Black Soot on CPU

[cjsmith101]

Hi all, I am building a system with a 2.8 ghz P4 on an Asus P4P800 deluxe mother board. I was having boot problems so I took everything off the MB to ship it back and when I did, I saw that the CPU had this black soot on it. What I mean is that the actual chip had this black sooty like stuff on the top of it and this stuff could easily be wiped off. Then I looked at the cooling fan/heat sink set up and saw that the same black stuff was on it too right where it interfaces with the chip. Is this normal??

CJ Smith

 

[ChipDeath]

That's probably the remains of the thermal interface pad that was supplied with the HSF. It's nothing to worry about.

If you're moving/removing it, make sure you clean off the chip and the Heatsink thoroughly, using some rubbing alcohol or nail varnish remover, and when you re-install it, use a VERY THIN layer of some good TIM such as arctic silver 3, and carefully re-seat everything.

---
$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

 

[JP5]

black soot is weakness leaving the processor