What is the process for repasting a mobile Xeon E-2276M?
What is the process for repasting a mobile Xeon E-2276M?
I recently damaged my used Dell Precision 7740 Laptop and have a Xeon E-2276M. When I removed the heat spreader, I noticed its surface had an odd shape around the die (not a rectangle, but more like a half crescent and half triangle — no reference images available). I decided to include only the die for both the GPU and CPU, thinking that would be sufficient. My question is whether I should also apply paste to the unusual surface area. I tried to draw a picture in Paint to clarify my point. I hope you understand the IHS terminology involved.
I'm confident you could have captured photos of the CPU and assumed the IHS, then shared them on a platform like Imgur. This way, we can compare exactly what you're observing without any loss of meaning.
It should appear similar to this; just add a small amount of high-quality thermal paste to the CPU die and spread it evenly using the cooling assembly in a criss-cross pattern while tightening the screws. If you inspect the screws that attach to the motherboard, you'll notice they're numbered and show the correct tightening sequence—tighten each screw by a quarter or slightly more until fully secured.
I recreated the diagram from memory a few days ago. I didn't take a photo; I posted it from the computer involved. The same goes for tightening the screws—I didn’t notice any numbers, but I essentially repeated that process with both GPU and CPU screws.
The material is liquid metal paste. I spread it thinly using a cuetip on the die. My question is... should I apply more of it to the adjacent areas of the heat spreader? The arrowed sections below. It was initially covered with stock paste, but I’ve seen some extremely poor paste applications from the factory. Yes, I’m aware of the dangers of conductive metal paste. I placed non-conductive electrical tape or paint on the small nodes just in case it spills.
It seems you're asking about the frame in the picture. The frame is probably there to maintain proper spacing for the heatsink and protect the center from damage when pressure is applied. The space between the chip and the frame should not have TIM applied. Your previous message suggests that the original Dell used material on both the frame and the chip.
The integrated structural plate or 'frame' is not meant to have paste on it, though I noticed it did from the factory. It covered the copper plate, the die, and the surrounding gaps. I wanted to confirm this since I'm using a highly conductive liquid metal (which I replaced last week) and filled the space between the die and the nodes with electrical/non-conductive paint.
I'm pleased with my temperatures now. When I first opened the box on eBay and tested it, my CPU reached 89 degrees during a Fortnite session lasting 30-40 minutes. Currently, preheating the cooler to high for at least two hours helps maintain temperatures around or below 60 degrees!