, which can cause the computers to be a lot hotter than they should be.
I'm not worried about voiding warranty, seeing as I don't even have a warranty. I've already opened it up to upgrade the ram and the hard drive so I know my way around inside there and have the stuff I need in order to do it properly.
What I need to know is where I can get the thermal paste, what kind I need, how it needs to be applied and with what (as well as how to get the old paste off), the steps I need to take in order to get to where this paste is even at inside the computer...etc.
If there's anyone who's already successfully pulled this off, lemme know how you did it and if it helped any. I've read there've been significant temp drops since reapplying it in a lot of these pros, so I'm just interested.

Hi
I’ve yet to remove the heatsinks of the CPU and GPU on my MBP. But I’ve replaced CPU and GPU heatsinks on my PC many times, so hopefully you’ll find my suggestions helpful.
1st use the laptop for a bit to get both the CPU and GPU warmed up so it will be easier to remove the heatsinks.
Remove the back cover and run your hands over the back side of the metal cover few time to get ride of any static charge that might be there (or any unprinted metal surface will do).
Remove the screws and heatsink one at a time. You might find the thermal past dried up (happens when company used cheap past and after computer is used for few years). Use tissues to wipe the past off both cores and heasinks.
You can also buy thermal past remover and clearer such as this:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Arctic-Silver-ArctiClean-Material-Purifier/dp/B000BKP306 /ref=pdbxgy_computers_textb
I normally use Arctic Silver Thermal Paste, I found it's the best past around, and everybody I know are happy with it.
There are two ways to apply the past. If your CPU is a Core2Duo, than you can just put a little bit on the center and press down with the heatsink. This is because the 2 cores on the CPU are located near the center of the processor so it does not matter if the edges are not covered with past.
Or if you want to play safe, you can cover the enter CPU with an even thin lay of past using a flat plastic card.
When it comes to thermal past, less is more, you only want little bit to cover up the metal cover on the processor. I say no more than 0.5 mm thick.
Cover the entire GPU with past as well, I’m not sure if the RAMs on your graphic card are cooled by the heatsinks. If they are, you might need some thermal pads for them.
You’ll find the whole process quite easy as long as you take your time. You can found lots of info on this with Google and Youtube.
Good luck and don’t forget to give the heatsinks a clean with a can of compassed air before you put them back on.

MacBook Pro (mid 2010, 15", i5) - heat, thermal paste and genius bar...

Hi all,
I'd like some advice. I own a mid 2010 core i5 15" MBP which I purchased when they were released (April 2010 or something like that). Since then the laptop has worked more or less OK but it's always been plagued with high temperatures, 75C+ in idle... with basically nothing running or something light such as just Safari (*without* Flash, as I only open Chrome when a website I need doesn't work without Flash; everywhere else, for example YouTube etc, I just use the HTML5 version of the players). The fans stay almost always at 6K rpm, and only rarely they run at a lower speed - when for example I switch the laptop on after having left it switched off for a while, etc. So the fans seem to work OK and seem to respond to the temperature; I have even tried resetting SMC several times, but no difference.
It just looks like the CPU runs hotter than it should. I have default energy saving settings, and don't have any software installed that may keep the CPU running high - such as Caffeine, SmartSleep, etc. Anyway, even a clean install of the OS (Lion) won't make any difference. If I leave the laptop switched off for a while and I switch it on again, within a minute or two the temperature is high again even if I don't open anything else. Even if in the activity monitor there's nothing using a lot of CPU. The temperature also does go further up if I run something CPU intensive such as Handbrake.
While the laptop has worked almost always OK (I do think that some freezes or other occasional stability issues may also depend on temperature), I don't think it's running as well as it could / should from a temperature point of view.
I have read lots of discussions in here and elsewhere, and from direct experience with other laptops (Apple and not) in the past, I believe the issue may likely be related to poor application of the thermal paste. I could re-apply it (for example the AS5 or similar) myself very easily, but I don't want to void the warranty.
I have the 3-years Apple Care, but I have never needed to ask Apple for support before, so I don't know how it works.
Sorry for the lengty introduction... here's the questions:
- Can I just go to the nearest Apple Store (London, Regent St.) or am I *required* to book an appointment with the "genius" bar?
- Is it likely they will take into consideration my advice to reapply the thermal paste as this is quite likely the source of the problem?
- What is the likelihood that they may just replace my laptop with a newer one?
- Does the AppleCare entitle me with some particular privileges for what concerns support?
- I have also upgraded the RAM to 8GB a few months ago, and replaced the HDD (which I use as external drive) with an SSD. Do I need to restore the original components in the laptop before going to the AppleStore? Or is this not needed since RAM and HDD are user-replaceable parts?
Thanks a lot in advance for your help!
Vito

