[waltermcculloch]

Hi,

I need to replace a thermal pad in my Dell XPS One 24 - all in one PC.

I have a rough idea where the pad needs to go, I have a picture of it if anyone wants to see.

What I need to know is, do I need to find/buy a certain kind for that machine and the exact position of where I should put it.

The original pad fell out! I don't want to leave it without as the machine will overheat majorly if left on for too long!

[hungover]

Originally Posted by waltermcculloch

Hi,

I need to replace a thermal pad in my Dell XPS One 24 - all in one PC.

I have a rough idea where the pad needs to go, I have a picture of it if anyone wants to see.

What I need to know is, do I need to find/buy a certain kind for that machine and the exact position of where I should put it.

The original pad fell out! I don't want to leave it without as the machine will overheat majorly if left on for too long!

Can't you just glue it back with thermal paste?

[waltermcculloch]

It wasn't reuseable

[hungover]

Unable to find any service manuals for that pc but it might be worthwhile phoning these people

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dell-Dimen...item3373247697

[Orbitalzone]

Is this the thermal pad that goes between the heatsink and the CPU? if so then why not use some thermal compound paste that's designed specifically for this job, it works better than those pads just make sure you apply sparingly as too much is worse than not enough.

[waltermcculloch]

I think it was on the GPU heatsink - I wasn't keen on using that stuff incase I mucked it up lol

[flagpole]

Originally Posted by waltermcculloch

I think it was on the GPU heatsink - I wasn't keen on using that stuff incase I mucked it up lol

the paste is easier to use really. and it costs pence.

[waltermcculloch]

So I don't need specific make/type of pad since that's what was in it? Someone at work thought I should check that out.

I have a photo of the inside of the PC - not sure how to upload it to here though - I've circled the part where I think the thermal pad came from.

[Frank1]

Originally Posted by flagpole

the paste is easier to use really. and it costs pence.

Heed this advice.
Clean off the old stuff with alcohol and apply very sparingly.
Forget trying to get a "pad".
Search for "heatsink compound". You only need a TINY amount.

[alanwarwic]

So are thermal pads used because they fail less?

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

So are thermal pads used because they fail less?

easier to apply quickly and easily during manufacturing

[Orbitalzone]

Yes they use the pads as every CPU or GPU will get exactly the same thermal pad and so performance will be the same whereas thermal paste compound can be put on thin or thick or unevenly and so could affect performance/cooling.

However pads aren't usually as good at heat transfer as a decent thin spread of paste, the paste is only to smooth the join between two metals and so should be as thin as possible while mainting the most surface contact to transfer heat.

[alanwarwic]

There were lots of laptops around that would not run at full speed, even when new.

The thermal pad sounds a compromise solution.
I guess shrinking of the silicon die makes this more and more critical.

[waltermcculloch]

I've managed to source both thermal pad and compound. Now not 100% sure where it's to go. Watched a few tutorials on YouTube and sounds like it goes below the heatsink, but I can't see that's where it could have come from, as the heatsink wasn't removed.

[flagpole]

it goes in between the heatsink and the thing that gets hot.

[hungover]

how did you initially conclude that it is a thermal pad? I have never heard of them just falling out. Chips get very hot very quickly and I would have thought that it would have either blown or that the system would have shut itself down with in seconds or minutes of booting

[Orbitalzone]

Heatsinks or thermal pads don't just fall off to reveal the cpu/gpu so either we're not being told the whole story here or it was something that got left in at the factory.

I'm thinking the OP hasn't told us that he's had something to bits....the thermal pad sticks to the heatsink, it can't just fall out unless you loosen and remove the heatsink and even then it would stay stuck to the heatsink or the cpu itself.

[whoever,hey]

Thermal pads and thermal paste, is basically just a material that connects the CPU to the heatsink better than air, so the heat transfers to the heatsink so it can dissipate it.

[waltermcculloch]

Well it did fall out lol, not sure how or why. I was taking the back off the PC to replace a fauly DVD drive

[Orbitalzone]

Originally Posted by waltermcculloch

Well it did fall out lol, not sure how or why. I was taking the back off the PC to replace a fauly DVD drive

ok fair enough, I guess the heatsink had to be removed or became removed in doing this.

Using thermal paste means it won't happen again as the paste is, well paste like and sticks nice to the CPU surface, coat very thinly and evenly though.

[alanwarwic]

Originally Posted by waltermcculloch

Well it did fall out lol, not sure how or why.

Can't be the CPU one then.

Sounds like frame cushioning to stop vibration..

[whoever,hey]

Are thermal pads NOT like a sanitary towel, but actually melt when put under heat from the CPU they are conducting and just turn into a "paste", but just not as thin as a paste application? Surely they cant actually fall out!?

[alan1302]

Originally Posted by alanwarwic

Can't be the CPU one then.

Sounds like frame cushioning to stop vibration..

That's what it sounds like to me as well.

A thermal pad is not just going to drop off from somewhere unless a heatsinks been removed...and if you are removing heatsinks you should know where it has come from!

[noise747]

Originally Posted by whoever,hey

Are thermal pads NOT like a sanitary towel, but actually melt when put under heat from the CPU they are conducting and just turn into a "paste", but just not as thin as a paste application? Surely they cant actually fall out!?

Correct, I have never known a thermal pad to fall off, for s tart they are normally stuck to the heatsink and believe me it takes some doing to remove them. Secondly as you pointed out once they are in use they melt.

i wonder if it was a pad under the DVd drive to stop the vibration? Other people here have said it could be a vibration pad.