What's up with the P4 1.6A thermal pad?

[Sukhoi]

When I installed my retail C433 two years ago it had a white waxy thing on the HSF that I would consider a "pad". I was assuming the same thing would be on my P4 1.6A since the terminology hadn't changed. But my P4 came with some black mess on the HSF. It seemed to be a foil sheet covered in black junk that was then glued to the HSF on two of the ends/sides. I had to pry it off with a knife, and even still there was a bunch of black sticky stuff left on the HSF. I then tried acetone to get it off since that's what the Artic Silver site said to use for thermal pads, but it just mushed the stuff around and ground some of it into the HSF. Finally I used some rubbing alcohol to get it off, but the stuff that got ground into the HSF won't budge. Is this what people consider "pads" now?

 

[Scipionix]

Looked and felt like toner (graphite) to me. I tore thefoil off easily but the sticky stuff was a big mess. Eventually I got it off with some citrus cleaner (which Arctic Silver says I shouldn't do) but I rinsed it well and cleaned it with alcohol. I think it worked out. And yes, I guess that is what passes for a thermal pad these days.

 

[WangButter]

I used lighter fluid, and it removed the black gunk with no problems.

 

[oldfart]

Goof Off works very well. Takes it off very easily.

 

[Sukhoi]

Alcohol works fine once you know to use it. I started out with acetone which didn't do anything and just ground the black stuff into part of the heatsink.

 

[mechBgon]

Sukhoi, you could always lap the heatsink to take it back down to the bare metal if you're not satisfied with how it came out. Or of course you could save your sandpaper money, and pick up an Alpha for it instead. Gonna OC it and see what kind of SETI times you can squeeze out of it?

 

[Sukhoi]

I just said heck with it and put the ASIII on. After whiping the ASIII off the HSF I can't even tell where the black stuff had been.

Yep, case is coming tomorrow. Once I get the benchmarks done I'll post them in the DC forum.

 

[gsethi]

Did you ever try your *****fingernails****** and an expired ******Credit Card******* ?

worked perfectly for me. ofcourse, do some final cleaning touches with rubbing alcohol.

 

[Shagger]

Sukhoi, you could always lap the heatsink to take it back down to the bare metal if you're not satisfied with how it came out.

Don't forget to lap your CPU core...

















J/K - DONT DO IT!!!