Hello V-MA!
I found this webpage: http://osx86.wikidot.com/known-issues#toc1
by googeling for "com.apple.NVDAResman"
Probably you have to remove the Geforce Grafic drivers as discribed here. But please wait until some others in the forum confirm this.
If you don't understand how to do these commands with Terminal, ask once again for help.
In your message you did not metion, that you just updated 1 hour and something your OS ("System uptime in nanoseconds: 6688834587150"). This is an important information.
marek

MBP and the Thermal Paste Discussions

I've read with interest the postings on this web site regarding the MBP heat issues and the possibility that too much thermal paste is causing that problem. I've spent quite a few years designing computer motherboards using Intel processor chips, and want to share some thoughts on the topic. I only mention my background because one thing this business has taught me is that we can all be easily mislead by our test data if our process for gathering the data isn't rigorous (and, believe me, I've learned that lesson many times).
First, the excess thermal paste is definitely a problem, regardless of whether it is the root cause of the heat issue. Some of the photos posted on the various web sites show thermal paste covering bypass capacitors on the chip carriers (the green fiberglass boards that carry the CPU and GPU die). Thermal pastes can cause stray capacitances that can interfere with circuit operation. Standard industry practice is to use only as much paste as is necessary to achieve a layer that is about as thin as a single layer of tissue paper (or less). The amount used by Apple is far too large, particularly because the paste in coming into contact with other electrical components and conductors. A common failure mode associated with degraded bypass capacitors is random (and unrepeatable) crashes due to corrupted digital data in the processor chip.
In addition, all thermal pastes contain various types of fluids. Over time, these fluids evaporate, and frequently they condense elsewhere inside a computer. When CD drives were first introduced years ago, a common cause of mid-lifetime failures was condensates on the optics of the laser. The condensation fogs the lens and interferes with the ability of the laser to focus while reading and writing data. The contamination was traced to outgassing by thermal pastes, greases, sulfurized elastomers, and similar items used to build the computer. (Note that the Apple service manual for the MBP refers to the thermal paste as “thermal grease”.) Consumer electronics manufacturers learned to minimize the use of such materials in computer designs. The amount of thermal paste shown in the Apple service manual is very large, and I wouldn't rule out that it might contribute to future DVD drive failures.
It is difficult to say, based on the available data, that reducing the amount of thermal paste actually contributes to improving the thermal behavior of the MBP. Part of the problem is that the procedure to remove the pastes involves disassembling the laptop, and this introduces the possibility that the disassembly/reassembly process is inadvertently fixing the problem.
First, the high case temperatures could be the result of loose or poorly placed thermal sensors. If the disassembly/reassembly process fixed a loose sensor, or loose sensor electrical connection, or placed the sensor in a better position, you would get lower case temperatures, and possibly (inadvertently) attribute this to less paste.
Second, the cooling system design in the MBP requires that the die caps on the chip carriers be pressed tightly against the pads on the heat sink, so that heat is transferred efficiently. If the MBP is not assembled properly, (i.e., if the logic board mounting screws are not properly torqued, or the logic board is not mechanically aligned properly to ensure a tight fit to the heat sink), it is possible that this will manifest itself as high case temperatures. In the Intel processor chips there are two paths for heat to travel – out of the die cap, and through the electrical contacts to the motherboard. If the die cap isn’t properly cooled, heat will instead go into the motherboard, and the case temperature will rise. There is a possibility that the disassembly/reassembly process will fix a loose or misaligned logic board problem, with the result that the case temp will be reduced.
Also, if you work through the details of the thermal model that results from excess paste, it's hard to see how it would result in more heat to the case and less to the heat sink. Most of the photos on the web appear to show thin paste on top of the die, indicating that there was probably a low thermal resistance path to the heat sink prior to disassembly. The excess paste to the sides will simply further reduce the thermal resistance between the chip carrier and the heat sink. I may be missing something, but it's hard to envision how this lower thermal resistivity between the CPU and the heat sink drives more heat into the case. But it is also possible that the disassembly process destroys evidence of the actual connection to the heat sink, so this failure mode is hard to judge.
The best way to determine if removing the excess paste is actually helping would be to measure the exhaust air temperature from the cooling fans before and after removing the excess paste. I haven't seen such data, but if it were taken, and showed that the exhaust air was at a significantly higher temperature after the fix than before it, then we would know that the fix worked. If not, then the heat is going elsewhere, and it is possible that fix has actually made things worse.
Finally, all the symptoms we're seeing can be explained by poor software calibration and/or incorrect software control of the CPU clock speed. I wouldn't rule out a software fix at his point.
I'm not saying removing the paste is not a fix, only that there are still open questions that remain to be answered. It would be hard for me to recommend that anyone rework an MBP for the thermal problem in the absence of additional data.
For myself, I own an MBP, and though I have access to an electronics lab and some great technicians, I intend to buy Applecare, and in the meantime wait for a fix (or at least more information) from Apple.
Best of luck to everyone who has this issue - thats what we get for being early adopters.
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)
G5 2.5 DP Mac OS X (10.4)

