Alcohol for removing thermal paste?

^whitey^

HI all,

I'm upgrading my motherboard and so need to remove my 6600 and Blu Orb II cooler. What type of Alcohol should I use for removing Arctic MX (the new stuff not silver 5) Thermal compound off my CPU and heatsink.

Preferably somewhere in the high street and not online.

Also, when applying it again is it best to apply it to the heatsink and then use a razor/stanley blade to spread it on the heatsink instead of applying it to the CPU. (I've googled just ant to hear what people hear think)

Cheers.

Hendrix89

Funny thing I just finished installing a new fan and had to do that proccess last night. To remove the old paste I used syrgical spirit. 100% alcohol solution. Got the stuff for only 2.50 from the chemist. Worked wonderfully and had the CPU clean in 5mins! Just use cotton buds with the solution on. Same for the heatsink although I didnt have to do that step. For applying the new paste on the CPU I didnt spread it. Just let the gravity do its work. Put the heatsink staight on and it will automatically spread it out. I was told this is the easiest and most effective method. Everything is working fine Hope that helps.

Anti

Hendrix is 100% right, Never spread it out. just put a choclate chip sized blob in the middle of the cpu and stick your hsf down on top of it. As for what to clean it off with. There is really no need to bother with anything really. I just use kitchen paper. Just be carefull not to get any on the silicone or the pins.
Then i just wet a bit of the paper and gently rub it till its shiney. Works every time. The TIM cleaning kits are a waste of money imo.

L31mr0d

Peats and Maplins sell TIM removal solutions. Also use a lint free cloth (i.e. lens cleaner) so that you don't get any stray threads on the HS

Also Hendrix it's not possible to get 100% alcohol from a chemist. They always add some toxin to ethanol solutions to stop alcoholics drinking them. Here's a wiki on surgical spirit (i.e. rubbing alcohol). I personally stick with ArtiClean.

Also, like anti said, don't spread it out, just put a grain of rice sized blob in the middle and let the sandwiching of the heatsinks together spread it out for you. My temps are always better when I do it this way.

^whitey^

Thanks for the replies guys,

I'll just put a pea size bolb on the cpu and screw down the heatsink.

I'll try and find some pure alcohol in the chemist and make sure there's no artifacts left on the cooler or cpu after cleaning.

Richard Dower

I use the Artic Silver ArctiClean kit:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=TH-000-AC

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arcticlean.htm

The "blob" method no longer works for Dual Core CPU's such as Conroe/Allendale...please see the new instructions:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

Anti

b.ollocks to that. it works perfectly. I tried the new method first, then the blob. The blob gives a 3C difference for the better under load.

L31mr0d

Richard Dower wrote:

I use the Artic Silver ArctiClean kit:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=TH-000-AC

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arcticlean.htm

The "blob" method no longer works for Dual Core CPU's such as Conroe/Allendale...please see the new instructions:

http://www.arcticsilver.com/pdf/appinstruct/as5/ins_as5_intel_dual_wcap.pdf

What do you mean "no longer works"? They've just released a new method of applying their stuff, which funnily enough forces people to use more of it per application (kinda like the way toothpaste ads tell you you need to use enough to cover the whole toothbrush to clean your teeth, when a quarter of that will do) I reapplied my AS5 when I read that "update" and I haven't noticed any change in temps with my dual core

Anti

The least the better in thermal compound imho.