How to clean all the old stinky Thermal paste

[HaCompGeek]

I just took out this from my laptop X509FJ and I want to paste new thermal compound to improve the performance
Can someone help me how to clean it and how to paste the new one properly?

[Alienware 15 R2]

How about using some medical alcohol and cu-tips but be gentle while cleaning it so to not do any damage.

[minibois]

Alcohol and a paper towel/cotton bud.

Alternatively to alcohol you could use water too, but that evaporates at a slower rate, meaning you have to wait longer for it to dry.

[HaCompGeek]

1 minute ago, minibois said:

Alcohol and a paper towel/cotton bud.

Alternatively to alcohol you could use water too, but that evaporates at a slower rate, meaning you have to wait longer for it to dry.

So I just use a cotton bud with some alcohol on it and then wipe it?

Is there any chance it might damage to other area?

[Alienware 15 R2]

Only if you do static damage while wiping it and make sure it’s 100% dry before re-assembly.

[minibois]

1 minute ago, HaCompGeek said:

So I just use a cotton bud with some alcohol on it and then wipe it?

yes

1 minute ago, HaCompGeek said:

Is there any chance it might damage to other area?

Not as long as you don't do anything silly.

[SpookyCitrus]

As others have suggested, use 90% or higher isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips/paper towels. After it's fully clean, let it dry, apply the new thermal compound and reassemble. Just remember while this may improve your thermal performance and prevent the computer from overheating if it was before, it will not improve the actual performance of the computer or make it faster, unless it was thermal throttling or overheating and hindering your performance and that's why you're doing it.

[Alienware 15 R2]

1 minute ago, SpookyCitrus said:

it will not improve the actual performance of the computer or make it faster.

Really?

Because If his laptop was overheating it must be thermal throttling as well because of the additional heat.

 

if his laptop wasn’t thermal throttling it would be running at full speed.

[SpookyCitrus]

21 minutes ago, Alienware 15 R2 said:

Really?

Because If his laptop was overheating it must be thermal throttling as well because of the additional heat.

 

if his laptop wasn’t thermal throttling it would be running at full speed.

If the laptop was overheating/thermal throttling yes, however the way OP typed it makes it sound like they want to try this just to increase performance which it will not do unless overheating or thermal throttling was hindering OPs performance.

 

OP has not stated if their laptop was thermal throttling or overheating before they did this, only that they are doing it to improve performance, only reason I added the part about it not helping with performance was to clarify. I did indeed forget to say unless it was having a thermal issue before the re-pasting, but if it was not and they are doing it as just an attempt to improve performance without issues then it will be null.