[Info-vax] CPUs using Thermal Compound

[Bob Gezelter]

It is worth remembering that the thermal compound used to ensure heat transfer from CPUs to heat sinks has a finite life, measured in significantly less than a decade.

Thermal grease failure can masquerade as many different problems, with the common root cause being processor overheating. One could easily think that the problem is elsewhere, perhaps a failed CPU, clogged fan, or failed fan; all of which are far more costly than the US$10 for a small syringe of thermal grease.

An Intel article on replacing thermal grease can be found at: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/gaming/resources/how-to-apply-thermal-paste.html

- Bob Gezelter, http://www.rlgsc.com