Well I replaced my thermal compound and the temperature on my cpu went down and the temperature of my case went down also. The fans also kick in sooner leaving me to believe that the heat is being properly distributed the heatsink whereas before it was not as there was too much thermal compound making it act like an insulator.
I cannot say if the exhaust air is any hotter, but I know overall my laptop is much more cooler and never gets extremely HOT. Even under heavy loads the areas where it used to get really hot, above f keys, palm area, underneath the MBP are not hot to the point where someone could burn themself at all.
I really do hope that Apple does address this issue because I could not live with the heat before, I always had to hook up an external keyboard because my hands got too sweaty from the palm rest and the keyboard. Now everything is operating like any other laptop I've owned and I am a very satisifed Apple user. Let's hope that Apple is really looking into it and will have a reasonable answers for all MBP users in a reasonable amount of time.

Laptop doesn't turn on after re-assembly and replacing thermal paste. Please help!

Hi,
I hope anyone can help me. I took apart my laptop HP HDX16 to replace thermal paste and clean up the fan. I did everything very carefully as showed in manual. I cleaned the old paste and pads off and replaced thermal paste but not the pads as someone in the store suggested that there is no need for putting pads and that the thermal compound is enough to have it on there. I left only one pad on the heat sink in place where it services Northbridge as it was in good condition. On the Northbridge itself I put thermal compound as well as on the GPU and CPU. I put back every screw and connected each cable as it was before (I am pretty sure about it). I was quite happy with my job but after I tried to turn the computer on it wouldn't start at all. Did I do something wrong? Please help me because I don't have any idea what to do now.

I am a little confused here, it sounds like you removed all the thermal pads except for one, if this is so, you need to put all the thermal pads back in place.
Anyways aside from that, if you plug the adapter in you will have a steady light where it plugs into the laptop. The light will always be on whether the machine is booted up or not.
If you don't have a steady light then you need to check the DC receptor where it plugs into the MoBo. Sometimes a cable may look like it's fully seated, but isn't. It still will boot up with the battery in place even if the DC jack plug is not correctly seated.
Check the small ribbon cable on the power button board where it connects into the MoBo.
Check that the processor is correctly aligned with it's key and that the locking mechanism is fully locked.
Make sure the RAM is seated correctly.
If these suggestions sound obvious, I have to start some where.
The problem here is that only you can help your self because you disassembled you machine, I can only make suggestions as what you may have missed and obviously something was missed.
If your thinking that you incorrectly applied the thermal paste, then that's not the problem. Even if there were no thermal pads or paste in place, the machine would still boot up, but it would heat up very quickly.
If the fan plug was plugged in incorrectly you would get a message in the BIOS upon boot up saying that the fan has a problem and it would shut down, but it sound like it's not even getting that far.
There is also a secondary fan that is used to cool the hard drive bays, check that plug as well. You may not get a BIOS message if this fan is not plugged in.
Here is the HP Media Services Library, you may find it helpful. Make sure you're signed in before clicking on the link.
http://h20574.www2.hp.com/default.htm?lang=en&cc=US&hpappid=psml
If you need help with the library, post again, give the video page time to load, the small video screen may stay black for a little while.

New Motherboard Replace: Part Numbers? and thermal paste?

