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The gooey stuff under the cpu

T

thepirat

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 1, 2005
Messages
147
Ok, I know this is probably a silly question but...

I recently pulled off the heatsink/fan on my socket775 to clean it (my room is very dusty). My friend said I should replace the substance that gets squished in between the heatsink and the cpu.

Will that help cool down my cpu if I do that? If so, what exactly is it called so I can buy some?

Thanks in advance.
 
LOL, thats called thermal grease or thermal paste, whatever you want to call it. I would clean it off with some alcohol, and then by some Artic Silver 5 to replace it. Not sure what alcohol to get,s omeone else can clear this up. Think it has to be like 98% or something like that.
 
You want something like pure acetone or Isopropyl alcohol (like 99% purity) and clean off the thermal paste completely. You don't want the stuff you can get at drug stores since it probably contains additives (and is also probably 10% water).
 
Its purpose is to help conduct the heat from the processor to the heatsink more efficiently than can happen with just plain direct contact.
 
Yeah, that's arctic silver all right. However, this is one of the rare times I would not recommend buying something from Newegg because of the $5 shipping.

Get a tube over at SVC with free 1st class shipping for $6

http://store.yahoo.com/svcompucycle/as5-3g.html

As for Isopropyl alcohol or Acentone. Try a local drug store first for pure isopropyl (again, something really pure, like 98% or 99%) and remember that you don't want fragrances or additives in there.

If that doesn't work, home improvement stores like Home Depot or Lowe's should have them, but in huge containers of like half gallons. A local PC supplies store (like a Fry's or Microcenter if you have those) will probably have the 99% stuff.
 
thepirat said:
Edit: Also, anyone have an idea of where I can get some pure acetone or isopropyl alcohol? Would I have to order it specifically from a chemical company? Thanks again
Click to expand...

Local hardware store would be safest bet. What he suggest is good but to add another option simuliar to what he suggested but a different product, Denatured Alcohol works good as well, just be careful with your skin with any of the stuff, it can irritate. The safest bet would be rubbing alocohol, not usually recommended but i have gotten away with it every time when i dont have anything else. Just make sure the parts are sufficiently dried. Its a 70:30 mixture of alcohol and water, but pure enough so that it evaporates very fast, its safe for the skin and it wont combust causing a small mushroom cloud happily only taking out you and your computer if something sparks like the others :). Just dont use much. Any old rubbing alcohol is carried by drug stores and super markets.
 
i jsut used a dab of my bacardi 151 worked like a charm, dab for the CPU, shot for me, dab for the heatsink, shot for me, then a few extra shots when i saw that my first build worked
 
Renswic said:
i jsut used a dab of my bacardi 151 worked like a charm, dab for the CPU, shot for me, dab for the heatsink, shot for me, then a few extra shots when i saw that my first build worked
Click to expand...

You were probably imagining things at that point. :p

Don't glop it on the processor. Use a credit card or razor and put very thin coat. If you put too much it doesn't work very well either.

 
I just bought some Acetone from Home Depot. Any warnings I should heed before I begin swabbing and scraping? :p
 
thepirat said:
Ok, I know this is probably a silly question but...

I recently pulled off the heatsink/fan on my socket775 to clean it (my room is very dusty). My friend said I should replace the substance that gets squished in between the heatsink and the cpu.

Will that help cool down my cpu if I do that? If so, what exactly is it called so I can buy some?

Thanks in advance.
Click to expand...
There are no stupid questions. Close, but not stupid. LOL Thermal Grease is the "gooey stuff" your friend was referring to under the processor. Arctic Silver 5 is what you'll want to purchase. It's great stuff and will cool your processor well. Just use a razor to apply a thin coat on the side of the processor that sits on your MB. Use very little. You can always add more if needed. It's not difficult to do. Keep the thermal grease in your refrigerator after you apply it. Keeping it in a cool place like your refrigerater will lesson the chances of product separation over time. Follow this link for more directions. http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_big2.htm
Good Luck!!!
 
thepirat said:
I just bought some Acetone from Home Depot. Any warnings I should heed before I begin swabbing and scraping? :p
Click to expand...

Use acetone in a well ventilated area, and use a lint-free cloth - you don't want stuff left behind on the heatsink's underside.

When applying the Arctic Silver, use very little, like half a grain of rice size.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_silver_instructions_big2.htm

That's all you really need to know about applying AS.

Have fun!
 
Isopropyl alcohol is also commonly referred to as 'Rubbing Alcohol'. Just an FYI.
 
Renswic said:
i jsut used a dab of my bacardi 151 worked like a charm, dab for the CPU, shot for me, dab for the heatsink, shot for me, then a few extra shots when i saw that my first build worked
Click to expand...

I've used vodka to clean off connectors on my older computers. :D
 
I always order little things from SVC because they're not more than 30 miles away from where I live so shipping is always extremely cheap and fast. Newegg is still number one when it comes to serious hardware though.
 
makshim said:
I've used vodka to clean off connectors on my older computers. :D
Click to expand...

sweeeeet... i can see myself now. one shot for me, one shot to clean the proc.
 
I just used my bath towel and it worked fine without any alcohol on it. Just a couple of wipes and it all came off. Is this a bad idea or should I use some rubbing alcohol?
 
Ghostface Killah said:
I just used my bath towel and it worked fine without any alcohol on it. Just a couple of wipes and it all came off. Is this a bad idea or should I use some rubbing alcohol?
Click to expand...

Probably a bad idea. Bath towels are able generate static electricity. If you shock the processor, it probably wont work properly or even not work at all.
 
Renswic said:
i jsut used a dab of my bacardi 151 worked like a charm, dab for the CPU, shot for me, dab for the heatsink, shot for me, then a few extra shots when i saw that my first build worked
Click to expand...


:D :D :D
 
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