Removing the pad in intel proc & heatsink..

[EdzAviator]

Guyz....i bought an arctic silver 5..

I've used my rig for 6 months now and i'm pretty sure that the thermal pads used on intel stock heatsink is pretty mess up now...

I need to clean it before I can put arctic silver on it...

Pls give me guides on how to clean it and wat kind of cleaning compound or alcohol to clean both the heatsink & procesor..

kind i also used acetone instead of alcohol...?

 

[Denithor]

Best method I have found is either acetone (if you have pure stuff, not nail polish remover as it contains other crap) or rubbing alcohol (preferably the 91% version). If you use acetone make sure you remove the chip from the board as you don't want acetone on the motherboard itself. With either, use an old t-shirt, cotton balls, or a coffee filter moistened with the solvent to wipe away the thermal paste. Continue cleaning until the cloth comes away clean (no gray residue remaining). Then just follow the instructions for the AS5 for proper application, reseat your hsf, and away you go.

 

[EdzAviator]

r u sure using acetone or alcohol will not damage my processor...????

 

[Ika]

Originally posted by: EdzAviator

r u sure using acetone or alcohol will not damage my processor...????

It won't, unless you spill it on the motherboard. If you take out the CPU and clean off the top without spilling it all over the place, you're fine. The purer it is, the better it will be - pure acetone/alcohol will evaporate with no residue.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Goo Gone works wonders for me!

http://www.googone.com/

Rubbing Alcohol doesn't work well for cleaning off thermal pads - it requires a LOT of scurbbing. Goo gone is basically just wipe and it's clean! Then after you use the goo gone, wipe the clean heatspreader with rubbing alcohol.

 

[googly]

Don't use rubbing alcohol (the 70% stuff, it's got goo in it). 91% isopropyl is exactly that and 9% water. Eyeglass lens cleaning tissue or coffee-filters work fine (no lint), if need be wrap bits of them around a cotton swab. Don't use a cottn swab naked! Goo-gone is far too harsh, it's like a swamp eater. Basically elbow-grease (patience) and 91% iso-propyl is the way to go.

 

[Conjugal Visit]

Originally posted by: googly
Don't use rubbing alcohol (the 70% stuff, it's got goo in it). 91% isopropyl is exactly that and 9% water. Eyeglass lens cleaning tissue or coffee-filters work fine (no lint), if need be wrap bits of them around a cotton swab. Don't use a cottn swab naked! Goo-gone is far too harsh, it's like a swamp eater. Basically elbow-grease (patience) and 91% iso-propyl is the way to go.

...and coffee filters FTW...