I am replacing a new motherboard in my computer
-How do I take off the old thermal paste from the CPU and fan, do I use a paper towel? Or is there something safer?
-And how do I put on the new thermal paste and how much of it should I put on the CPU?
-Also what is the difference between a motherboard that reads on it in the middle:
MCP61PM-HM REV:2.2
15-V06-012200
and another motherboard that reads:
MCP61PM-HM REV:2.2
15-V06-01221
basically that last number on each motherboard, what does it mean and what's the difference between each motherboard?

Otwa, welcome to the forum.
Here is a very good video to help you with removing the thermal paste:
It is basically an advertisement for Arctic Silver products, but Paul from Newegg always does a great job of making a guide. I have been an overclocker for years and have always used Arctic Silver products. The two part kit of remover is new to me and something to try next time I replace the paste on a CPU.
I believe that there should be another number in 15-V06-01221. It should be 12201. If this is correct, I may be able to answer your questions.
Signature:
HP TouchPad - 1.2 GHz; 1 GB memory; 32 GB storage; WebOS/CyanogenMod 11(Kit Kat)
HP 10 Plus; Android-Kit Kat; 1.0 GHz Allwinner A31 ARM Cortex A7 Quad Core Processor ; 2GB RAM Memory Long: 2 GB DDR3L SDRAM (1600MHz); 16GB disable eMMC 16GB v4.51
HP Omen; i7-4710QH; 8 GB memory; 256 GB San Disk SSD; Win 8.1
HP Photosmart 7520 AIO
++++++++++++++++++
**Click the Thumbs Up+ to say 'Thanks' and the 'Accept as Solution' if I have solved your problem.**
Intelligence is God given; Wisdom is the sum of our mistakes!
I am not an HP employee.

Thermal paste and mb replacement

has any one who reapplied the thermal paste tried to call apple to ask for a MB replacement(for getting rid of the whine)? would apple allow it?

The thermal paste issue is not considered a problem that needs repair. Thankfully, it does impact performance drastically, although one must ask why a company that prides itself on quality would allow a contracter to provide motherboards with CPU's floating in grease. I am guessing it was the rapid roll-out, and the fact that these "high end" machines are produced in mainland China, not Taiwan or other locations. I have a replaced logic board and a replaced battery. My laptop is significantly warped. I wont complain further.
My plea is for all of us to hold Apple to it's warranty. Thankfully, I puchased AppleCare, which obviously will be neeed. I hope for some sort of recall, and a dramatic focus on the next MacBook Pro that demonstrates correction of these problems. Having them built in mainland China is a profit move, not one for quality. Far better manufacturers exist in Taiwan. let's see what happens. If nothing does, I think that the free market will speak. Apple has not increased it's share of the laptop market. If they don't get this act together, I can say tha there will be one less purchase in the future. I really want Apple to succeed, but it won't happen if they cannot address their niche 3% market with a machine that is worth the "Apple Premium".

Reapply thermal paste and get more noise?

Hi guys, from what I read, reapplying thermal paste reduces the heat but makes the fans go on much faster.
For those who reapplyed it, does it go on too often or only when processor is used at a certain level (say, 50%)?
Thanks!

T9600 in a T500 isn't going to cause your laptop to melt down. I have a T9900 in my current T500, and it is working just as well as when i had the P8600.
These vacuum cooler are pretty much useless in these large thinkpads, and sometimes will cause other issues. Some of these external plug in fans can cause a path crossover between the directional flow of the cool intake air and the hot exhaust air, thus causing an area with stagnant air pocket, which means it will actually cause more harm than good.
Regards,
Jin Li
May this year, be the year of 'DO'!
I am a volunteer, and not a paid staff of Lenovo or Microsoft

