What is the best way of taking off thermail grease/paste that is dry

oldman69

Honorable
Apr 27, 2012
5
0
10,510
I was just tring to figure out why my computer was always freezing so I took off my heat sink fan to find out that it was all dry so I went and bought more compound but I am wondering how do I get off all the old dry stuff without damaging anything
 
Solution
Yup high concentration Isopropyl Alcohol works really well. I personally use 99% and a bit of paper towel to get the most of it off. And then a new little sheet with some more on it to clean it up the rest of the way. Continue until you no longer get any colour on your paper towel. This method is quick, simple, and thus far has worked great for me. And i have done tons of applications of fresh TIM
If its really bad you can use an alcohol prep pad, (used to disinfect for local injections), and just lay the pad directly on the heat spreader and give it a few minutes to soften the old TIM, then it comes off much easier.

The alcohol prep pads contain 70% Isopropyl Alcohol.
 

lucuis

Distinguished
Apr 21, 2008
1,048
0
19,310
Yup high concentration Isopropyl Alcohol works really well. I personally use 99% and a bit of paper towel to get the most of it off. And then a new little sheet with some more on it to clean it up the rest of the way. Continue until you no longer get any colour on your paper towel. This method is quick, simple, and thus far has worked great for me. And i have done tons of applications of fresh TIM
 
Solution