[TeKiZeRo]

I am getting a new heatsink for my computer, and I was wondering what is the best way to remove thermal past off the cpu chip? I used Q-tips in the past but I am not sure if that's the best way. Thanks

[=ACID RAIN=]

Q-tips with acetone. Few things work better. It will not harm your cpu at all

If you need pure acetone, it's at walmart by the paint.

[TeKiZeRo]

Thanks a bunch

[Kurt M.]

Brake Clean at your local auto parts store.

[ajrettke]

Are you sure about brake clean? some stuff might eat the packaging...I know acetone doesn't.

[iwillburnbush]

rubbing alcohol is the safest, but acetone probably morks a little bit better...

[Goldstandard]

Yeah, it's the isopropyl alcohol that works, I got some myself, cheap and works great, and evaporates quickly. Make sure it isn't the scented kind and it is pretty pure, like 91% or more.

[mattspalace]

I use my polo sport aftershave...

[qualhiveldorf]

99% alcohol and q-tips will usually work, except I had a ****** hard time taking off that stock heatsink gunk.

Edit: Its funny how on the isoplypl w/e alcohol they say: Not meant to be used or to replacr grain or ethyl alcohol, who would be dumb enough to try to drink that stuffto get drunk?

[Leviathan41]

Q-tips sometimes leave residue, I use coffee filters, or put coffee filters over Q-tips

[Goldstandard]

Another thing you can use is lint free cloth like the kind for cleaning glasses, if you have it.

[Shaocaholica]

The best kind of alcohol is 99% ethanol you find in most hospitals/labs. Rubbing alcohol is ok if you can't get the ethanol. Still, there are things like thermal pads and tape that alcohol will have no effect on. Thats when you need a petroleum based solvent like acetone, mineral spirits, etc.

[wiak]

newbies
get this
http://www.akasa.co.uk/akasa_english...spec_ak_tc.htm
http://www.3dgameman.com/forums//arc...p/t-20404.html

a friend of me has used it, it works great

my rule is now, dont use stock cooler it sucks and has some crappy pre applyed thermal ****, get a aftermanth cooler, and get some proper thermal paste like Arctic Cooling MX-1/MX-2, Artic Silver 5 etc

[turd]

Alcohol, cue-tips, soft toothbrush and canned air, works for me.

[pinoy3000]

Alcohol works best. And as for the cloth, you can use like an old socks or something.

[Shiggity]

Originally Posted by Leviathan41

Q-tips sometimes leave residue, I use coffee filters, or put coffee filters over Q-tips

Yeah they used coffee filters as a reference on the arctic silver 5 site. I cut a coffee filter to a smaller size and used that with some rubbing alcohol. It worked pretty well, but I'll try the filter with a Q-tip next time for more accuracy.

[austinb324]

Hey guys im new to the site, I was just wondering...havnt tried it yet but would a Mr. Clean magic eraser posibly be effective at removing thermal compound?

[Mjolnir]

I use a arcticlean set, with the remover and the purifier.. Works fine for me, and the purifier you can tell does a decent job as to the difference between the tone before and after its used. But eh.

[Old Thrashbarg]

I wouln't use a Magic Eraser. I think those are sort of abrasive, which is a bad thing when combined with delicate electronics.

Stick with alcohol or acetone... if you have some really tenacious goo, like some of the stuff OEM machines use, it may take some paint thinner (on a qtip, don't slather the whole chip with it), followed up with alcohol to remove the residue. But abrasives... no, not a wise idea.

[fusion509]

Originally Posted by iwillburnbush

rubbing alcohol is the safest,

I just recently used rubbing alcohol to clean my cpu and i found it works the best.