Thermal paste reapplication - myths and facts

I've decided today that i've had enough of sweating while working with my MacBook and shoving thick magazines under it whenever i carry it somewhere etc., so i assembled all the needed supplies and tools and went to work.
The results are... Well... positive, though not what many people out there expect. Removing the mess Apple made and reaplying the paste isn't a magic bullet that solves everything and beats a few laws of thermodynamics along the way. It, however, does make the machine more usable. Here are a few observations:
1) What a mess! Not only was there too much thermal paste, but it was the worst, cheapish kind and it all dried up!
2) The heatsinks are also cheap and messy. Very badly polished, with numerous surface flaws. Retention mechanism also leaves a lot to be desired.
3) Air flow is bad and completely nonsensical. Everything before the "aluminum era" made sense. AlBooks and MacBooks don't, because apple moved the connectors and ports to the sides, eliminating two vents in the process.
4) Apple's iMessy Paste (TM) IS the reason top surfaces heat up on some machines, after all! Instead of being absorbed by the heat pipe assembly, it accumulates in the casing and (probably much worse) the motherboard itself.
5) Don't expect an enormous drop in CPU core temperatures, especially under max. load. 5 deg C less, tops, is what you'll probably get. Do, however, expect considerably lower case and idle temperatures - i get about 30-45 deg C idling and up to 75 deg C under max. load.
6) The top surfaces around keyboard are quite comfortable now, even when cores are at 75 deg C for prolonged periods of time. The part between the keyboard and the screen is still as hot as before, but you never put your fingers there, so it's not a problem.
7) Machine cools down after heavy load considerably faster now. It goes down from 75 to 60 in about 5-10 seconds, then to 50 in about a minute or two.
8) Fans work exactly the way they did before the whole ordeal. They are idling at minimum RPM until about 75-80 deg C, at which point they start reving up slowly until the core temperatures go down to 65-70. Then they return to idle mode.
9) Temperature probe placement is a bit weird. One of them sits on the heat pipe, which makes sense, the other on the back of MacBook Pro casing itself. Wouldn't it be logical for that second probe to override and engage the fans when case temperatures get to high?
That's about it. Sorry for a longish post, hope this helps someone...

Did some further testing, so here's an update...
Ambient temp.: 24 deg C (wooO! temperatures finally dropped!)
Power profile: Best Performance
Power supply: Internal (battery)
Machine: 2.0 GHz MBP, 2 GB RAM, 256 MB VRAM, Week 12
Load: 2 x "yes > /dev/null"
10 minutes since startup, Idle, battery meter says 4:25 left:
http://o.orcinus.googlepages.com/MBPidle1.jpg
16 minutes since startup, Full Load, battery meter says 1:22 left:
http://o.orcinus.googlepages.com/MBP_load.jpg
20 minutes since startup, Idle, battery meter says 3:56 left:
http://o.orcinus.googlepages.com/MBPidle2.jpg
Given enough time, the core temperatures go back down to around 43-45 deg C.
Unfortunately, i wasn't farsighted enough to record the graphs before the surgery
Interesting thing... During the whole test, the fans never reved up higher than maybe 25% full speed. I could barely hear them. It occured to me that maybe something was wrong, that i may have left a fan cable loose and it disconnected or something, but they DO kick in when i run the hardware test from the DVD, so it's definately not that. Weird.
MacBook Pro, PowerBook Ti Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Thermal paste and cooling

Okay so I am making a switch to a new note book cpu (the t9600) and of course since it's a step up I am going to be a little overly cautious as far as cooling is concerned. I saw an article that said Intels stock thermal paste was actually better than theArtic Silvers. I am curious what goes into looking for a good thermal paste? Secondly, cooling systems for laptops. I hate those mats, but may decide to use one. I also saw a vacuum do hickey (http://www.ebay.com/itm/Notebook-Laptop-Vacuum-USB-Case-Cooling-Fan-Cooler-Pad-/220948357741?pt=LH_D... and I kind of like the concept and overall design but wonder if worth the money put into it or if it's just waste? On a more curious note with the fan. I want to get peoples opinions on that fan. It's more hypothetical from my stand point but if anybody has experiance I welcome it. That fan mentioned and my laptop the thinkpad t500. The t500 has to heat exhaust ports on the left hand corner one on the side and one on back. I think the cpu is pretty close to the one on the side. I am curious about airflow if adding two of those things assuming they are worth it (and despite severly reduced battery life)

T9600 in a T500 isn't going to cause your laptop to melt down. I have a T9900 in my current T500, and it is working just as well as when i had the P8600.
These vacuum cooler are pretty much useless in these large thinkpads, and sometimes will cause other issues. Some of these external plug in fans can cause a path crossover between the directional flow of the cool intake air and the hot exhaust air, thus causing an area with stagnant air pocket, which means it will actually cause more harm than good.
Regards,
Jin Li
May this year, be the year of 'DO'!
I am a volunteer, and not a paid staff of Lenovo or Microsoft

Macbook Pro Thermal Paste Question

Here is an interesting read on the thermal paste question......
http://www.macdevcenter.com/pub/a/mac/2006/05/23/thermal-paste-question.html?pag e=1

