Athlon XP CPU Cleaning Before installation

[tfcmasta97]

Hey, Ive heard of using rubbing alcohol to clean off the surface of the CPU completely before you install it. Well, I was about to install the CPU (An Athlon XP 2500+), but I got a little bit of thermal paste on my fingers, and when I picked up the CPu I had accidently got a little bit of the thermal paste on the bottom of the CPU. I decided to not install it and ask here how I can clean it off because I dont want to cook it.

So my main question, is it ok to use alcohol to clean off the bottom of the CPU? Would it damage anything? Could I use a cue tip? I only got paste on the middle area, not in between the pins in the so much, only the ones near the middle of the CPU

 

[Jen]

use q tip

i have always used liquid dish soap to clean artic silver off of cpus


hugs


Jen

 

[DaNorthface]

actually, i put some thermal paste on the motherboard diode under the cpu to make better contact.. it doesn't matter if you get paste on the botton of the cpu where the pins aren't affected..

 

[tfcmasta97]

Well, I have wiped up the bottom a bit, but some of it is touching a few of the pins closes to the middle. any idea of how I can clean that off?

there are 3 little sections of pins with a bit of the paste connecting 2-3 pins (all of these are lining towards the centre of the CPU bottom

 

[lagvoid]

I've never had thermal paste on the bottom but I have always used alcohol to clean spillage

 

[Killrose]

I would use some brake / electrical contact aeorsol and give it a blast with the little tube attached to put the cleaner where it was needed. I have used it before and it does not harm anything but maybe the white paper SKU sticker some CPU's have.

 

[DJMiX]

Originally posted by: Jen
use q tip

i have always used liquid dish soap to clean artic silver off of cpus


hugs


Jen

Second that liquid dish soap... just make sure you dry the cpu good.

 

[JeffCY]

I bought 99% isopropyl alcohol at Longs Drugs for <$2. Drys up fast too.

 

[tfcmasta97]

I have a 70% Isopropyl rubbinb alcohol, could I use that on my CPU?

Also from all this, i originally thought getting your CPU wet would be a huge no-no.

Would water on a cue-tip kill the CPU? (I dont want to try it, just curious)

 

[Concillian]

Water will not damage anything unless it's ENERGIZED when wet. Water in and of itself is not dangerous, as long as you let it dry before you use it.

70% IPA/30% H2O will dry pretty fast anyway.