Cleaning old processor for new mobo

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zombix

[H]ard|Gawd
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Sep 27, 2005
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Just wondering if there were any steps to pulling out the processor and if there were any tips on cleaning the old goop of the processor?

I think i should be using 100% alchohol and im not sure how clean the top of the processor needs to be before i put a stock heatsink and fan, which i never used. ( Used zalman ).

And im not to familar with lapping and if its something i need to do to get the processor clean can anyone point me to a link where they explain how to lap?
 
You don't need 100%, but it's a good idea to use high purity (~90% or better) rubbing alcohol that you can get from pretty much any drugstore. Wet something lint free (I use cotton swabs but I hear coffee filters do a great job) and wipe the goop off. Keep doing this until the wipe comes off clean. Make sure the alcohol is dry (it doesn't take long) before you reapply thermal paste (TIM) or install a HSF.

Lapping is basically sanding something smooth, whether it's the HSF or the IHS on the processor (if yours has one). At manufacture, these things inherently have tiny ridges and bumps. The purpose of the TIM is to fill the tiny little gaps and prevent air from being trapped as air is an insulator and in these cases prevents heat from being transferred. Lapping doesn't have anything to do with removing the TIM, but it generally allows for better temperatures as flat = good for thermal transfer since there is nowhere for air to be trapped.
 
Ok thanks alot so basiclly just clean off the goop with alchohol and just put the stock heatsink and fan on.

One more thing before i pri-out my processor, i used a grain of salt technique last time i put on this zalman which made my processor really cool but i dont over clock.

Now by using the grain technque am i going to expect a burnt circle or is the goop going to be really hard? Well what im really trying to avoid is prying out my processor without undoing the latch which i think will be bad for the prongs on the processor.

Im just a wee nervous about doing this because i dont want to break anything and i really want to use my 4600+ x2 processor for atleast another year.

Also would it be stupid to go from a zalman to a stock amd heatsink or will the stock heatsink work just fine with the used processor? And i dont plan on over clocking.
 
Using the grain technique is fine as the TIM will migrate over time and "cure" anyway, which actually improves its efficiency - you shouldn't see a "cooked" spot. Going from Zalman to stock will not be an issue if you're running at stock speeds. You'll be just fine.

Your processor socket is called a ZIF, which stands for zero insertion force. What that means is when you open the lever you should be able to just drop your processor in and it will seat itself. Close the lever and it's locked in place. The reverse works the same way. Open the lever and you should be able to just slide your proc right out. If it sticks, don't pull too hard. Just work the lever a little to make sure it's fully opened and try again

Nothing to be nervous about. Just be gentle and smart. Don't force anything and make sure you touch grounded metal to discharge any static before you start handling your components.
 
if you know someone in the healthcare industry then get them to get you a bunch of pre-injection alcohol swabs, pure Isopropyl Alcohol, very handy and convenient for cleaning CPUs(and heatsinks, clean that too).
 
zombix said:
Ok thanks alot so basiclly just clean off the goop with alchohol and just put the stock heatsink and fan on.

One more thing before i pri-out my processor, i used a grain of salt technique last time i put on this zalman which made my processor really cool but i dont over clock.
Click to expand...

I just thought of something that I totally overlooked before. If you're using the stock HSF, it probably already has a pre-applied thermal pad on it. If so, DO NOT add any goop unless you first remove this pad. It's an either-or deal - don't use both.
 
wow thanks alot guys im feeling more confident now after having these question answered.
 
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