Peter, thanks for that link.
I had done a pretty extensive search of technical literature about thermal grease and had reached a similar conclusion. At best, reapplication of thermal grease results in a pretty small (I'll call it insignificant) improvement, and at worst results in damage and -- if so -- a voided warranty.
Having been initially impressed by some of the "before" and "after" graphs by people who did the thermal grease "fix" I started experimenting with my own graphs.
Guess what? I can easily crank out graphs from my unmodified MBP that are similar to or better than some of the "after fix" graphs. In other words, big deal.
Apple has some very competent engineers for design and assembly of their computers. Given the components they have to work with, they set specifications intended to result in reliable operation. It's likely their specifications for application of thermal grease are backed by data on quality control and reliability. While those specifications may offend the aesthetic sensibilities of PC crankers, I've concluded the PC crankers have built up some urban myths about thermal grease that are not consistent with the actual technical literature on thermal grease.
I'm able to work comfortably on my MPB for 10 to 12 hours days. It's fast. It's stable; still no freezes, panics or crashes while operating 7 days a week since March 30, when I received it. There are parts of the case that get hot to the touch but I don't need to touch them to use it. Case temperatures are similar to those reached by my 5-year old TiBook, so I'm not worried about component reliability (the HD in my MBP actually is in a cooler environment than the HD in the TiBook).
My MBP isn't going to get the thermal grease "fix" unless Apple were to recommend it -- and I think that's unlikely.

CPU Thermals...and Artic Silver 5

I have heard many users throughout these forums and other mac places of discussion taking the heatsick off and using new thermal paste to improve heat transfer.
I was thinking about putting Arctic Silver 5 on there when I recieve my MacBook.
What do y'all think and what have you done to combat the heat issues?

Here's some food for thought
macdevcenter
The conclusion of the article, he only saw a couple of degrees lower from adding Artic Silver 5. Not worth the pain and risk of making your Macbook a brick. While the article is focused on the MacBook pro, I think the lessons taken away from this are directly applicable.
My MB has had temps around 60c after about an hour of normal use. If I push it harder by running some memory intensive apps the temp can go beyond 75c
While its warmer then I'd prefer from it seems to be "normal" by apple
Apple KB
For me, the risk of ruining my laptop looms too large, the warranty will be voided and the result may be marginal at best.
Finally since I've never applied this stuff, why would I think I could do it better then Apple.
Mike

Thermal Paste Thermal Tape Question Logic Board

Howdy, I have a thermal paste question. Laptop in question: Powerbook G4 1.5ghz Bluetooth V 2.0. When installing the logic board, I know your're required to use the silver colored thermal paste on the main processor and it's heat sink. On the other chip however, ( I assume it's the video chip, it says Motorola on it), the original techs appear to have used something black, and it is thicker, and harder to remove and appears to be cut to size. My question is,...what is the black stuff used on the other processor with a copper heat sink? Is it black thermal tape, cut to size and if so, where do you buy it from? And do you apply a piece of tape on the video processor and on the copper heat sink? Or do you apply the thermal substance on only only one part either the video chip or the copper heat sink?

The Kapton tape is available on eBay. So are the spudgers, Apple's "black sticks."
Thank you!!!
You helped me out in turn. I am endeavoring to restore my PowerBook to brand new condition (no scratches, no dings, nada) and that's the thing that's worrying me. The thermal paste issue. I never thought of it until I read your post.
Irony is that I'm helping you in the process of helping myself. And you've helped me out by pointing out that that paste is available at RadioShack. I will go buy that now.
(When I bought a bottom case on eBay, and then looked at iFixIt to see how to do it, I thought the thermal paste I already have would suffice. I have a tiny tube of it from a previous installation of a processor upgrade. Then after helping you with your posting, and then studying that picture, I realized that I may not have the right stuff and didn't want to touch a good logic board and the other innards just to have a scratch free bottom casing).
Message was edited by: Pismo 900
And I just also realized that we are talking to each other but the original poster is the one who needs the help. (I thought you were the original poster and I just looked. It's someone else).
Sorry for invading your space brettkramer!

Early 2011 MacBook Pro- The thermal paste discussion.

