Cleaning the CPU Die and Heatsink Base...

[Alvin.C]

Hello,

I was wondering, how would I go about cleaning the thermal pad gunk from the Die of my AMD Athlon XP processor, and the base of my heatsink? Are there any home products which can be used effectively?

 

[gsbtech]

Isopropyl alcohol and Q-tips. You can buy it a drug store. Don't use rubbing alcohol or fingernail polish because they leave a residue.

 

[Alvin.C]

Re:

Would this Akasa cleaning product do the trick? http://www.savastore.com/productinfo/product.aspx?catalog_name=Savastore&product_id=10277921&pid=44

 

[ekÆsine]

it states "silver based thermal grease", I wouldn't use it. gsbtech is correct, isopropyl alcohol applied with a lint-free cloth or q-tip works well. I use multilith lint-free cloths. here's more info:

http://www.neoseeker.com/Hardware/faqs/kb/2,31.html

 

[Alvin.C]

okay...thanx

 

[Sevoma]

99% is what you should use, but 70% or 93% works as well.

 

[Nubius]

For thermal pads that come on stock heatsinks use a credit card edge to scrape it off easily. If it's just thermal compound then the q-tip works fine.

Don't use rubbing alcohol

Isopropyl IS rubbing alcohol man. I've got a botte of it I use for cleaning all the time,

"99% isopropyl rubbing alcohol"

 

[PP Mguire]

lol hes right. i just looked at our bottle hahaha.

 

[comrad]

lol, but yeah that stuff leaves some resedue.spelled worng, damn, never mind