I'm recapping a M2A-VM HDMI motherboard. The chipset heatsink (passive) is known to become very hot and watching how "brownish" got the motherboard (pic. 1 & 2), I decided to (at least) renew the thermal paste, maybe add also a fan, should the mb turn on...
Unmounting the heatsink I discovered a square of foam around the central area, where the chipset stands (pic. 3 & 4); it seems to be placed over the SMDs (pic. 5).
I really have no idea how to replace the foam, so I'm carefully scratching the old paste without touching the foam and I indend to reuse it as is; in the process of unmounting, the foam got away from a little spot (pic. 3), but 95% is still there.
What's for this foam? It's just mechanical: to help place the heatsink flat?
Should I replace/remove it?
Thank you for any advice.
Unmounting the heatsink I discovered a square of foam around the central area, where the chipset stands (pic. 3 & 4); it seems to be placed over the SMDs (pic. 5).
I really have no idea how to replace the foam, so I'm carefully scratching the old paste without touching the foam and I indend to reuse it as is; in the process of unmounting, the foam got away from a little spot (pic. 3), but 95% is still there.
What's for this foam? It's just mechanical: to help place the heatsink flat?
Should I replace/remove it?
Thank you for any advice.
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