Best way to clean ASRock X58 SuperComputer

[Jet3030]

Just picked up an old gaming build off Craigslist. It only cost me a case of Bud Light! He had a leak in his cooling loop back in the day that fried his GPU's and he never turned it on again. You'll never believe the list of parts that I got for $22's worth of beer. I need to clean the mobo before it goes on eBay and just needed some input. Can you really wash a motherboard as long as you dry it out thoroughly? The hardware looks pretty dirty but everything still works. Thanks for any advice.

 

[reedo_43]

Yes you can, even with scrub brush and soap as long it is completely dry before powering up. If you have access to a compressor , that will get it pretty dry to begin with. A hair dryer or heat gun will speed up the rest of the process.

 

[Jet3030]

Yes you can, even with scrub brush and soap as long it is completely dry before powering up. If you have access to a compressor , that will get it pretty dry to begin with. A hair dryer or heat gun will speed up the rest of the process.

Awesome, thanks for the quick response. I did my first "kitchen oven reflow" a few months ago and for some reason washing a mobo seemed crazier. Thanks again.

 

[techgeek]

I would look into an alcohol based electronics cleaning aerosol. Something like these:

Electro-Wash PX

SuperWash

I've used both (I'm an Electronics Engineering Technologist), these will clean your electronics, evaporates quickly, and leaves no residue.

 

[Jet3030]

I would look into an alcohol based electronics cleaning aerosol. Something like these:

Electro-Wash PX

SuperWash

I've used both (I'm an Electronics Engineering Technologist), these will clean your electronics, evaporates quickly, and leaves no residue.

Is there a DIY recipe that is safer than soap and water? I just don't feel like spending more to clean everything than the case of beer that got me the stuff. Although I'm sure I would use it sometime down the road.

 

[Jet3030]

Yes you can, even with scrub brush and soap as long it is completely dry before powering up. If you have access to a compressor , that will get it pretty dry to begin with. A hair dryer or heat gun will speed up the rest of the process.

What about the mosfet/chipset heat sinks? Should I apply new thermal paste/pad before I sell it? I don't really feel like it's my responsibility with such an old motherboard but, I want to "refurbish" it as much as possible. Is it something that should be done? Maybe as a "selling point"?

 

[Jet3030]

Yes you can, even with scrub brush and soap as long it is completely dry before powering up. If you have access to a compressor , that will get it pretty dry to begin with. A hair dryer or heat gun will speed up the rest of the process.

I decided against washing the mobo because I didn't feel like putting the system back together for testing. I already sold it on eBay for $120! With most of the other parts sold, I'm up to $504.00! I'm purchasing an i5 6600k, a new Asus mobo, and 16GB of DDR4 for about $480. Next up on eBay is my FX6300, Asus 99FX PRO, R9 280, and my 8GB of DDR3. When that stuff sells, I'm getting a new R9 390(X). I'm so stoked that I had to post it here. I"m still hoping that I get to wash a mobo some day! Thanks for your response, it wasn't a very popular question.

 

[techgeek]

Hope you told the buyer the situation .

And that folks is why you don't buy used stuff off of Flea Bay.

 

[Jet3030]

Hope you told the buyer the situation .

And that folks is why you don't buy used stuff off of Flea Bay.

Where else are you going to get a 9 year old mobo? I tested the entire system BEFORE I started selling parts. And I listed everything as "returnable". I also used q-tips and alcohol to clean the motherboard. I thought your original comment was worthless until you posted this ...

 

[techgeek]

Just questioning whether there was full disclosure. To be fair in your post you said:

I decided against washing the mobo because I didn't feel like putting the system back together for testing.

Which would lead one to believe that it wasn't cleaned at all.

The motherboard at most would be 8 years old (X58 was released in Nov 2008), though that might be splitting hairs.

As for a worthless comment, I gave you what professionals use to clean electronics. The sprays are non-conductive unlike water, leave no residue unlike soap, and evaporate quickly. So worthless to you maybe, but not worthless in general.

 

[Jet3030]

Just questioning whether there was full disclosure. To be fair in your post you said:

I decided against washing the mobo because I didn't feel like putting the system back together for testing.

Which would lead one to believe that it wasn't cleaned at all.

The motherboard at most would be 8 years old (X58 was released in Nov 2008), though that might be splitting hairs.

As for a worthless comment, I gave you what professionals use to clean electronics. The sprays are non-conductive unlike water, leave no residue unlike soap, and evaporate quickly. So worthless to you maybe, but not worthless in general.

Well, you seem like your average, pretentious techie that looks down their nose at us "non-engineers". You're the type that just laughs when someone wants to repair an old PC because you believe that your OPINION is the last word on the subject. It's cool though, Tom's is filled with "experts" like you.

 

[techgeek]

I would have been fine with the water and soap, I was just offering a solution that's less risky and quicker results. The products I offered were designed for the purpose. My opinion is most certainly not the last word on the subject.

What I objected to was what appeared as the callous nature of you last post. Like scamming someone out of $120 for a motherboard that's condition from all I could decipher was unknown because of a coolant leak which you knew about and didn't specify in your post whether you informed the buyer or not, is OK and something to brag about.

Realistically what do you think the buyer would have said if you had told him that the motherboard had been taken from a system that had a coolant leak which resulted in at a minimum caused the graphics cards to fail? More importantly, if the shoe was on the other foot, how would you feel? Unless empathy is beyond you.

 

[Jet3030]

I would have been fine with the water and soap, I was just offering a solution that's less risky and quicker results. The products I offered were designed for the purpose. My opinion is most certainly not the last word on the subject.

What I objected to was what appeared as the callous nature of you last post. Like scamming someone out of $120 for a motherboard that's condition from all I could decipher was unknown because of a coolant leak which you knew about and didn't specify in your post whether you informed the buyer or not, is OK and something to brag about.

Realistically what do you think the buyer would have said if you had told him that the motherboard had been taken from a system that had a coolant leak which resulted in at a minimum caused the graphics cards to fail? More importantly, if the shoe was on the other foot, how would you feel? Unless empathy is beyond you.

You're a tool. No one "got scammed" The motherboard was cleaned, tested, and was sold at AUCTION. If the guy from Craigslist hadn't told me about the leak I wouldn't have known about it at all. There was no visible indication of any damage. Save your empathetic responses for someone else.

 

[techgeek]

Maybe re-read you original closing post again:

I decided against washing the mobo because I didn't feel like putting the system back together for testing. I already sold it on eBay for $120! With most of the other parts sold, I'm up to $504.00! I'm purchasing an i5 6600k, a new Asus mobo, and 16GB of DDR4 for about $480. Next up on eBay is my FX6300, Asus 99FX PRO, R9 280, and my 8GB of DDR3. When that stuff sells, I'm getting a new R9 390(X). I'm so stoked that I had to post it here. I"m still hoping that I get to wash a mobo some day! Thanks for your response, it wasn't a very popular question.

You might see how someone could arrive at the same conclusion I did. You made no indication that anything other than it was sold to someone was done. In fact none of your earlier posts make mention of cleaning it either. It wasn't until I posted that you 'clarified' things. I'm sorry if I misunderstood this poorly worded post. I am happy that it was tested and hopefully the buyer gets his $120 worth from it. I still believe if you are selling something used, full disclosure is the right decision.

You might also notice I haven't resorted to name calling. So if I'm a 'tool' then so be it.