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So I got a bunch of parts for a new PC just now. Unfortunately, as I was examining the CPU cooler (for a Ryzen 3700x), I scratched a bunch of the pre-applied paste away away. So I (I don't know why) decided to wipe all the stock paste away and apply some different paste. I need to wait for some time as the new thermal paste I ordered is stuck in shipping.

So my question is: can I just put all the components together just to see if the build passes POST, without thermal paste for a few minutes?

I need to do this, because the retailer would need to be informed about dead on arrival components within a week of receiving the item.

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Without proper heat transfer between the CPU surface and a heat sink, the CPU will reach destructive temperatures faster than it can perform a self-test. It will destroy itself faster than you can power off the unit.

You may accomplish the DOA aspect with a previously operating processor by doing as you suggest.

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It would not be worth the risk. Without the thermal compound there will be only marginal contact between the two surfaces and minimal heat transfer.

Using a thin but high quality thermal pad (e.g. from a dead graphics card) would be better than nothing, but I would not use it for a significant length of time. The problem is that a graphics card pad may have already been deformed from a useful flat shape due to compression and operational temperatures.

Use something. Some have suggested toothpaste as an option but please don't.

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