new heatsink

[danomite664]

ok, here's my question: i bought a new heatsink to replace the crappy stock heatsink on my AMD Athlon 1700+. I just used the thermal pad that came with it the first time, but now i have some thermal paste. When i take off the other heatsink, should there be any of the thermal pad left on the cpu itself? i know some will be on the heatsink, but im not using that. I just need to know if i will have to use something to take off the old thermal pad from the cpu before i take it apart (i dont have the stuff to do it yet, so i dont want to tear it apart if i cant use it for a while). Also, if there will be any, and i will have to take it off, what would work the best? I have read that some people use the 70% isopropyl alcohol, but other people say dont use it because of the water. Is it alright to use this, or should i get something else?

 

[BoB NaPaLm]

Them thermal pads have something on them that melts and fills up them tiny imperfections on the cpu die and heatsink. If you are going to put some paste on that, you have to try and remove most of this stuff. Isopropyl alcohol is pretty good stuff for this as it will clean it away and then evaporate leaving no residue (depends on how pure it is). If you don't remove all that weird thermal pad stuff you will see higher temps.

 

[stool]

I usually take a razor blade and carefully remove any residue from the pads, then use isopropyl alcohol. There is a 90-95% isopropyl solution that is available if you are worried about the liquid.

 

[I.M.O.G.]

stool has the right idea, this is similar to what i do... that material does not come up easy by using a solution, so you want to remove all the material you can with the edge of something. i used my fingernail and it took me forever, if your super careful it might help to use a blade of some sort to get the chunks off.

 

[Bald Shadow]

You could also use Acetone then use the alcohol to clean everything up.