Member Avatar for vbcruiser

PC is a DELL Dimension E520

When I turn my PC on a yellow light flashes at the start button, the green light does not come on and the PC does not start up.

I cleaned everything inside the PC and when I removed the cooling housing & the grey material between the chip and base flaked off. The surface was not even because of the material flaking off.

I wiped the material off and put the PC back he together. Hit the power button and on came the green light and the PC started...but the fan is loud, very loud, so I have shut everything down.

I live in Costa Rica and its the rainy season. I suspect moisture is causing the problem between the chip and base, getting trapped in the uneven surface where the grey material is located.

What material can I use to replace that grey material? A brand description would help as it is hard to find anything out of the ordinary in paradise. Looks and feels like a thin layer of some type of silicon.

When I replace this material will that stop the fan from being very loud?

Any help would be appreciated.

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  • Latest Post Latest Post by caperjack

Dani AI

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The grey, flaky layer you removed is very likely an OEM thermal pad rather than "silicone." Thermal pads are sheet-like and can crumble after years of heat and humidity; they look and feel different from the oily thermal compound that many people call paste. and are correct that a degraded thermal interface raises CPU temperature and forces the fan to run faster, but the fix depends on whether you had a pad or compound and whether the heatsink now seats flat.

Basic steps to restore proper cooling

  • Power down and unplug. Remove the heatsink/fan and inspect both mating surfaces.
  • Clean all residue with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth or coffee filter until both surfaces are shiny and dry.
  • If the original was a pad (a thin sheet that filled a gap), replace it with a thermal pad of the same compressed thickness. If the surfaces mate flush, you can use a good thermal compound instead. For compound apply a small dot in the center of the CPU heatspreader, then reseat the heatsink evenly so the compound spreads into a thin layer. Do not use household silicone, glue, or gap-filling adhesives — they are not thermal interface materials.

Diagnose the loud fan

  • Reassemble and check CPU temperatures in BIOS or with a hardware monitor. If temps fall, fan speed/noise should drop.
  • If the fan is still loud despite correct thermal contact, inspect the fan bearings: with power off, spin the fan by finger to feel roughness or wobble. Grinding or wobble means replace the fan or the whole heatsink/fan assembly.

Practical tips

  • Use reputable compounds (for example Arctic or Noctua lines) or OEM-thickness thermal pads. Measure pad thickness before replacing. If unsure, replacing the entire Dell heatsink/fan is a safe, inexpensive option that restores correct mounting pressure and quiet operation.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for caperjack

When I replace this material will that stop the fan from being very loud?

Any help would be appreciated.

thermal grease/paste as it is referred to ,the lack of will not make your fan noisy ,fan is noisy because of something you did in removal or replacing it ,make sure it is in flat .
thermal paste ,some brands are better than others but you need to get some soon,so what ever brand you can get will do for you!!

just an example .

Member Avatar for 4th&3wood

The fan is thermally controlled, the higher the CPU temperature goes, the faster the fan will run. The thermal compound enhances the thermal convection between the CPU and the heat sink. Without the thermal compound the CPU could actually overheat and damage it. There is a temperature set point for the CPU which when it is reached will cause the computer to shut down.

Member Avatar for caperjack

There is a temperature set point for the CPU which when it is reached will cause the computer to shut down.

as long as its set to do so in the bios ,not all are activated !

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