- Joined
- Dec 26, 2004
So, you just got a new heatsink, huh? Don't know what to do next? Here's a quick how-to:
First, get the required materials:
-New heatsink (duh)
-ArctiClean, Isopropanyol Alcohol, Mineral Spirits or another xylene/acetone based cleaner
-TIM; Thermal Interface Material. I reccommend Arctic Silver 5, or Arctic Silver Ceramique.
-Lint-Free cloth (I've heard Coffee Filters work well
)
Now, first, shut down your computer, unplug your tower from everything, and move it to a comfortable spot (with my heatsink, I feel more comfortable leaving the tower on its side, I reccommend doing this as well).
Open the case (skip this if you're wierd and run caseless), and remove your old heatsink. It should have its own retention or securing mechanism. I know for Intel processors, its a clip-on mechanism, requiring you to unclip the heatsink and then lift the heatsink off of the processor. Sometimes on different platforms it's easier to remove the motherboard before removing the heatsink (like certain Socket A systems, props to The Wicker Man for this).
Either way, remove the heatsink, and clean off the CPU and old heatsink with your cleaning materials. For instance, take your lint-free cloth, wet it with your alcohol, and then wipe away the TIM, using a clean spot every now and again. ArctiClean has its own instructions, listed here. Make SURE not to touch the contact area of the CPU after you clean it (the slug/die of an open-die processor or the IHS of a IHS'ed processor).
Now that the CPU is nice and clean, apply your TIM of choice according to the correct directions (for directions, click the corresponding: AS5; Ceramique). Now, get your new heatsink, and wipe it down with a little of your cleaning material. Like before, make SURE not to touch the portion of the heatsink that touches your CPU (the bottom of the heatsink) after cleaning it. Apply it according to directions, and bam, done. Flip your tower back to a vertical position, plug everything in, and you're ready to do what you do
First, get the required materials:
-New heatsink (duh)
-ArctiClean, Isopropanyol Alcohol, Mineral Spirits or another xylene/acetone based cleaner
-TIM; Thermal Interface Material. I reccommend Arctic Silver 5, or Arctic Silver Ceramique.
-Lint-Free cloth (I've heard Coffee Filters work well
)Now, first, shut down your computer, unplug your tower from everything, and move it to a comfortable spot (with my heatsink, I feel more comfortable leaving the tower on its side, I reccommend doing this as well).
Open the case (skip this if you're wierd and run caseless
), and remove your old heatsink. It should have its own retention or securing mechanism. I know for Intel processors, its a clip-on mechanism, requiring you to unclip the heatsink and then lift the heatsink off of the processor. Sometimes on different platforms it's easier to remove the motherboard before removing the heatsink (like certain Socket A systems, props to The Wicker Man for this). Either way, remove the heatsink, and clean off the CPU and old heatsink with your cleaning materials. For instance, take your lint-free cloth, wet it with your alcohol, and then wipe away the TIM, using a clean spot every now and again. ArctiClean has its own instructions, listed here. Make SURE not to touch the contact area of the CPU after you clean it (the slug/die of an open-die processor or the IHS of a IHS'ed processor).
Now that the CPU is nice and clean, apply your TIM of choice according to the correct directions (for directions, click the corresponding: AS5; Ceramique). Now, get your new heatsink, and wipe it down with a little of your cleaning material. Like before, make SURE not to touch the portion of the heatsink that touches your CPU (the bottom of the heatsink) after cleaning it. Apply it according to directions, and bam, done. Flip your tower back to a vertical position, plug everything in, and you're ready to do what you do
Last edited:
