Removing thermal paste...

**The_Other_One** · 11-30-2005, 05:57 AM

Hey everyone... Well, I managed to get this computer I really liked from work, but not after one of our techies TIRED to fix it. "It's got a bad power supply" he explains has he ripps it apart, destroying the case and apparently the mobo. "Um, no, I removed the RAM so we could use it in another system" I explain

Needless to say, it doesn't work anymore...

ANYWAY... I parted the system, and ran into a sligh problem with the processor. Whoever originally built it put like a whole tube of thermal grease on it! Though I got most of it off, some managed to get on a few pins. This is a 478, so it's kinda hard to clean them off... Any suggestions on how to get to them? I plan to go around the sides with a cuetip and some alchol. Drying time isn't a factor because I currently have no mobo for the chip, I just want to get it ready for if/when I have one handy...

Ku-sama · 11-30-2005, 06:21 AM

canned air, just blow the crud out.... and if that doesnt work, then a peice of papper and scrape the pins

Jerkstore · 11-30-2005, 05:32 PM

isopropyl or hexane

4W4K3 · 11-30-2005, 06:27 PM

wood toothpicks + isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) + Q-tips = Clean CPU

At least that's what I use. The wood toothpicks are good for scraping away stubborn/dry thermal paste. Try not to use Kleenex or tissues, as they break apart easy and leave "dust" crap/particles all over it when it's dry.

Dilly man 2 · 12-01-2005, 12:19 AM

magnetic screwdriver

Rambo · 12-01-2005, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilly man 2

magnetic screwdriver

Surely you shouldn't put magnetic materials near electrical components?

Chris Chan · 12-01-2005, 02:28 PM

and besides, no thermal paste i've seen is magnetic. definitely isopropyl alcohol and q-tips.

Dilly man 2 · 12-01-2005, 03:03 PM

...

SURELY is was joking.

i would most likely try canned air first.

vortmax · 12-01-2005, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dilly man 2

magnetic screwdriver

you do realize magnetic fields to absolutly nothing to CPUs....especially ones without power running to them.

Magnets affect MAGNETIC storage media, aka hard drives. A CPU is a solid state device.

super_xero · 12-01-2005, 05:55 PM

yep i would used compressed air the cans are pretty cheep

11-30-2005, 05:57 AM	#1 (permalink)
The_Other_One Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Lexington, NC Age: 24 Posts: 12,368	Removing thermal paste... Hey everyone... Well, I managed to get this computer I really liked from work, but not after one of our techies TIRED to fix it. "It's got a bad power supply" he explains has he ripps it apart, destroying the case and apparently the mobo. "Um, no, I removed the RAM so we could use it in another system" I explain Needless to say, it doesn't work anymore... ANYWAY... I parted the system, and ran into a sligh problem with the processor. Whoever originally built it put like a whole tube of thermal grease on it! Though I got most of it off, some managed to get on a few pins. This is a 478, so it's kinda hard to clean them off... Any suggestions on how to get to them? I plan to go around the sides with a cuetip and some alchol. Drying time isn't a factor because I currently have no mobo for the chip, I just want to get it ready for if/when I have one handy... __________________ Desktop * Athlon X2 4200 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| 7600GT Laptop1 * C2D T5550 \| 3G RAM \| 120G HD \| Intel x3100 Laptop2 * C2D T5250 \| 2G RAM \| 160G HD \| Intel x3100

11-30-2005, 06:27 PM	#4 (permalink)
4W4K3 VIP Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Lewisville, TX Age: 20 Posts: 6,886	wood toothpicks + isopropyl alcohol (90% or higher) + Q-tips = Clean CPU At least that's what I use. The wood toothpicks are good for scraping away stubborn/dry thermal paste. Try not to use Kleenex or tissues, as they break apart easy and leave "dust" crap/particles all over it when it's dry. __________________ My Computer I choose to believe what I was programmed to believe. Can I eat your brain? FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND :F@H Team 44358

12-01-2005, 12:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
Dilly man 2 Gold Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grafton, Wisconsin Age: 19 Posts: 461	magnetic screwdriver __________________ My computer works again! SunBeam Acrillic Case Antec Neo He 550watt Seagate SATA ll 160gig AMD 4200 Duel Core o/c to 2.4gig Nvidia XFX 7800GTX 256mb ABIT AN8-ULTRA Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra OCZ Platinum Performance 2gig Windows XP OEM Turtle Beach 5.1 surround Headset Logitech G-5 lazer Mouse :P :P :P

12-01-2005, 02:28 PM	#7 (permalink)
Chris Chan Platinum Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Michigan, USA Age: 16 Posts: 509	and besides, no thermal paste i've seen is magnetic. definitely isopropyl alcohol and q-tips. __________________ desktop: Celeron 1.7/512MB/80GB/integrated/Ubuntu 7.10 server: P4 2.8/768MB/40GB/integrated/Debian Etch laptop: G3 500MHz/256MB/10GB/RageMobility/Debian Etch laptop soon: Sempron 2800+/512MB/40GB/integrated/Ubuntu 7.10 laptop soon: PII 300MHz/192MB/40GB/?/Debian Etch

12-01-2005, 03:03 PM	#8 (permalink)
Dilly man 2 Gold Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Grafton, Wisconsin Age: 19 Posts: 461	... SURELY is was joking. i would most likely try canned air first. __________________ My computer works again! SunBeam Acrillic Case Antec Neo He 550watt Seagate SATA ll 160gig AMD 4200 Duel Core o/c to 2.4gig Nvidia XFX 7800GTX 256mb ABIT AN8-ULTRA Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra OCZ Platinum Performance 2gig Windows XP OEM Turtle Beach 5.1 surround Headset Logitech G-5 lazer Mouse :P :P :P

11-30-2005, 06:21 AM	#2 (permalink)
Ku-sama banned Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Computer Cave. AKA: King Computer Inc. Age: 18 Posts: 5,312	canned air, just blow the crud out.... and if that doesnt work, then a peice of papper and scrape the pins

11-30-2005, 05:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jerkstore Gold Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Age: 26 Posts: 354	isopropyl or hexane

12-01-2005, 05:55 PM	#10 (permalink)
super_xero Diamond Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,307	yep i would used compressed air the cans are pretty cheep

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