It is my goal to clear up the questions and concerns Apple customers have been having regarding heat or fan related concerns with Early 2011 MacBook Pros. If your MacBook Pro was produced within the last few months the thermal issue has been resolved and it will likely not be in issue for you. If you are still wondering if your computer is effected or what the real issue is keep reading.
The MacBook Cools itself by 2 main methods: active and passive. The active cooling is via a fan that blows air through a heatsync and into a tube called a heat pipe which leads to the back of the computer where the hot air is discharged through a vent at the bottom of the screen behind the hinge. The fan lowers the air pressure inside the case causing outside air is drawn in the case, displacing the hot air inside and helping to cool the other components.
The computer uses passive cooling to remove the residual heat from the processor which comes mostly in the form of radiant heat. Passive cooling is also used to cool the other components of the computer (memory, disk drives, battery etc). Passive cooling works by conductive heat transfer ie. syncing to the case of the computer. Some of the heat then is radiated. Some of it is transferred from the outside of the case via convective cooling; the foot pads on the bottom cover are designed to raise it up just enough to allow air underneath for convection to occur. (Convection is the process in which hot air to rises and is displaced by cooler air.) The rest of the heat from the bottom cover is absorbed by whatever surface you have the computer on.
The processor will not sync to the case very much if the board is assembled properly however the other components of the computer will, requiring the case to be in open air to allow for passive cooling to take place.
If you have some sort of covering such as a plastic snap on case it will likely interfere with passive cooling in all of it's 3 of it forms, this will cause the computer to be abnormally hot. I recently saw someone in the Apple store with a MacBook Air experiencing abnormal heating due to a plastic snap case so this particular problem is not unique to MacBook Pros and it is not the cause of the issue being discussed here. I do not recommend the use or anything that covers the computer while it is running with the exception of something that covers the back of the display panel only. If you are worried about your computer getting damaged go and buy a laptop insurance policy from Worth Ave group. The insurance does not cover cosmetic damage or misplaced items but will cover accidental damage including spills. This insurance also covers theft, vandalism and natural disasters, is quite inexpensive and the claims process and deductible is similar to most phone insurance plans (which they also offer).
User induced overheating can also occur when the computer is placed on an improper surface such as a couch cushion, car seat, bed, pillow etc. Doing this can interfere with both passive and active cooling.
As I mentioned earlier In all likelihood if your computer was produced after May it is not affected. I personally have been in posession of 3 MacBook Pros, one produced before May which had the problem, one after which had no problems and one produced more recently that has mind blowing thermal performance way beyond all of my expectations.
So the question at this point is exactly what is the problem, how can it be diagnosed and how can it be rectified.
After extensive research and testing I have determined the issue to be related to improper application thermal paste. I involuntarily became involved in this pursuit as a result of the problems I was experiencing and I did not initially come at from an objective viewpoint but rather one of cautious skepticism. I had anticipated before purchasing my computer that there may be a thermal issue. This anticipaion came as a result of reading an article on ifixit.com about the disassembly of the brand new early 2011 MacBook Pro. When the technician performing the disassembly removed the main heat sync he expressed concern about how much much thermal paste was present, expressing that it seemed excessive. This lead the technician to question wether or not it would cause heating problems.
Proper application of thermal paste is critical to the functionality of the active cooling system and when applied improperly will not properly transfer the heat to the heat-sync which in turn gets cooled by the fan. Proper application of thermal paste insures the heat is removed from the case as efficiently as possible. Doing this both reduces the speed at which the fan needs to run in a lot of situations and prevents too much heat from the processor needing to be cooled by passive means. If is is not applied properly it will eventually lead to overheating of the case as well as the other components of the computer. This can cause damage firstly to the computer's battery and can also significantly shorten the life computer. (Or any other kind of electronic device for that matter.)
The problem can be diagnosed by testing the computer using a program called System Load or any other software that will put your computers proscessor use up to its maximum and keep it there indefinitely. Placing full load on your GPU at the same time during the test is also recommended. Keep in mind, if you are using your computer the fan will spin up if needed for additional cooling. You should expect the fan go up to its maximum speed during the test, it is not in of itself an indication of a negative result. Make sure to have the computer plugged in, fully charged and on a proper surface. A desk or other flat surface should be fine. Exceptions would include the top of a refrigerator since it has insulation just underneath the metal exterior or any surface that is heated by any means such as a dryer or other appliance.
(The temps to follow are in ºF)
Run the test for up to 1 hour. If the case of the computer breaks 93 degrees your unit is likely affected. Expect the unit to even possibly reach temps approaching and exceeding 100º, if this happens immediately abort the test. Also look for the processor temp shooting up to around 180 in the first 30 seconds and the fan spinning up right away. Typically on a properly functioning unit the temperature of the case will end up being somewhere in the neighborhood of 88-91º. If this test is preformed in a room with a normal ambient room temperature of about 68 degrees. Even after an hour the case of the computer should not be significantly hot, just warm to the touch. On a normally operating unit the fan will start to kick in within 90 seconds or so and may not reach full speed even after several minuets.
At one point the case of my computer actually reached 95º during normal web browsing.
This is a problem that I have had successfully corrected twice by reapplication of thermal paste. The first time was on a machine produced prior to may and the second was after a logic board was replaced at the repair depot. (I suspect the inventory turnover is lower for boards than whole computers resulting in a board from the initial production run being installed in my computer.)
If you forget everything I just wrote remember this. #1 if you are using your computer hard enough the fan will end up running at high speed at some point. #2 This problem is not in any way related to the design of the MacBook Pro, or its use/application. #3 This mostly not a problem of the CPU being too hot; these Sandy Bridge CPUs are rated for 212ºf and will routinely be in the neighborhood of 200º, this is hotter than other chips but well within design limits. #4 I have done everything in my power to make sure that this problem has been corrected and I have every logical and evidenced based reason to believe it has been resolved in machines produced after may. #5 This is not an Apple acknolidged issue. Technicians will tell you that there is no problem because these higher temps are normal and within operating limits and if they weren't the machine would shut itself off. (This is a bit extreme; just like a lot of other devices such as electronics, toaster ovens and space heaters with thermal overload protection this automatic shutoff is intended to occur when damage or risk of fire is imminent because the device is WAY outside of normal operating paramaters.) They will also not tell you when asked what these limits are, that they know what they are or in some cases that such figures they even exsist.
I stake my personal and professional reputation on the accuracy of my findings, it is my job as a private consultant to help my clients to resolve complicated and expensive issues just like this one.
Bottom line if you are having a problem and Apple won't fix it on warranty don't ditch your machine, just pay to have it done yourself. In most cases you can pay have it done at the Apple store. It will probably cost you less than 100.00, and it will not void your warranty as long as the work is done by Apple certified technician. It will be well worth it; after all in spite of this MacBook Pro's are hands down the best portable computers on the market, with an industry leading warranty and support to back it up. On it's worst day Apple's service and support is better than any computer/ consumer electronics company, even on its best day.
I hope this helps to clarify this issue! I also hope it will help anyone affected to resolve the problem instead of resorting to a refund and settling for something else.

