Removing and Applying thermal paste to gfx card

hi all just bought thermaltake duorb, i know where to put all the heatsinks but what i dont know is how to remove the thermal paste from stock cooler, i dont want to hurt the card. Also i dont want to go and by 90% alcohol since i got no money left xD. is there any other way of cleaning the card? like an easy house method way like soap on a cloth xD

also how thick in milimeters would the new thermal paste need to be applied around the core?
also is there anywhere else that needs the new thermal paste added? because the heatsinks come with there own sticky backs, do i need to add thermal paste to them?

help would be awsome

(8800gt + duorb)

NO NO NO on the soap and water method!!!

Rubbing alcohol would work fine. Just take your time and go slow. If you got little ramsinks that have thermal tape applied, no, you do not need thermal paste.

As for your thermal paste on the GPU, just dab a little in the middle, get a plastic baggie, stick your finger in it, and dab it around on the GPU into a thin, even layer. You should still be able to see the GPU, as in a somewhat-translucent-thin layer. You really just want to avoid the giant 'toothpase' glob/application scenario. If your new GPU cooler has the pre-applied thermal paste 'pad' either peel/wipe it off (no scraping) and apply your choice of thermal material.

LOL...wrong kind of alcohol, buddy. You could just wipe as much off with a clean, dry cloth or paper towel as you can. The idea of using rubbing alcohol is that it will help remove any thermal material, while leaving a residue-less surface for the next application of paste and cooling. Q-tips work well also and are usually the preferred method of alcohol swabbing.

If you can't afford to head to the store and pick up a box of $1.50 q-tips and a $.75 bottle of rubbing alcohol, then maybe you shouldn't be removing your GPU cooler. I have done my fair share of replacing CPU/GPU/ramsinks and this is the method I have always used. It isn't absolutely necessary if you don't remove all the compound from the GPU since you will apply new/clean, but if you want those ramsinks to stick with the thermal tape, alcohol will do the best job. You really don't want those suckers falling off your video card and shorting out your board from landing on a trace.

Rubbing Alcohol should be found at any drug store, and probably super market too, also known as Isopropyl Alcohol.

isoprohyl alcohol is cheap. Its like 1.59 at your local Walgreen's. you DO NOT want to use soap and water. The only alternative for alcohol that i know that actually works is acetone (paint thinner). Try not to hit the pcb with it. It was pretty much the only thing that could take off caked on ceramenique.

If you can only find the 70% stuff, just give it extra time to dry before putting the new paste on.

oh guys i think i have found some, its called methylated spirits

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/ [...] d=products

this is it yeh? there is a B&Q close to me xD

hello?

sorry drnoobfragger, i missed ur post and went and used nailpolish

temps are 35c idle... amazing 55c before and the 2 fans are as quiet as 40c on stock cooler

No Problem, It is fine just not the #1 Product to use. but as long as you get good temps don't worry about it.
and 35c sounds good, so congrats.

is it really necessary to use 90% alcohol? cant i use 70%? if not y??