cleaning off thermal pad/paste

[idenyit]

was about to apply as3, and i was wondering, what do you use to clean the hsf? i read the instructions and it says use rubbing alcohol for the processor, so i was wondering, why can't i also use that for the hsf? would be a great help, and another questions, is it safe to be cleaning the processor while its in the mobo? or should i remove it?

 

[fredtam]

Use it (alcohol) on both.

 

[DerwenArtos12]

or you can use mineral spirits(paint remover) i have found it to be less harsh on the copper. adn yes you should deffinatly take it out but don't just hold it or anything. I would suggest getting a piece of cardboard and poking th holes in it with a safety pin and keep that as your cpu holder for when you are cleanign them and such. that should keep you from bending pins.

 

[idenyit]

hmmm, thanks for the advice both of you, but when you say poke holes in cardboard, u mean for every pin?? isn't that a lot of work? im trying to remember what the processor came in, possibly could use that instead? more advice from others would also be appreciated, mainly on how to make sure i dont mess up the processor while cleaning it up

 

[beatle]

I just clean it off with a Q-tip and alcohol while it's still in the socket. Slow and steady wins the race. 🙂 You can hold the cpu if you like, just be careful with the pins.

 

[Mitzi]

These instructions provided by the makers of Arctic Silver are an excellent reference guide - scroll to the bottom of the page to see what they recommend for cleaning.

 

[idenyit]

thanks for the advice again, and i did check that page already, but because it says i should use like Goof Off or some similar product for HS, where for processor it says use rubbing alcohol. Was wondering what the difference was

 

[Delbert]

Per the AS site

Thermal pads can be scraped off with a plastic tool that will not scratch the bottom then the remnants can be removed with a xylene based cleaner, (Goof Off and some carburetor cleaners) acetone, mineral spirits, or high-purity isopropyl alcohol.
Never use any oil or petroleum based cleaners (WD-40, citrus based cleaners and many automotive degreasers) on the base of a heatsink. The oil, which is engineered to not evaporate, will fill in the microscopic valleys in the metal and significantly reduce the effectiveness of any subsequently applied thermal compound.

 

[fell8]

Originally posted by: idenyit
hmmm, thanks for the advice both of you, but when you say poke holes in cardboard, u mean for every pin?? isn't that a lot of work? im trying to remember what the processor came in, possibly could use that instead? more advice from others would also be appreciated, mainly on how to make sure i dont mess up the processor while cleaning it up

Just press the CPU into a piece of rigid packing foam. The pins will sink in without bending.

 

[yruffostsif]

Originally posted by: beatle
I just clean it off with a Q-tip and alcohol while it's still in the socket. Slow and steady wins the race. 🙂 You can hold the cpu if you like, just be careful with the pins.

I always just hold the processor between my thumb and and index finger around the perimeter and use lots of qtips and isopropyl. For the heatsink, I find an old sock or washcloth and scrub the heck out of it with isopropyl.