Xtreme Tek have released an article that states AMD CPU warranties are only valid if the user uses the included phase change material, or uses a specific heat grease (Shin Estu G 749) for evaluation purposes only.

The claim has apparently been confirmed by AMD as can be seen by the following...

This means, if you use Arctic Silver, or any of the numerous heat grease products that are available, you are in trouble (I am in trouble).

For permanent installation AMD only recommends using phase change material with the heatsink/fan. No thermal grease is recommended for anything other than temporary evaluation purposes. And the only thermal grease recommended for that is Shin Etsu G 749. Artic Silver is made up of a matrix with conductive particles. There is the possibility of creating electrical shorts on the package. Any failed processor used w/ Artic Silver or any other thermal grease other than Shin Estu G 749 would be subject to warranty voiding. The concerns with other thermal greases are due to thermal pumpout causing overheating with on off cycling of the PC over time. The above information assumes you are referring to use with Athlon. For Opteron Shin Etsu G 749 also is the only thermal grease recommended for permanent installation. Again the concern is due to pumpout with thermal cycling.

huh?

well they're right to put down restrictions... some dumbass could solder or even weld a heatsink onto the CPU for maximum conductivity :)

well that suxs i am using artic silver so no warranty for my :(

i can see where they are coming from, i am a techo and no way would i use that silver crap, like hello, siver = metal = electrical conducting between processor and heat sink (grounded or floating ground which means BAD!!).
even if the artic silver has lets say 800k ohm of resistance this is enough to leak current and blow your processor.

didn't you blokes learn a bit of electronics in phyics at high school??

nope ! f*** that!

Except the core itself is non-conductive. So unless you're slathering Arctic silver on like it was sunburn lotion you should have no problems.

what this lectonics and fesic stuff?

i know of a guy that competely covered his cpu in artic silver....

oh well there goes my warranty out the window.

acetone is good stuff.

heh, our server athlon is deadset covered in artic silver
its come out the sides and covers pretty much most of the chip

still works fine though;

you will prolly find that the nice shiney protective shell sitting on top of the processor is conductive, but it should be grouded, mybe it is not grounded, i don't know how they design the processors.

i would say that the proctive shell is grounded but the copper points on square piece of fiber-glass?? is tied in with the processor, maybe the artic silver is melting and forming a conductive link inbetween the grouded shiney shell and the copper points on the flat bed of the processor.