Thermal Paste and Water Cooling

[Einsamer Läufer]

I have an i5 that is running the standard cooling unit. I ordered an h100i to replace it with. I am assuming that I have to remove the thermal paste of the cpu. So I did a bit of research and I got this video on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9MJUuU58vE

Must I remove the thermal paste as in the video with Isopropy Alcohol or is there a better way? Where can I get this Isopropy Alcohol? Will Surgical spirits work?

Thanks in advance.

 

[SauRoNZA]

Any pharmacy.

 

[bekdik]

Isopropyl

Try a pharmacy

 

[Einsamer Läufer]

Thanks I will try Dis-chem.

 

[RoganDawes]

Possibly a stupid comment, but I just struggled with this myself installing an Antec Kuhler 620 on an Asus P8Z68V mobo.

If you install a closed loop water cooling system, with no fan speed feedback, the board will beep and complain, and wait for you to press a key to confirm. Unfortunately, my display was connected via DVI, and for some bizarro reason, it was not showing the POST. I ended up stripping and rebuilding the PC for no reason, only to have the same beeps (1 long, 4 short). I eventually tried connecting my display to the VGA port rather than DVI, and saw the POST, and the error message. A quick trip into the BIOS, disabling fan speed monitoring, and I was back in business, even with the POST showing up on the DVI interface.

Unfortunately, I lost a day trying to figure out what the problem was, before stumbling onto the VGA solution :-(

And to answer the original question, I used surgical spirits to clean the previous thermal paste off the CPU.

 

[adam_g]

Will Surgical spirits work?

Yes i use Surgical spirits with a ear bud and some cotton wool. Works perfectly.

 

[garyc]

At Dis-Chem just ask for rubbing alcohol. This is isopropyl alcohol.

 

[Archer]

Personally never used anything more than some toilet paper to wipe off the old TIM. If I'm feeling keen I'll take an earbud and try get it a little more clean

 

[Yotch]

Surgical Spirits usually contains castor oil and other antiseptic ingredients which is not a good idea near sensitive electronic components. Rather get isopropyl alcohol from Dischem as mentioned above - usually you can ask them to pour out 30ml (<R10) but you may need to show your ID book and sign for it.
http://forums.overclockers.co.uk/showthread.php?t=18032509

 

[Spinnek0p]

Or you might want to not only totally remove the old material, but also prepare the surface optimally for the new application of TIM, by using Artic Silver ArtiClean. (http://titan-ice.co.za/arctic-silver-arcticlean-kit.html)

This is a 2 stage application that 1st remove the old TIM and 2nd do the surface prep for the next application.

 

[grim]

Or you might want to not only totally remove the old material, but also prepare the surface optimally for the new application of TIM, by using Artic Silver ArtiClean. (http://titan-ice.co.za/arctic-silver-arcticlean-kit.html)

This is a 2 stage application that 1st remove the old TIM and 2nd do the surface prep for the next application.

Get some snake oil while you're at it, I hear it reduces your temps by 0.000001 degree, at only $100 per ml it's a bargain.

Seriously, just wipe clean the surface with toilet paper and alcohol or meths and you'll be good to go.

 

[Rickster]

I always use meths.