Thermal tape on CPU fan when shipped? (plus memory question)

tedstokes168

Hey all,

I just got a CPU fan and I am about to try my first new CPU installation (AM2 Athlon 6000). I got a CPU fan in the post and looked at the bottom and see that it has a taped plastic section covering a small cream white(ish) area so it doesnt touch the outside so I am suspecting that it is "thermal tape" but I am unsure. Could someone confirm that thermal tape is a little white square with grooves looking like material as I have no idea! If it isnt I can get hold of thermal paste but I want to use the tape if I have it already on the CPU cooling fan.

Please can someone help as I am very unsure. Plus, I have old DDR memory can I use it in a DDR2 memory area on the motherboard so I can use the new CPU before buying new ram?

ricka05

Do you mean CPU cooler? What make is it?
I'm afraid its only to protect CPU heatsink base from damages.....And you supposed to remove it before applying any thermal paste....
Anyway thermal tape sounds kinda doggy..get some proper paste, like AS 5 or akasa -
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=AC-000-AC&groupid=701&catid=57&subcat=27
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.aspx?sku=321121

Khannie

Take a photo and stick it up.

Almost definitely not thermal tape for a CPU heatsink / fan. All HSF's come with some kind of covering to stop them getting dirty etc.

Heinrich

If there is a plastic cover on the bottom of the heatsink and a small gry or white patch underneath that patch will be thermal. You simply install the heatsink without moving it around too much.

If you remove the heatsink then you have to clean off that paste/patch and apply some thermal paste.

8T8

Yeah the tape is a protecting covering for the pre-applied thermal compound on the CPU, remove the tape before installing the CPU cooler.

As for the thermal compound you can choose to keep it or use your own if you clean it off from the underside of the CPU cooler.

astrofool

Assuming it's an AMD cooler, than the white square is thermal material, the plastic cover protects that. You can use the thermal material, or replace it with your own, I got some TIM (thermal interface material) cleaner from ocuk that works a treat on those, messy otherwise (the TIM cleaner is orange based).

And shame on the others here not knowing how an AMD heatsink comes
newbies.

challengemaster

alcohol cleans them right up

tedstokes168

Thanks so much for helping guys with my fan question. Does anyone know about the memory issue?

Anti

no you cant use ddr on a ddr2 board im afraid.