Safe to Buy This CPU?

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draconicessence

Commendable
Jul 25, 2016
20
0
1,510
Hi there. I came across an i5 4440 on eBay and am interested in bidding on it. Upon closer inspection of the CPU, there seemed to be a type of residue on the lid of the CPU where the thermal paste was wiped off. I asked the seller what he used to clean it, and he said he used non-alcoholic all-purpose flushable wipes from Costco w/ vitamin E and aloe content:

https://m.costco.ca/Kirkland-Signature-Moist-Flushable-Wipes%2C-632-wipes.product.100350280.html

I also suspect he used these wipes on the stock cooler he is including.
Knowing that he used these, and that there is a slight residue on the CPU lid, will the CPU function be affected in any way, and is it still safe to bid?

Here is the link to the page, you can take a look for yourself:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/122738422003

Thanks.
 
Solution
J
I mean, as with all ebay purchases, it may not be in perfect working condition. As for the residue, he cleaned it incorrectly, but it would be pretty easy to get some isopropyl alcohol at basically any store and clean it off yourself (which you should definitely do). Thermal paste needs to always be wiped off with ispropyl alcohol (it doesn't NEED to be, but if you want to avoid that residue, it's the best method to do so), so you'll want to re-clean both the CPU IHS and the heat sink before you re-apply thermal paste.

Aside from that, assuming the CPU is actually working, it should be A-OK for a buy.
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J

JalYt_Justin

Reputable
Jun 12, 2017
1,164
0
5,960
I mean, as with all ebay purchases, it may not be in perfect working condition. As for the residue, he cleaned it incorrectly, but it would be pretty easy to get some isopropyl alcohol at basically any store and clean it off yourself (which you should definitely do). Thermal paste needs to always be wiped off with ispropyl alcohol (it doesn't NEED to be, but if you want to avoid that residue, it's the best method to do so), so you'll want to re-clean both the CPU IHS and the heat sink before you re-apply thermal paste.

Aside from that, assuming the CPU is actually working, it should be A-OK for a buy.
 
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Solution
geofelt

geofelt

Titan
Oct 9, 2006
54,269
4,130
174,240
Safe enough, I think.
Seller has good reputation.
You should be prepared to test the cpu for proper function.
Clean off the residue with alcohol.
What you see is a initial bid price.
It will go up before it sells, and there may be a reserve or minimum bid.
Prices are all over the place, I might expect $125 cdn.

If you do not already have a motherboard, I think I would look to a newer generation.

 
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