For crying out loud MSI...

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I use a 3/4 inch artist flat brush to spread the compound on both surfaces and use isopropyl alcohol to clean the brush.

That wastes a lot of thermal compound IMO. I use everything down to the last little smidgen. At the rate I am going, though, that cheap 30g tube of thermal compound will never end .

[keeney123]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I use a 3/4 inch artist flat brush to spread the compound on both surfaces and use isopropyl alcohol to clean the brush.

[Agent24]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I ripped the CPU from the socket out like that *only* twice. Got lucky both times and didn't damage the CPU pins nor the socket

I managed it once on my first Athlon 64 (socket 754) Lucky everything survived though. Was used to Socket A where that never happened...

[stj]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

i ripped a p4 out on the heatsink once and had to split them with a screwdriver & a small hammer.

it's amazing just how much normal silicon grease can hold stuff together when it's totally dry.

[c_hegge]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

^
That's one thing I like about s775 and newer Intel CPUs. It's impossible for the CPU to come out with the heatsink.

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I ripped the CPU from the socket out like that *only* twice. Got lucky both times and didn't damage the CPU pins nor the socket (and the second time, the CPU actually fell on the desk - how it managed NOT to land on the pin side and bend nothing, I don't know ).

So for that reason, it's a standard procedure for me to twist-and-break (sometimes requiring multiple attempts) if I know the CPU has a heat-spreader.

[Agent24]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I've noticed the same thing too.
Moreover, you can remove the heatsink from the CPU and install it back on multiple times without re-applying thermal compound - and it still works just as good as it did before that!

It does seem pretty resilient to re-use. But anyone wishing to do so should be aware to twist and break the bond before pulling up or you rip the CPU from the socket!

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I've seen it all - a foundation (makeup) cream, a hand cream, a toothpaste, even a super glue on the cpu.

I've only seen the toothpaste one, and initially, it appeared to work sort of okay. Of course, as the toothpaste dried up, its efficiency was greatly reduced.

On that note, I think just about any liquid that doesn't dry up with heat or time could work (more or less). Many liquids have 5 to 10 times the thermal conductivity of air. Water alone has about 20 times the conductivity of air.
On a CPU with a large cooper heat-spreader, this could work. But on a small CPU with exposed dies (such as laptops and older CPUs like Pentium 3 and socket 462 AMDs), it probably won't.

stock thermal pads that come on AMD coolers are also quite thick but they work well.

I've noticed the same thing too.
Moreover, you can remove the heatsink from the CPU and install it back on multiple times without re-applying thermal compound - and it still works just as good as it did before that!

[Agent24]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

That does look like a lot, but I wonder though... stock thermal pads that come on AMD coolers are also quite thick but they work well. Maybe this paste they used is one that needs more than others... wouldn't bet on it though!

Reminds me of when I built my first computer and wondered why the CPU was always overheating...

[edgars_ab]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

Oh my gooooosh, this seemed a bit nasty. I think it would be more original to create a video about what to NOT use as an alternative for a thermal compound.

I've seen it all - a foundation (makeup) cream, a hand cream, a toothpaste, even a super glue on the cpu. Why the hell they don't make videos about this?

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

Acetone might also eat the CPU socket and any surrounding plastics.

Wouldn't recommend myself.

Yes, if you drench the motherboard with it. I usually moisten a very small piece of paper towel and use that to clean the die only.

But I guess that as long as you apply enough pressure with the heat sink it should just slide off the cpu, but that's not really a good idea.

As long as you don't try some of those so called "diamond" compounds. My friend bought some of that stuff one time. It is supposed to have diamond dust in it (ha, year right!) and thus have the best thermal conductivity of all thermal compounts. But it was so viscous and thick that it was impossible to apply a thin layer of it. Result: a thick layer of the "diamond" compound resulted in pretty much the same temperatures as before (and in some cases even worse). A big gimmick and waste of money if you ask me.

[kc8adu]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

reminds me of a new at the time athlon xp 3200 and mobo i got free.
metallic based compound all over the cpu l bridges and all.inside the socket too.
spent a while cleaning up the mess but it worked when i was done.ran it a few years myself.

[reaper57]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

Wow definitely too much thermal paste! But I guess that as long as you apply enough pressure with the heat sink it should just slide off the cpu, but that's not really a good idea.

[rievax_60]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I use turpentine for cleaning. So far, I have not noticed it damage anything and it's safe to power up before it's dried.

[Uranium-235]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

An Asus.

thats a nehlem APU. they're too lazy to put two seperate dots on the CPU and GPU

[Pentium4]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

Also, some manufacturers use that pink or yellow "chewing gum" crap that hardens and is impossible to clean off with IPA alone. The Radeon 9700 and 9800 used a thick layer of that stuff. No wonder so many of them died, even though they used the good old tough leaded solder for the BGA.

Yeah, I hate that stuff, especially if it's old. IPA doesn't always get rid of it, but I have this stuff (I forgot the name) that is meant for removing ink and sticker residue, it's great for removing that bubble gum thermal paste.

[Compgeke]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

Acetone might also eat the CPU socket and any surrounding plastics.

Wouldn't recommend myself.

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

I usually use Acetone for that. Seems to do the trick.

[stj]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...

some manufacturers use that pink or yellow "chewing gum" crap that hardens and is impossible to clean off with IPA alone.

white spirit melts that shit like icecream, just put a drip on the pink crap and wait 10-30 seconds - pink liquid!

[momaka]

Re: For crying out loud MSI...


MSI = MeSSI? (as in, messy)

btw that has to be one of the worst cpu cooler designs I've seen

Reminds me of those small Pentium 3 heatsinks with loud screamer fans running at 5k RPM. Ugh!
At least the Pentium 3 and Socket 462 heatsinks had a nice retention mechanism that didn't warp the boards like crazy.

It seems like most laptop procs look like that when you remove the heatsink, not just Asus. It can be a pain to get it all off in between all the SMD components

I think all major manufacturers over-apply thermal compound. I've seen it on Xbox 360 CPUs/GPUs as well. Royal pain to clean if you try to remove it with just rubbing alcohol and paper towel. I usually use a small flat-head screw driver to scrape it off. However, to anyone who hasn't tried that and doesn't have a steady hand - be careful! It's not very hard to scratch traces and ruin the CPU/GPU.

Also, some manufacturers use that pink or yellow "chewing gum" crap that hardens and is impossible to clean off with IPA alone. The Radeon 9700 and 9800 used a thick layer of that stuff. No wonder so many of them died, even though they used the good old tough leaded solder for the BGA.