Replace thermal paste on intel cpu

[Yongtjunkit]

Hi, I would like to know what's the prefered method of replacing thermal paste without damaging the pin

 

The curent thermal paste is presumably the stock intel cpu thermal paste(lga1150 - 4th gen)

 

Is using kitchen towel good enough to remove the thermal paste or is there anything else I need, also how hard should I rub on the cpu to remove the thermal paste( afraid to bend the pins under the cpu) ?

[Flying Sausages]

Isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol with 70% or higher concentration and a clean micro fiber towel, cloth, or coffee filter to clean the thermal paste on top of Intel heatspreader. Alternative is you can get an isopropyl wipe.  

Clean the top of the heatspreader gently and thoroughly. Require no pressure for cleaning. 

 

Do not use paper tissues because it can leave the them white stuff behind and can affect thermal transfer performance. 

 

[Bombastinator]

I’m going to give A somewhat sloppier answer.

 

@OlympicAssEater is correct.  The thing is that removing all the paste especially if it old, requires several goes because you need to get it ALL off.  Every last little bit. To do the rough work a paper towel is ok, but you can’t get it all off that way.  His advice will need to be followed for final cleanings.

[Yongtjunkit]

On 1/2/2020 at 10:56 AM, Bombastinator said:

I’m going to give A somewhat sloppier answer.

 

@OlympicAssEater is correct.  The thing is that removing all the paste especially if it old, requires several goes because you need to get it ALL off.  Every last little bit. To do the rough work a paper towel is ok, but you can’t get it all off that way.  His advice will need to be followed for final cleanings.

 

On 1/2/2020 at 10:35 AM, Harry P. Ness said:

Isopropyl alcohol or rubbing alcohol with 70% or higher concentration and a clean micro fiber towel, cloth, or coffee filter to clean the thermal paste on top of Intel heatspreader. Alternative is you can get an isopropyl wipe.  

Clean the top of the heatspreader gently and thoroughly. Require no pressure for cleaning. 

 

Do not use paper tissues because it can leave the them white stuff behind and can affect thermal transfer performance. 

 

So I’ve brought the thermal compound already and it apparently comes with a spreader built in to the nozzle(non removable) ..... going to reuse the intel heatsink

 

looks like I got to apply a layer of thermal compound on top of the cpu heat spreader but if not mistaken the stock heatsink has a round contact area ..... will it overflow ? 

[Bombastinator]

4 minutes ago, Yongtjunkit said:

 

So I’ve brought the thermal compound already and it apparently comes with a spreader built in to the nozzle(non removable) ..... going to reuse the intel heatsink

 

looks like I got to apply a layer of thermal compound on top of the cpu heat spreader but if not mistaken the stock heatsink has a round contact area ..... will it overflow ? 

The round contact area should be a lot larger than the square. 

[Yongtjunkit]

3 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

The round contact area should be a lot larger than the square. 

As if the cpu heat spreader? 

[Bombastinator]

56 minutes ago, Yongtjunkit said:

As if the cpu heat spreader? 

Yes.  That

[Whiro]

On 1/2/2020 at 2:23 AM, Yongtjunkit said:

replacing thermal paste without damaging the pin

How you can possibly damage pins when replacing thermal paste

[Bombastinator]

3 minutes ago, Whiro said:

How you can possibly damage pins when replacing thermal paste

That is a conundrum.  I missed that bit and am more worried.

[Whiro]

1 minute ago, Bombastinator said:

That is a conundrum.  I missed that bit and am more worried.

I seriously was trying to think about any scenario where this may be possible but I got nothing. Even if you decide (for some really strange reason) to take out cpu from the socket and put the cpu on the table when applying new paste your pins on the socket are far far away   

[Yongtjunkit]

58 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

That is a conundrum.  I missed that bit and am more worried.

 

1 hour ago, Whiro said:

How you can possibly damage pins when replacing thermal paste

The concern about putting too much pressure on the cpu while cleaning the thermal paste off the heat spreader 

 

that would Bend the pin underneath right? 

[Whiro]

5 minutes ago, Yongtjunkit said:

 

The concern about putting too much pressure on the cpu while cleaning the thermal paste off the heat spreader 

 

that would Bend the pin underneath right? 

No it’ll definitely not bend the pins underneath. Remember that cpu is sitting on the plastic bracket around, pins are slightly lifted so when cpu is on the right place they move down a bit to make enough contact with pads on the cpu. To bend this pins you would have to brake the plastic around the socket.

[Yongtjunkit]

12 minutes ago, Whiro said:

No it’ll definitely not bend the pins underneath. Remember that cpu is sitting on the plastic bracket around, pins are slightly lifted so when cpu is on the right place they move down a bit to make enough contact with pads on the cpu. To bend this pins you would have to brake the plastic around the socket.

I'm guessing that you mean this plastic on the side of the socket?

[Whiro]

1 minute ago, Yongtjunkit said:

I'm guessing that you mean this plastic on the side of the socket?

Yes that’s what I meant, so cpu will be sitting on that plastic not on the pins.