I have been working on reducing my system temps for a whole month now, with various fans and coolers. I recently got an OCZ Vendetta 2 which is based on the HDT system.
After all the trial and error in the world and a lot of reading and experimenting I have finally found the right way to use an aftermarket heatsink and an aftermarket paste. There has been a massive reduction in temps after using the below mentioned method.
The cast:
Cooler: OCZ Vendetta 2
Link: OCZ Technology | Products | Cooling Products | OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU Cooler
Paste: Artic Silver 5
Link: Arctic Silver Incorporated - Arctic Silver 5
Cleaning Solution: Articlean
Link: ArctiClean by Arctic Silver
CPU: AMD 720 BE
Link: AMD Processors for Desktops: AMD Phenom?, AMD Athlon? FX, AMD Athlon? X2 Dual-Core, AMD Athlon?, and AMD Sempron? Processor
Stock cooler temps: Idle: 45-46 - Load(under Orthos for five minutes @3.3 Mhz): 67-68
OCZ Vendetta 2 temps(with wrong application of paste): Idle 40-42 Load(Same as above): 59-60
OCZ Vendetta 2 temps(with right application of paste): Idle 32-33 Load (Same as above): 42 MAX under 25 minutes of Orthos
Now how to do it:
First clean the cooler and the cpu surfaces first with articlean fluid 1 and then no. 2 as per the instructions given in the site or booklet. Make sure that all the existing gook is removed including from the grooves in the heatsink, if it has been used before.Try to clean it as much as possible, but use a lint free and soft cloth to do this as you dont want to scratch the copper heatpipes.
Then put in a small amount like a drop on the cooler surface near the heatpipes, which can then be easily rubbed into the gaps between the pipe and the aluminium base. This has to be done only for the center two pipes with which there will be full contact with the CPU. Make sure that there is nothing extra and also that there is nothing jutting out of the thin grooves between the copper heatpipes and the rest of the heatsink. Rub it down well.
Now for the most important part and this where I was going very very wrong. Take a rice grain size amount of the paste and put it onto the middle of the cpu. Then using a very thin plastic sheet streatched around your finger, rub it nicely all over the cpu, making sure that nothing is jutting over the sides. Once you do this you must make sure that it is even and it looks like there is almost a mirror like smooth finish. It is essential that nothing is outside the sides of the CPU. Please be careful about this. You must also not be able to see any writing on the CPU top now.
Once this is done we install the CPU, and then very carefully put in the heatsink on top making sure that there is good and proper contact between the CPU and the cooler base. This is essential specially with Vendetta as it tends to slide around and has a tendency to leave one side of the cpu exposed and not covered with the heatsink.
Then put in the back pin and finally with a little pressure the front pin. This may take two people to do as the heatsink may move and the whole process will have to be redone. Fit the front pin in and close the lever and your done. Startup and see the difference in temps.
hyeah:
Thats it and I hope I finally get some good ratings for probably my longest post on TE. :ashamed:
Let me know if you have any questions.
After all the trial and error in the world and a lot of reading and experimenting I have finally found the right way to use an aftermarket heatsink and an aftermarket paste. There has been a massive reduction in temps after using the below mentioned method.
The cast:
Cooler: OCZ Vendetta 2
Link: OCZ Technology | Products | Cooling Products | OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU Cooler
Paste: Artic Silver 5
Link: Arctic Silver Incorporated - Arctic Silver 5
Cleaning Solution: Articlean
Link: ArctiClean by Arctic Silver
CPU: AMD 720 BE
Link: AMD Processors for Desktops: AMD Phenom?, AMD Athlon? FX, AMD Athlon? X2 Dual-Core, AMD Athlon?, and AMD Sempron? Processor
Stock cooler temps: Idle: 45-46 - Load(under Orthos for five minutes @3.3 Mhz): 67-68
OCZ Vendetta 2 temps(with wrong application of paste): Idle 40-42 Load(Same as above): 59-60
OCZ Vendetta 2 temps(with right application of paste): Idle 32-33 Load (Same as above): 42 MAX under 25 minutes of Orthos
Now how to do it:
First clean the cooler and the cpu surfaces first with articlean fluid 1 and then no. 2 as per the instructions given in the site or booklet. Make sure that all the existing gook is removed including from the grooves in the heatsink, if it has been used before.Try to clean it as much as possible, but use a lint free and soft cloth to do this as you dont want to scratch the copper heatpipes.
Then put in a small amount like a drop on the cooler surface near the heatpipes, which can then be easily rubbed into the gaps between the pipe and the aluminium base. This has to be done only for the center two pipes with which there will be full contact with the CPU. Make sure that there is nothing extra and also that there is nothing jutting out of the thin grooves between the copper heatpipes and the rest of the heatsink. Rub it down well.
Now for the most important part and this where I was going very very wrong. Take a rice grain size amount of the paste and put it onto the middle of the cpu. Then using a very thin plastic sheet streatched around your finger, rub it nicely all over the cpu, making sure that nothing is jutting over the sides. Once you do this you must make sure that it is even and it looks like there is almost a mirror like smooth finish. It is essential that nothing is outside the sides of the CPU. Please be careful about this. You must also not be able to see any writing on the CPU top now.
Once this is done we install the CPU, and then very carefully put in the heatsink on top making sure that there is good and proper contact between the CPU and the cooler base. This is essential specially with Vendetta as it tends to slide around and has a tendency to leave one side of the cpu exposed and not covered with the heatsink.
Then put in the back pin and finally with a little pressure the front pin. This may take two people to do as the heatsink may move and the whole process will have to be redone. Fit the front pin in and close the lever and your done. Startup and see the difference in temps.

Thats it and I hope I finally get some good ratings for probably my longest post on TE. :ashamed:
Let me know if you have any questions.