Question about applying Thermal Paste

DavidWright05 · 11-07-2007, 03:22 AM

Ok, my CPU was way too hot yesterday for the first time... around 73 degrees...

So I just bought some arctic Thermal Paste and am ready to reseat the heatsink with it... Only problem is, the "thermal pad" is like stuck all over the bottom of the heatsink and the top of the CPU... IT looks like the aftermark that a round "sticker" leaves if you know what I'm talking about...

Obviously I wanna be as careful as possible So I dont burn 250 dollars here... Anyone know what or how I should use to remove this gunk before applying the paste???

paratwa · 11-07-2007, 03:25 AM

You need to use some alcohol to clean the old paste off. Be careful not to get any on the pins of the cpu.

Apply some to a rag and wipe the old off until there is no residue left at all.

Denatured alcohol works best, since it is a purer form than rubbing alcohol, but you can use the rubbing type in a pinch.

Clean the cpu and the thermal block off until it is super clean.

DavidWright05 · 11-07-2007, 03:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paratwa

You need to use some alcohol to clean the old paste off. Be careful not to get any on the pins of the cpu.

Apply some to a rag and wipe the old off until there is no residue left at all.

Denatured alcohol works best, since it is a purer form than rubbing alcohol, but you can use the rubbing type in a pinch.

Clean the cpu and the thermal block off until it is super clean.

ok... Should I use a Coffee Filter to do it? I heard it's best because it's a lint free material.

PC eye · 11-07-2007, 03:28 AM

If you have a stock hsf there you will need a new thermal pad. The round paste remaining is the leftover of the preformed compound used. you may want to start looking at 3rd party cpu coolers like Artic Cooling or Zalman where you easily clean off AS-5 or another thermal paste used on those.

DavidWright05 · 11-07-2007, 03:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PC eye

If you have a stock hsf there you will need a new thermal pad. The round paste remaining is the leftover of the preformed compound used. you may want to start looking at 3rd party cpu coolers like Artic Cooling or Zalman where you easily clean off AS-5 or another thermal paste used on those.

WTf, I cant just clean it off and use thermal paste and then reseat it???

I have the stock hsf that came with the intel core 2 duo 6600

paratwa · 11-07-2007, 03:48 AM

Yes it cleans off! I have done it many times.

DavidWright05 · 11-07-2007, 03:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paratwa

Yes it cleans off! I have done it many times.

ok... I still havent done anything yet..

I was worried because PC eye said I need a new thermal pad

so a coffee filter is good?

chupacabra · 11-07-2007, 03:51 AM

Just make sure you completely clean it, i use alcohol in my case

imsati · 11-07-2007, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidWright05

ok... I still havent done anything yet..

I was worried because PC eye said I need a new thermal pad

so a coffee filter is good?

Yeah, you'll be fine. Take a credit card and scrape off all the residue you can from the HSF (and the CPU too if you're nimble). After that, just rub away with alcohol until no more gray comes off. Coffee filters work great, but in a pinch Q-tips are decent, and the right paper towel will work, but you just have to be a bit more careful. You'll just want to stay away from napkins, tissues,toilet paper, or anything like that.

paratwa · 11-07-2007, 04:02 AM

I use an old white cotton t-shirt to clean mine.

11-07-2007, 03:22 AM	#1 (permalink)
DavidWright05 Silver Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 126	Question about applying Thermal Paste Ok, my CPU was way too hot yesterday for the first time... around 73 degrees... So I just bought some arctic Thermal Paste and am ready to reseat the heatsink with it... Only problem is, the "thermal pad" is like stuck all over the bottom of the heatsink and the top of the CPU... IT looks like the aftermark that a round "sticker" leaves if you know what I'm talking about... Obviously I wanna be as careful as possible So I dont burn 250 dollars here... Anyone know what or how I should use to remove this gunk before applying the paste??? __________________ Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 Conroe 2.4GHz LGA 775 COOLER MASTER Centurion 5 CAC-T05-UB SECC Chassis ATX Mid Tower Computer Case ASUS P5B LGA 775 Intel P965 Express ATX Seagate Barracuda 7200 250GB 7200 RPM CORSAIR 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5300) Antec TRUEPOWERII TPII-550 ATX12V 550W ASUS EAX550GE/TD/256M Radeon X550 256MB 128-bit DDR PCI Express x16 Video Card

11-07-2007, 03:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
PC eye Diamond Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Inside a pc Posts: 19,279	If you have a stock hsf there you will need a new thermal pad. The round paste remaining is the leftover of the preformed compound used. you may want to start looking at 3rd party cpu coolers like Artic Cooling or Zalman where you easily clean off AS-5 or another thermal paste used on those. __________________ Turning the Tongue into a Device Controller http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/Sma...ory?id=5647175 Is EBay going out of the Auction Business? http://abcnews.go.com/Business/story?id=5626840&page=1

11-07-2007, 03:51 AM	#8 (permalink)
chupacabra Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,876	Just make sure you completely clean it, i use alcohol in my case __________________ Cpu \|\| e7200 @ 2.53ghz Rram \|\| 4GB G.skill pc6400 800mhz Hard Drives \|\| 1x Seagate 250GB 2x 160GB Mobo \|\| Gigabyte P35 DS3L Video Card \|\| Sapphire 4850 Power Supply \|\| Corsair 750 watt Case\|\| Raidmax Smilodon

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11-07-2007, 03:25 AM	#2 (permalink)
paratwa Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,969	You need to use some alcohol to clean the old paste off. Be careful not to get any on the pins of the cpu. Apply some to a rag and wipe the old off until there is no residue left at all. Denatured alcohol works best, since it is a purer form than rubbing alcohol, but you can use the rubbing type in a pinch. Clean the cpu and the thermal block off until it is super clean.

11-07-2007, 03:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
paratwa Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,969	Yes it cleans off! I have done it many times.

11-07-2007, 04:02 AM	#10 (permalink)
paratwa Diamond Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 1,969	I use an old white cotton t-shirt to clean mine.