Removing thermal grease

ChewbubbaChewbubba
edited August 2003 in Hardware
I've got an Athlon 1600+ on an Abit board, with a big honking Thermalright heatsink on it (and fan).

A couple of weeks ago blew all of the dust out and took the HS off and applied a bit more Thermal grease because I noticed the temps were climbing a little bit. With no load, it used to sit around 39C. Now, with no load, it sits around 43C (system temps of 28C). Anyway, after putting everything back together, I haven't noticed any change. I thought, maybe I've got the fan on backwards and turned it around. Nope. It went up a degree.

Here's my question: Today, I took the fan/HS off again, and applied a bit more grease. There's grease all around the part of the CPU that makes contact with the HS. Could this be interfering with the heat transfer? Is there a "smart" way of removing the grease instead of just wiping it off with tissue, or does it matter?

Comments

  • HackingGuruHackingGuru
    edited July 2003
    Dude you really need to relax about this. You are taking this as if you are inserting a CPU with a HIGH STATIC shock room. Just wipe it off. Its not your thermal grease. If you want to use good stuff, juse Artic Silver 3. Or get a bigger fan. Your temps prob. rised because your case got hotter. Your case got hotter because your room got hotter. Your room got hotter because the days got hotter. :)
  • ClutchClutch North Carolina New
    edited July 2003
    Make sure you get off all or most of the old compound before putting down more. Why are you adding more compound anyway? How is your air circulation now in your case? Where are your fans located and and they pushing or pulling air?


    As far as removing thermal compound, get some finger nail polish remover or some alcohol, a cotton swab will work to.
  • Cool-CanuckCool-Canuck
    edited August 2003
    I use Mineral Spirits (paint thinner) or alcohol to remove thermo goop.
  • AgeekAgeek
    edited August 2003
    Yeah, Isoprophyl or rubbing alcohol is what I use. Cotton swab or cotton ball or a "rag" from my Scott "RagsInABox" box. Not paper, artifical fiber, absorbent as heck, and soft enough to clean most things (except real cheap CDs)-- the white ones, not the blue mechanic's "rags."
  • LIQuidLIQuid Raleigh, NC
    edited August 2003
    I use Q-tips :D
  • danball1976danball1976 Wichita Falls, TX
    edited August 2003
    I usually use a peice of cloth to remove it.
  • AgeekAgeek
    edited August 2003
    Anything not linty, not somtehint that falls apart when rubbed (like kleenex, some cheap paper towels, and many napkins) works, if not very abrasive and if it is very absorbent and flexible. I do enough that I favor something trashable, as getting heatsink grease out of a washing machine and then off a drier drum is a PITA.
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