Removing NorthBridge TIM or other materials

[balloonshark]

Hi. It's my first post here so if I've posted in the wrong section, please move this thread.

My relative has a Compaq that had a loose NorthBridge heatsink that was held in place with 2 U-shaped clips that were in the MB. One of the U-shaped clips came out and I believe they were soldered in so fixing it is out of the question. I want to try fixing it with Artic Silver Thermal Adhesive which I just bought. I have the heatsink here and whatever material on it was hardened. I used alcohol, cotton balls and my fingernail to remove the material. There is still a light film of some sort on the heatsink that alcohol cannot remove.

I don't want to destroy the computer, so what is the best way to remove the material from the NorthBridge. The computer has been running for 3 months without the heatsink so I'm sure it's a hard substance. I've read someone has used Goo Gone followed by alcohol to clean the residue, but I'm afraid to try it. What would you recommend and what are precautions that I need to take?

Thank you,
balloonshark

 

[akhilles]

Sometimes I wonder if the pink gunk on some mobos is actually bubble gum. It's impossible to remove with only alcohol. Takes some coffee filters & packing tape.

Goo Gone works best. Available at Home Depot.

The safest would be use some cheap double-sided thermal tape. It's not like your neighbors are kingpin overclockers.

 

[Andrius]

Or you could LAP IT!
Zalman has some nonconductive thermal addhesive. I've bought their 37J northbridge cooler a few years ago for my A8N-SLI Deluxe and it came with some. The cooler costs ~4 EUR.

 

[balloonshark]

Thanks for your replies!

akhilles,
Thanks for the Goo Gone confirmation. I'll have to get some. Is it fairly forgiving if I get a little on the MB?

I already bought Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive so I will use that. And you are correct, these folks aren't overclockers or anything close.

Andrius,
How would you lap the NorthBridge? I've read about lapping CPU's and heatsinks, but never about something that's permanently attached to a MB.

I think the adhesive I have is fairly non-conductive which is a plus.
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_alumina_thermal_adhesive.htm
Would a pea-sized amount of adhesive work ok? Is it best to place it on the NB or heatsink?

Thanks,
balloonshark

 

[Andrius]

How would you lap the NorthBridge? I've read about lapping CPU's and heatsinks, but never about something that's permanently attached to a MB.

I think the adhesive I have is fairly non-conductive which is a plus.
http://www.arcticsilver.com/arctic_alumina_thermal_adhesive.htm
Would a pea-sized amount of adhesive work ok? Is it best to place it on the NB or heatsink?

I meant the heatsink.
Lapping a chip on a motherboard would likely end it, yes.

It's better to start with thermal paste only (for a testrun) to see where to apply it and how much.
Half a rice grain on the northbridge (if it doesn't have an IHS you can use even less).
Then clean it again and apply the adhesive(you will need a bit more adhesive than paste) to the Northbridge and put the heatsink on it in the position you want it to stay.

 

[akhilles]

After goo gone, wipe the chipset with coffee filters & alcohol.

 

[balloonshark]

Andrius,

Thanks for the advice. I will do a test run with AS5 first before trying the adhesive. Great advice!

akhilles,

I will follow up the chipset cleaning with the alcohol and coffee filters to remove the residue. Thanks for the tip!

Cheers,
balloonshark