Removing thermal interface material

[User1001]

I've purchased a new heatsink and fan (the thermaltake p4 spark 7), but I'm not sure how to get rid of the thermal interface material (boxed intel stock grease). It's not dried or stuck to the old heatsink. Can I just wipe it off with a napkin? Also how thick should the layer of new grease be?

 

[l3ored]

theres a video on what to do somewhere at www.amd.com (search for heatsink), i know you have a p4, but cleaning should be the same.

 

[cheapgoose]

i use denatured alcohol, used to use nail polish remover.

 

[HiTek21]

Any High Percentage alcohol on a cotton cloth should do fine. If you're going to apply artic silver to the new heatsink it should be paper thin for best results.

 

[User1001]

how thick should it be with the retail stock grease? The reason I ask is that, the stock HSF did not seem to work properly. I got idle 51 C and load 62 C.

 

[beatle]

It should be thin with any compound. Making it thick just means more of it will be be squeezed out when the HS is clamped or bolted down.

 

[huesmann]

Originally posted by: HiTek21
Any High Percentage alcohol on a cotton cloth should do fine. If you're going to apply artic silver to the new heatsink it should be paper thin for best results.

Yeah, something like Everclear or Bacardi 151. 🙂

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: User1001
how thick should it be with the retail stock grease? The reason I ask is that, the stock HSF did not seem to work properly. I got idle 51 C and load 62 C.

there is no grease with a P4 HSF. There is a thermal pad though. That thing ments and sticks good to the P4 heatspreader. Just use some mail polish remover/alcohol or something like goof off (don't put directly on the chip)

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: huesmann

Originally posted by: HiTek21
Any High Percentage alcohol on a cotton cloth should do fine. If you're going to apply artic silver to the new heatsink it should be paper thin for best results.

Yeah, something like Everclear or Bacardi 151. 🙂

I prefer rubbing alcohol. 🙂

 

[User1001]

there is no grease with a P4 HSF. There is a thermal pad though. That thing ments and sticks good to the P4 heatspreader. Just use some mail polish remover/alcohol or something like goof off (don't put directly on the chip)

Actually there is grease. Sometimes pads are included and sometimes not. If its not then theres a syringe with thermal grease.

 

[cmdrdredd]

Originally posted by: User1001

there is no grease with a P4 HSF. There is a thermal pad though. That thing ments and sticks good to the P4 heatspreader. Just use some mail polish remover/alcohol or something like goof off (don't put directly on the chip)

Actually there is grease. Sometimes pads are included and sometimes not. If its not then theres a syringe with thermal grease.

no Intel CPU I've bought retail boxed has had grease. Intel stock HSF has thermal pad

 

[huesmann]

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: huesmann

Originally posted by: HiTek21
Any High Percentage alcohol on a cotton cloth should do fine. If you're going to apply artic silver to the new heatsink it should be paper thin for best results.

Yeah, something like Everclear or Bacardi 151. 🙂

I prefer rubbing alcohol. 🙂

Ya like brain damage?

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: cmdrdredd

Originally posted by: User1001

there is no grease with a P4 HSF. There is a thermal pad though. That thing ments and sticks good to the P4 heatspreader. Just use some mail polish remover/alcohol or something like goof off (don't put directly on the chip)

Actually there is grease. Sometimes pads are included and sometimes not. If its not then theres a syringe with thermal grease.

no Intel CPU I've bought retail boxed has had grease. Intel stock HSF has thermal pad

my 3ghz. If you look on the intel website you'll find that both occur.

 

[User1001]

Originally posted by: huesmann

Originally posted by: User1001

Originally posted by: huesmann

Originally posted by: HiTek21
Any High Percentage alcohol on a cotton cloth should do fine. If you're going to apply artic silver to the new heatsink it should be paper thin for best results.

Yeah, something like Everclear or Bacardi 151. 🙂

I prefer rubbing alcohol. 🙂

Ya like brain damage?

I think the cpu would be my choice for rubbing alcohol.