cpu thermal paste

[NERDYCSGO]

So i ordered a new case gpu mobo, And instead of going to my local shop having the replacement done there, I wanted to try to do it myself!

Case is corsair spec-01, mobo is Gigabyte GA-H97M-HD3. And when i put my cpu in the mobo, when adding the cooler (stock intel cooler) Do i need to replace the thermal paste?

 

[SchizTech]

It's certainly good practice to do so. Even if you're just lifting a cooler off the same CPU it was on, replacing it as-is could leave bubbles and irregularities which decrease the efficiency of heat transfer to the cooler.

 

[kanewolf]

If you don't HAVE to remove the heatsink from the CPU then you don't have to mess with the thermal compound. If you do remove the heatsink then cleaning it and the CPU then putting on new compound is the preferred method.

 

[NERDYCSGO]

If you don't HAVE to remove the heatsink from the CPU then you don't have to mess with the thermal compound. If you do remove the heatsink then cleaning it and the CPU then putting on new compound is the preferred method.

How can i clean the cpu safely?

 

[SchizTech]

Wiping the old paste off the CPU (and bottom of the cooler) with a cloth gets it most of the way. If you want to be really thorough, a lightly dampened cloth with an alcohol solution (an alcohol wipe, with excess liquid squeezed into a sink, is an easy way to get that).

 

[SchizTech]

You'll then need a new tube of thermal compound. That shouldn't be too hard to find, at a computer shop or even radioshack. Usually a single tube is good for several re-applications.