K
kony
Yes, you have to clean off the original and apply new.
Yes, you have to clean off the original and apply new.
H
happymac.support
I've never really done this so....How do you clean of the original
coat? do you clean it off of the CPU or the heatsink? Do you appyly
the new coat on the CPU or on the bottom of the heatsink?
H
happymac.support
Also, I read the instruction manual for the motherboard...It says that
you only need thermal compound if you purchased a (quote) "seperate
CPU heatsink and fan assembly". Also, in the Intel CPU installation
guide, it never says that thermal compound is to be applied. Knowing
this, perhaps the company who assembled the computer didn't put
thermal compound on the CPU in the first place. In that case, do I
still apply thermal compound OR can I just screw the heatsink back on,
as usual?
Thanks kony
V
Vic Baron
Best way I've found is to take a new coffee filter ( lintless paper ) and
use isopropyl alcohol to wipe the goop off both the cpu and the heatsink.
try www.arcticsilver.com for some good info on applying thermal compound
etc.
K
kony
How do you want to?
Probably easiest to just grab a paper towel and a petroluem
based solvent. Sometimes hardened crud requires soaking a
while with the saturated paper towel on top, or try scraping
the bulk of it off with a plastic (credit-card like) card
before finishing with the solvent.
It has to be taken off both, it will be obvious when you see
them. Apply a grain of rice sized blob to the center of the
CPU only.
K
kony
Yes, or if you take the original heatsink off, because the
original thermal interface material melts and hardens, it
can't be reused.
I meant what I wrote already, use thermal compound. There
is no situation where you will not want the old cleaned off
and fresh applied. When a new heatsink has it pre-applied,
it is then unnecessary to add _more_ because it already had
some, but must be replaced if heatsink is taken off later.
H
happymac.support
Thanks Vic. Arctic Silver seems like the best thermal compound right
now. So I just wanted to know where I can buy arctic silver in CANADA.
H
happymac.support
Is it actually OK to soak paper towels with water and put it on the
CPU? As I said in the previous post:
So IF no thermal compound was applied in the first place, then do I
still apply a coat, or can I just screw the heatsink back on?
H
happymac.support
Oh, and also, do I just put a little glob in the middle, or do I
spread it on the CPU like peanut butter (its what most people seem to
do)
N
Noozer
So IF no thermal compound was applied in the first place, then do I
You NEED the compound, be it a paste or a pad. If there is none now then
someone didn't do their job.
Rice sized blob on the CPU only. You want it as THIN as possible.
You NEED the compound, be it a paste or a pad. If there is none now then
someone didn't do their job.
Rice sized blob on the CPU only. You want it as THIN as possible.
H
happymac.support
Thanks. I know about the rice-size blob but my question is: do I put
the rice size blob in the middle and spread it on the CPU OR do I just
put the blob there and and put the heatsink over it?
H
happymac.support
I saw on this site: http://www.heatsink-guide.com/maxtemp.htm in the
Cooling FAQ section (click the link on the navigation bar to the left)
that to clear dust, you can just vacuum clean the dust right out of
the CPU. here is the exact text on the site:
"The first step is to check the CPU fan, the air intakes of your case,
and all case fans for accumulated dust. With PCs that have been
running for many months, and thus have become dusty on the inside,
removing dust alone can bring down temperatures drastically. Use a
vacuum cleaner (while the PC is turned off, of course). When you
approach the vacuum cleaner to CPU or case fans, it will cause them to
spin - no problem, they won't be damaged if that happens."
If this is true, it would make doing this a lot easier for me. Infact,
is this was true, I could do the job right now!
H
happymac.support
That is to say, If I can just use a vacuum cleaner, I wont have to
take the heat sink off! Of course, if vacuum cleaning the dust does
not lower temperatures, I guess I will have to take the heatsink off
K
kony
That is to say, If I can just use a vacuum cleaner, I wont have to
take the heat sink off! Of course, if vacuum cleaning the dust does
not lower temperatures, I guess I will have to take the heatsink off
At this point I advise you to just take the system to a shop
to have all work done. None of this thread was necessary,
anyone can look at a dusty 'sink and see there is a problem
and figure out a way to get the dust out.
K
kony
No, I already described it and that was not using water. No
thermal grease or material is water-soluble.
There is no heatsink installation done properly that does
not have thermal interface material of some sort. If it was
installed that way it was done wrong and the system seller
should be avoided. I already wrote, USE THERMAL COMPOUND.
Please pay attention. There is no further "what if"
scenario. What was written is complete.
N
Noozer
Thanks. I know about the rice-size blob but my question is: do I put
Blob and let the heatsink do the work. You could be anal and use a credit
card or stiff paper to try and spread it on the CPU as thin as possible if
you like (I do).
Vacuums are generally a no-no inside a PC as they generate static
electricity moreso than compressed air.
I'd spend the $5-$10 for a can of air and take the PC outside and blast the
innards of the PSU and whatever fans I could get to. Remember NOT to shake
the can or turn it upside down while you're using it... and it will get
COLD, so don't freeze your fingers.
Better than nothing, but I'd avoid it.
Blob and let the heatsink do the work. You could be anal and use a credit
card or stiff paper to try and spread it on the CPU as thin as possible if
you like (I do).
Vacuums are generally a no-no inside a PC as they generate static
electricity moreso than compressed air.
I'd spend the $5-$10 for a can of air and take the PC outside and blast the
innards of the PSU and whatever fans I could get to. Remember NOT to shake
the can or turn it upside down while you're using it... and it will get
COLD, so don't freeze your fingers.
Better than nothing, but I'd avoid it.
H
happymac.support
Of course, I am planning to use a compressed air can too, but the
vacuum is just to make it easier. By the way, I am not putting a
vacuum unit inside the computer, I am just getting a tube and
connecting it to the vacuum cleaner, so the only part that actually
goes anywhere near the PC is the plastic tube.
K
kony
That does not eliminate the static electricity from the high
velocity air or movement of dust. However, people have done
it and not suffered any ill effects so it is your chance to
take.
The safer method is to use a brush with anti-static
bristles. If you don't have such a brush, any old
paintbrush would work, as you're not brushing on circuits,
only on heatsink fins. Take the fan off and brush the dust
out gently. It is doubtful a gentle vacumming would get as
much out without taking the fan off.
H
happymac.support
Thanks kony. I will use compressed air and a vacuum for the parts I
cant do with compressed air.
H
happymac.support
Ok, I cleaned out the computer. Now, the computer is around 45C at
idle and not matter what I'm doing, it doesnt go over 52C. The fan RPM
also stays around 1800RPM. Is this stable?
Thanks for all your help