Cleaning the CPU

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web site,
it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about the cleaning
of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink doesnt apply to me,
as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the cpu
core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have any
isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any other
cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with isopropyl
alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning agents that i can
use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning agent and
then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or would a
cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

I use paper towels.

-
Vin stood up at show-n-tell, in ,
and said:

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web
site, it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about
the cleaning of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink
doesnt apply to me, as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the
thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the
cpu core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have
any isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any
other cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with
isopropyl alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning
agents that i can use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning
agent and then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu?
or would a cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

and which cleaning agent?

vin

"Strontium" wrote in message
...
I use paper towels.

-
Vin stood up at show-n-tell, in
,
and said:

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web
site, it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about
the cleaning of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink
doesnt apply to me, as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the
thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the
cpu core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have
any isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any
other cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with
isopropyl alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning
agents that i can use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning
agent and then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu?
or would a cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

None.

-
Vin stood up at show-n-tell, in ,
and said:

and which cleaning agent?

vin

"Strontium" wrote in message
...
I use paper towels.

-
Vin stood up at show-n-tell, in
, and said:

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web
site, it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about
the cleaning of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink
doesnt apply to me, as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the
thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the
cpu core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt
have any isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i
use any other cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning
with isopropyl alcohol -- are there any other commonly available
cleaning agents that i can use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning
agent and then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the
cpu? or would a cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

I use isoprophyl and its available from Maplin.co.uk

Use a lint free cloth.

HTH

Harry

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 16:10:58 +0530, "Vin"
wrote:

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web site,
it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about the cleaning
of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink doesnt apply to me,
as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the cpu
core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have any
isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any other
cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with isopropyl
alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning agents that i can
use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning agent and
then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or would a
cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

As has been
pointed out in previous posts, it's not such a major thing to remove
every atom/particle of old compound, but rather to make sure that the
heatsink/cpu slug is nice and flat with no hard ridges/mounds of old
compound that may stop the HSF laying flat and making good contact. .


Actually i thought the same until i bought some carburator cleaner and
thoughly cleaning the heatsink and then cpu heatsink. Using the same white
paste it reduced my temps by 3 degrees.
btw, to clean the core i sprayed some onto an old t-shirt (now a rag) and
then wiped the core as opposed to spraying on it directly. The cleaner is
pretty strong and would likely be too harsh to apply it directly.

I had read that you should use a fresh heatsink because even though it looks
clean the tiny pores have the melted wax from the pad still in there and it
won't allow the arctic silver to make the best metal to metal contact.
I think it was on the arctic web site, anyway clean the cpu but buy a new
heatsink if you want the best temp reduction.

AnthonyR.

"Vin" wrote in message
...
hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web site,
it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about the cleaning
of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink doesnt apply to me,
as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the cpu
core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have any
isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any other
cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with isopropyl
alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning agents that i
can
use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning agent
and
then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or would a
cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

AnthonyR wrote:
I had read that you should use a fresh heatsink because even though it looks
clean the tiny pores have the melted wax from the pad still in there and it
won't allow the arctic silver to make the best metal to metal contact.
I think it was on the arctic web site, anyway clean the cpu but buy a new
heatsink if you want the best temp reduction.

That's no reason to buy another heatsink.

AnthonyR.

"Vin" wrote in message
...

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web site,
it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about the cleaning
of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink doesnt apply to me,
as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the cpu
core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have any
isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any other
cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with isopropyl
alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning agents that i

can

use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning agent

and

then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or would a
cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

Agreed. Hype-bull****, is what it is.

-
David Maynard stood up at show-n-tell, in , and
said:

AnthonyR wrote:
I had read that you should use a fresh heatsink because even though
it looks clean the tiny pores have the melted wax from the pad still
in there and it won't allow the arctic silver to make the best metal
to metal contact.
I think it was on the arctic web site, anyway clean the cpu but buy
a new heatsink if you want the best temp reduction.

That's no reason to buy another heatsink.

AnthonyR.

"Vin" wrote in message
...

hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3
web site, it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused
about the cleaning of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old
heatsink doesnt apply to me, as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with
the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the
cpu core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt
have any isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i
use any other cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning
with isopropyl alcohol -- are there any other commonly available
cleaning agents that i

can

use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning
agent

and

then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or
would a cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin

--
Strontium

"It's no surprise, to me. I am my own worst enemy. `Cause every
now, and then, I kick the livin' **** `outta me." - Lit

I uzez a squirt of WD40 - I duz!



)



Beginning with the supposition that the "pastes" are organic (solvent)
based: in theory any organic solvent ought to do - with differing amounts of
success. I seem to remember from 1st year degree Chemistry the definition of
an "organic solvent" is a bit of a circular question/answer...



However, quickly culled from a research paper (via Google) a list of likely
mineral alcohol solvents, listed in increasing "hydrophobicity" include:



Methanol - meths
Ethanol - IMS, vodka
Isopropanol - car windscreen de-icer
n-Propanol - car windscreen de-icer
Isobutanol - dunno!
n-Butanol - ditto )



The commonly available OTC preparations are seldom, pure and usually
"contaminated" water, dye, other solvents.Hence the thing to be aware of is
that some contaminants may be high molecular weight, and hence non-volatile,
compound which will leave a greasy deposit. So check it out before you use
it, if it dries greasy..... probably best not used.



Other "ketone" solvents like the two below are potentially OK, but they are
also very good at dissolving plastic!

Acetone - nail varnish remover
Methyl ethyl ketone - paint/tar remover


Ester solvents, similarly are fine but they will also chew-up plastic and
are more likely to contain greasy components.
Methyl acetate - paint thinners
Ethyl acetate - paint thinners, paint/tar remover



"White Spirit" is generally medium chain alkane (petroleum) based i.e..
heptane/octane/nonane/decane. It can, and will be, contaminated with any
an/or all of the above compounds as well as higher molecular weight
alkanes - greases.



The alcohols and some ketones are generally water-miscible so they ought to
remove water soluble traces too.


HTH

Pete

.....still like to use WD40 though - but ensure I wipe off every last trace!



"Vin" wrote in message
...
hi there,

i've read the thermal paste installation instructions on the AS3 web site,
it's quite detailed and helpful, but i'm quite confused about the cleaning
of the cpu core/ceramic bit (cleaning the old heatsink doesnt apply to me,
as i'm replacing my stock AMD HSF with the thermalright 700)

how do i safely and properly clean the thermal pad residue from the cpu
core/ceramic? i checked with my local chemist, but he doesnt have any
isopropyl alcohol with him. also it's mentioned that if i use any other
cleaning agent, i'd still need to do a final cleaning with isopropyl
alcohol -- are there any other commonly available cleaning agents that i
can
use?

another thing, do you directly dab a tissue paper with a cleaning agent
and
then rub away the residue from the core/ceramic of the cpu? or would a
cotton bud be preferable?

thanks,
vin