Archived from groups: alt.sys.pc-clone.dell (
More info?)
In article <CjNje.1911$kj7.1014@newssvr21.news.prodigy.com>, SDNick484
@nospam.yahoo.com says...
<snippety>
> Apply new and definitely remove the old (from both the CPU and the
> heatsinc!). You want to remove the old layer because if you leave it
> there the grease will have uneven pockets which will create hot spots.
> To remove the old grease, run the computer for a couple minutes (to heat
> up the CPU, it makes removing the heatsink from the processor a lot
Excuse me! This doesn't seem right. I've been taught that you
NEVER run a modern CPU without a heatsink under ANY conditions!
Tom's Hardware did exactly that a while back, just to see how
quickly the chips would burn up. I seem to recall that the AMD Athlons
went up in smoke within seconds. Intel Pent-3's and 4's took a little
longer.
The bottom line is that it's pointless to risk a perfectly good
CPU just to save a little labor. Even a brief period of power-on with no
heatsink can cause heat-related 'weakening' of the chip's internal
connections. Oh, it might seem like you get away with it, and the system
may appear to work fine afterwards, but you will have risked a
significant decrease in the useful life of the CPU.
The best way to remove the old compound is with a lint-free wipe,
liberally dampened with 99% Isopropanol (fancy term for isopropyl
alcohol that's only 1% water). This stuff is readily available from
Fry's (MG Chemicals makes it), or even from your local pharmacy. DON'T
use anything other than 99%. The 70 and 91% mixtures contain too much
water to be safe for electronics.
> quicker), power down, remove the cpu and use a q-tip with rubbing
> alcohol. Apply the qtip to the back of the CPU and it should come off
> easily. Obviously let the CPU dry (I'd give it at least an hour) before
No need to wait so long. Isopropanol evaporates very quickly. A
scrub with a dry lint-free wipe and five minutes of standing time is
fine.
> you apply a new layer. Don't worry about hurting the CPU if you need to
> scratch off some of the grease, the back side is fairly thick. In fact,
This is true to a degree, but keep in mind that you're scraping
the back of the actual CPU chip. Use a clean, sharp X-Acto knife, and BE
CAREFUL! Do any needed scraping while the chip is firmly clamped edge-
wise in a soft-jawed vise that's specifically built for electronics work
(such as a Panavise), or installed in the motherboard socket. Use an
anti-static wrist strap and work surface, or at least wear all-cotton
clothing, to keep from zapping the thing.
> there's overclockers who actually sand down the back of the CPU so the
> heat can be transferred quicker.
Worst idea possible. It only takes going a micron too far to ruin
the chip permanently.
Then again, I've never believed in overclocking.
Happy tweaking.
--
Dr. Anton T. Squeegee, Director, Dutch Surrealist Plumbing Institute.
(Known to some as Bruce Lane, ARS KC7GR,
kyrrin (a/t) bluefeathertech[d=o=t]calm -- www.bluefeathertech.com
"If Salvador Dali had owned a computer, would it have been equipped
with surreal ports?"
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