Cleaning a CPU and Re-applying thermal paste??

[cooloverclocker]

Hello everyone, this may seem like a stupid question, but I was wondering if anyone had some suggestions on the best way to clean a CPU of thermal paste. I have heard that you can use degreaser or rubbing alcohol, which is better?? And I have heard that you need to use a lint-less cloth along with a clean disposable vinyl glove.

Another thing I was wondering is how to "properly" apply thermal grease? I have heard two versions.

1. Apply to heatsink, very thin layer, and spread all around the heatsink.

2. Apply to CPU die, and not on the heatsink, place very small amount on die and rub very thin and evenly.

Do I want to only put thermal grease on the die and a very small amount, spread thin??

Or do I want to put the grease on the heatsink with a very small amount in the area where the die will make contact??? Or spread it on the heatsink all over???

I am confused!! Someone help me.

The reason I ask is because I am going to be taking the 1700+ B-core processor out of my computer and am putting it into another and I want to make sure that I make the transfer successfully without screwing up the processor.

Thanks, Steve

[aJ\/Tg]

Originally Posted by cooloverclocker

Hello everyone,

Here you find more information than anybody can tel you:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/instructions.htm

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[GrahamGarside]

isoprpyl alchohol is best for removing thermal compounds.
You could also try mums/sisters/girlfriends/your own nail polish remover
For applying the compound you want a very small amount placed in the centre of the core, no where else, then there are 2 methods for spreading it. The first which most people use is a credit card or a flat straight piece of plastic to spread it evenly and thinly across the core.
The method I use it to wrap a plastic bag or something similar round my finger and spread it this way, I find it much easier to ensure an even thin layer without any excess this way

[mookydooky]

Nail polish remover is NOT a good choice. They tend to have perfumes and oils mixed in with the solvent which will stay on the CPU or heatsink.

[cooloverclocker]

I am getting some great feedback here!! Thanks guys!!

Another quick question.

How would I want to go about cleaning thermal compound from an AMD processor, not nesseccarily off of the core, but off of the rest of the CPU, (i.e., the ceramic area with the little transister looking things)?? Should I use isopropyl alcohol and a lint-less cloth??

Thanks for the replies, Steve

[GrahamGarside]

Originally Posted by mookydooky

Nail polish remover is NOT a good choice. They tend to have perfumes and oils mixed in with the solvent which will stay on the CPU or heatsink.

Fair point, but there are some that dont, I know I've pinched my mums nail varnish remover a few times so as long as it's just an alchohol based one you would be ok

[cadaveca]

Originally Posted by cooloverclocker

I am getting some great feedback here!! Thanks guys!!

Another quick question.

How would I want to go about cleaning thermal compound from an AMD processor, not nesseccarily off of the core, but off of the rest of the CPU, (i.e., the ceramic area with the little transister looking things)?? Should I use isopropyl alcohol and a lint-less cloth??

Thanks for the replies, Steve

Thanks to Gizmo here, I now just use a cotton swab for initial cleaning. The less solvents you use the better...isopropyl you can find @ 99.9%, and therefore will leave less, but if you continually use something that has less purity, chances are your temps will increase.

After the initial cleaning, dip a cotton swab into the iso and press it against the sides of the bottle to lessen the amount of alcohol the swab contains. Clean the core with the swab, and other components if nessecary. I like to then use a can of "clean" compressed air to ensure there are no bits of cotton or other stuff on the cpu.
Apply your AS5, and thanks to another member here ( i cannot remember who to credit), about half the size of a small grain of rice is more than enough. Take a creditcard(edge cleaned with isopropyl, of course) and spread it around. I like to look at the core at different angles to make sure that there are no spots missed(makes for a real difference in GPU overclocking). Sometimes it just doesn't spread right, and I'll do it all over again, but I like to get the best results I possibly can.
Drop the cpu into the socket, and make sure no stray dust or anything has landed on the core, and then attach the heatsink. DO NOT TWIST THE HEATSINK WITH ARTIC SILVER 5!!!! Unlike other compounds, this will create more air pockets, and open up any area's that did not have quite enough.
The biggest part that some people miss is 200 hours of thermal cycles. This means going from hot to cool and then hot again....in order to fully break in the thermal paste. What happens is the paste will thin out and fill in the cracks, and then when it cools, it will pull out slightly. Each time it goes through this cycle, the Artic Silver will penetrate deeper and deeper into the machined surface of your heatsink. It's almost impossible for a heatsink to have a perfectly smooth bottom, and this is why there HAS to be some sort of substance between it and the core....you need to properly fill the gaps!

I did my own comparison quite some time ago....and so far AS5 gets me the best results.

[cooloverclocker]

Thanks man, this info really helps!! I will clean the CPU with the alcohol recommended and only place the AS5 on the core of the processor.

Thanks again, Steve