Thermal Pad removel from cpu

I just bought a KOOLANCE EXOS-AL liquid cooling system for my 3.2 ghz p4. I had been using a the standard heat sync that came with the processor. I was wonderinng if any one could tell me the best way to remove the thermal pad from my processor.

 

i have been using the heat sink that came with the processor. the pad melted and come of its on the processor.

 

The thermal pad on the HS or on the CPU? If it's on the die of the CPU I'd very carefully try to scrape it off using an exacto knife or something small enough for such delicate work. Or leave it if in doubt. Personally I'd leave it :O

I usually use a one inch razor blade for scraping the pad off of the HSF, such as the kind for scraping paint off of windows.

 

i'd remove the processor from the socket, and then use anything like a razor blade or sharp knife for the large chunks. when those are done, you can use isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth (like a piece of an old t-shirt) to clean the residue off the processor.

dont forget to re-apply some thermal compound before putting the heatsink back on!

edit: Q-tips work, but they can be sloppy... so just make sure you clean up

 

Use paint thinner (paintbrush cleaner) if its on the heatsink (which it should be....) and then wash it off with first water, then isopropanol alcohol, because it will leave a residue if you don't wash it with pure alcohol, which will impede thermal conduction.

As the Ice Dude says, use a scalpel or somthing like that to carefully scrape the stuff off the cpu. Use rubbing alcohol sparingly on the CPU core... and once you've got off the goo... wash it with a QTip dipped in alcohol, and leave it to dry (evapourate off), and wipe with a lint free cloth *

Whatever you do, DON'T touch either surface after cleaning/before re-applying new compound, and if you do scrub it down with a lint-free cloth and yet more alcohol (you feeling woozy yet? ) Fingerprints are thick and insulating compared to the thermal compound, and so will dramatically increace your CPU temperatures (Not a good thing)

*a coffee filter would do... or as IYTC says, a t-shirt

 

hahaha, great minds, eh?

 

yes yes, great minds have a lot to 'blah blah blah' about hehe