CPU cooler plastic protective peel was left on the copper coldplate
Newly built PC throttles at 90C-100C immediately because the transparent factory peel sticker was not removed before applying paste.
Internal desktop parts run on harmless 12V DC voltage and cannot shock you. Simply unplug the wall power cable first, then touch the unpainted metal case frame to ground static electricity.
Common Symptoms & Tells
- Brand new PC build reaches 95C-100C under light load or Cinebench test
- Cooler is properly screwed down and fans spin, but thermals are terrible
- Thermal paste was applied directly on top of the factory plastic warning film
Interactive Fix Checklist
0 of 4 steps completedSafety isolation and power discharge
Shut down the PC, switch off the power supply rocker switch (O), and unplug the AC power cord from the wall. Press and hold the chassis power button for 5 seconds while unplugged to drain all residual capacitor energy before touching any internal hardware.
Remove CPU cooler and inspect coldplate base
Unscrew CPU cooler mounting bracket. gently twist the cooler left and right to break the thermal paste seal before lifting. Check the bottom copper surface. Look for a transparent plastic film with warning text ('Warning! Please peel off before installation').
Peel off plastic sticker and clean surfaces with isopropyl alcohol
Peel off the plastic film completely. Clean old thermal paste off both the CPU heat spreader and cooler copper base using 90%+ Isopropyl Alcohol (IPA) and a lint-free coffee filter or paper towel.
Apply fresh pea-sized drop of thermal paste and remount
Place a pea-sized dot of quality thermal paste (Arctic MX-4/MX-6, Noctua NT-H1, Thermalright TF7) in the center of the CPU. Re-tighten cooler screws in a criss-cross X pattern until snug.
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