hello all
you can try this:
Go to system preferences > settings > built in display > see bottom of window.
check "show mirroring options in the menu bar when available". then click "airplay display" > and select your device.
That's what happened to my MBP - 15-inch, Late 2011 model.

My powerbook will not start! please help! could be due to thermal paste?

I was recently reinstalling the keyboard within my 17' Al Powerbook. Afterwards, the computer booted fine and worked for maybe less than an hour, and then, on a reboot, shut down abruptly before OS X was finished loading. I restarted and was able to log in for several minutes. Now, upon opening the system, I noticed while replacing the RAM door I missed the slot it should fit into and it was put into place below this (which apparently is right over the CPU)...and when I pulled this part out there was some thermal paste along the edge. Looking into this area with a flashlight, the thermal paste seems sort of messy and some is in front of the chip rather than directly on it.
How likely is it that lack/messiness of paste is what is causing this? The battery fully charges within the system and the AC light is on. When I attempt to boot the machine, you can hear the HD, fans, and Superdrive spin for a second but you never see anything on screen.
Another thing that maybe the problem - when reinstalling the keyboard i forgot to replace the adhesive seperating the keyboard mount area and screws from the logic board - the first time the system shut down, I brushed my hand across the newly installed keyboard and the system shut right down. I'm not sure if this caused the overheating CPU to shut down, or if this caused the keyboard to contact with the logic board and I shorted it out and need a new one. I've since replaced this adhesive insulation plastic and the system still won't boot.
Any help would be appreciated. Please leave suggestions. I don't want to lose my mac

Welcome to Apple Discussions!
It sounds like the directions you used weren't clear enough how to do the job right. Send it in for service at one of these places:
http://www.dttservice.com/
http://www.powerbookresq.com/
http://www.microdocusa.com/
http://www.macspecialist.com/
http://www.techrestore.com/
Sometimes there are good instructions on http://www.ifixit.com/ or http://www.xlr8yourmac.com/ If you found the instructions weren't good at either of those places, please do write them so they are aware of the problem and others aren't stuck having to mail their machines to a shop.

Thermal Paste Study and Conclusion

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for