Cleaning underside / contacts of CPU?

[CCCustom]

Bought a motherboard + CPU 2nd hand, HSF was still on, and I took it out when I got home to find this :

When this picture was taken I'd already cleaned off the centre area of the IHS to look at the S-Spec and country of manufacture, but you should still be able to see that the entire IHS and even the latch (top and underside, no I'm not kidding) were coated with a thick layer of Arctic Silver ... it felt as if the previous owner used the entire syringe in a single application

I cut strips of orange cloth and soak them in IPA for initial cleaning, ie getting the bulk of the thermal compound off, then used coffee filter paper soaked in IPA for the final cleaning. Unfortunately when running the cloth from 1 corner to the other (which I had to repeat 4 times for 4 sides), the build-up of Artic Silver was so thick that some of it touched the side and the underside of the CPU where the contacts are.

I wiped the edges of the underside just before the contacts, but I worry that some Arctic Silver remains on the contacts.

Is it safe to clean the contacts on the underside of the CPU? And if so, should I use the orange cloth or the coffee filter paper for this purpose?

Appreciate the advice.

 

[rabbitteeth]

Good buy u got there bro !! you wont have to worry about the previous owner overheating the cpu man !!

 

[Wongpk]

most likely the CPU is gone
too much arctic silver conduct electricity because they have small particles of silver and copper in the paste and will short circuit and damage
the CPU causing it to over heat

 

[royfrosty]

Good buy u got there bro !! you wont have to worry about the previous owner overheating the cpu man !!

most likely the CPU is gone
too much arctic silver conduct electricity because they have small particles of silver and copper in the paste and will short circuit and damage
the CPU causing it to over heat

What trolling comment is this?

If you all got no idea what is happening please do not anyhow bomb.

To TS,

The purpose of thermal paste is to fill up the gaps between 2 metal surfaces.

Too much doesnt mean good at all. It could lead to no/poor contact of the CPU and heatsink.

And most thermal paste and in this case Artic Silver is non conductive thermal paste. It will not short the CPU.

All you need to do is just clean off all the thermal paste and re apply the thermal paste using grain method or pea method.

 

[monikernemo]

What trolling comment is this?

If you all got no idea what is happening please do not anyhow bomb.

To TS,

The purpose of thermal paste is to fill up the gaps between 2 metal surfaces.

Too much doesnt mean good at all. It could lead to no/poor contact of the CPU and heatsink.

And most thermal paste and in this case Artic Silver is non conductive thermal paste. It will not short the CPU.

All you need to do is just clean off all the thermal paste and re apply the thermal paste using grain method or pea method.

TS worry about stuff going to underside. What advice do you have?

 

[shadow84]

Use isopropyl alcohol to wipe off old TIM. Then apply new one. Can get artic MX4. Clean the heatsink as well.

 

[royfrosty]

TS worry about stuff going to underside. What advice do you have?

Its safe to clean it with a cloth and with some isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Mikiberry]

Wahhh, thermal compound like machiam cake icing...

 

[monikernemo]

Its safe to clean it with a cloth and with some isopropyl alcohol.

So contrary to popular belief it is safe to clean underside of Intel CPUs?

 

[shadow84]

So contrary to popular belief it is safe to clean underside of Intel CPUs?

NO one does that since dirt wun really get to that part. It would be more wise to clean the HSF. This will give better temps as compared to cleaning the underside. TS can try, but he needs to be very gentle and not exert too much force as to break it.

 

[monikernemo]

NO one does that since dirt wun really get to that part. It would be more wise to clean the HSF. This will give better temps as compared to cleaning the underside. TS can try, but he needs to be very gentle and not exert too much force as to break it.

I mean that's TS concern what. Overflow and he's scared that some of it reach underside of socket.

 

[shadow84]

I mean that's TS concern what. Overflow and he's scared that some of it reach underside of socket.

Den put pea size will do.

 

[royfrosty]

The bottom of the CPU is fine. Is just copper contacts (Not reffering to the bottom transistors/resistors portion). The copper sides are ok to clean away, make sure do not exert too much force to clean it.

 

[Maximus_XXVIII]

Like that enough?

 

[royfrosty]

Like that enough?

[/ URL]

[URL=http://s373.photobucket.com/user/danielluo28/media/Change%20Thermal%20Paste/20150224_232515.jpg.html] [/U RL]

[URL=http://s373.photobucket.com/user/danielluo28/media/Change%20Thermal%20Paste/20150224_232914.jpg.html] [/U RL]

Yes enough. Once you mount the heatsink it should spread even out.

 

[alextheong]

how many use the heat sink to press down on the compound and how many use a card to spread it like jam?

which is the better way?

 

[royfrosty]

how many use the heat sink to press down on the compound and how many use a card to spread it like jam?

which is the better way?

Not much difference. 1deg off.

 

[Maximus_XXVIII]

how many use the heat sink to press down on the compound and how many use a card to spread it like jam?

which is the better way?

Personally use heatsink and let it spread on its own. Can't remember where I read before but spreading the compound with card may cause air bubbles.

 

[monikernemo]

Personally use heatsink and let it spread on its own. Can't remember where I read before but spreading the compound with card may cause air bubbles.

Ten syndicate got some video and on it, can check it out. And shows that spreading the compound with spatula/card not that good

 

[jgyy1990]

Underside? Use alcohol than aircompresser blow away.