Should I replace thermal paste on a CPU while it is in the socket?

[consptheory77]

I just got an i5 and couldn't figure out how to put in the aftermarket cooler but now I have figured that part out, so I'm told of course I need to replace the thermal paste which I just put on yesterday.

I've never cleaned thermal paste off a CPU until just yesterday when I took it off the G3258 that I was using before I replaced it with the i5. I used a clean unused motel key card to scrape off the majority, and 70% alcohol to wipe the excess. I did this with the G3259 resting on a Netflix envelope. I also cleaned the G3258 cooler, is there an optimal way to go about cleaning the Intel stock coolers? Because while the copper colored part of the cooler is clean, I can still see the metal around it is stained with the excess of the paste, with a little paste gone into the metal grooves. I would think this should not be an issue, but I do plan on reselling the G23258 once my i5 is properly broken in, so I'm asking just in case.

So now with replacing the thermal paste on the i5, I would think it was more risky to try and clean while locked in, because while wiping the the excess it might go off accidentally in a direction you don't want it. On the other hand, since I only just applied the paste yesterday, it might have not yet "cured" after only a day and plus keeping it in the CPU it will still be soft from having just been running, so I might not need to scrape off cold caked paste, but should be able to wipe it off easily, right? As I did watch a video on the best way to apply thermal paste (cross, pea, line - they all worked the same) and the guy didn't pop the CPU out each time he wanted to clean it off.

 

[alexoiu]

I'm using cotton swabs and alcohol, without removing the CPU from its socket.

 

[WildCard999]

The CPU won't move if it's correctly placed in the socket and locked down so paste removal and reapplying is pretty easy. As far as applying new paste I put a size about a grain of rice on the CPU and spread it evenly with a credit card.

 

[liamhoyle1211]

Just to be safe, you might want to pop out the cpu, and clean it with Isopropyl alcohol and a paper towel or cotton ball. It won't make a difference if you don't pop it out though, it should be secure enough. Just make sure you put the alcohol on the paper towel, not on the cpu. The little amount of excess thermal paste on it won't matter, but if you really want it to go away then dry off the cpu after cleaning it and wipe it again with some alcohol on a clean paper towel.

 

[geofelt]

If the processor is in the socket, leave it there.
There is always a risk that you will damage one of the socket pins if you remove and replace a cpu.

I clean using alcohol, 91% is good.
I use a paper coffee filter because it will leave no lint.

This might help you with the stock cooler:
----------------how to mount the stock Intel cooler--------------

The stock Intel cooler can be tricky to install.
A poor installation will result in higher cpu temperatures.
If properly mounted, you should expect temperatures at idle to be 10-15c. over ambient.

To mount the Intel stock cooler properly, place the motherboard on top of the foam or cardboard backing that was packed with the motherboard.
The stock cooler will come with paste pre applied, it looks like three grey strips.
The 4 push pins should come in the proper position for installation, that is with the pins rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow,(clockwise)
and pulled up as far as they can go.
Take the time to play with the pushpin mechanism until you know how they work.

Orient the 4 pins so that they are exactly over the motherboard holes.
If one is out of place, you will damage the pins which are delicate.
Push down on a DIAGONAL pair of pins at the same time. Then the other pair.

When you push down on the top black pins, it expands the white plastic pins to fix the cooler in place.

If you do them one at a time, you will not get the cooler on straight.
Lastly, look at the back of the motherboard to verify that all 4 pins are equally through the motherboard, and that the cooler is on firmly.
This last step must be done, which is why the motherboard should be out of the case to do the job. Or you need a case with a opening that lets you see the pins.
It is possible to mount the cooler with the motherboard mounted in the case, but you can then never be certain that the push pins are inserted properly
unless you can verify that the pins are through the motherboard and locked.

If you should need to remove the cooler, turn the pins counter clockwise to unlock them.
You will need to clean off the old paste and reapply new if you ever take the cooler off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

[consptheory77]

This might help you with the stock cooler:
----------------how to mount the stock Intel cooler--------------

I got the stock cooler installed just fine, I've done that before. It's the aftermarket cooler that stumped me because I didn't realize the bracket went on the back of the motherboard. But now that I've figured that out, of course I want to take the stock cooler off and put the aftermarket one on, necessitating of course that I re-apply paste to the CPU after cleaning it.

 

[consptheory77]

It seems like this is a bit like the "should you reboot each day" debate - I think it can be done either way without damage, but depends upon the subjective perception of which option is more likely to cause harm, and whether has experienced, or heard about, some harm coming from doing it a particular way. As it is, I didn't pop out the CPU, it seemed like an extra step that I didn't bother with. I used a coffee filter and a dry cotton swab. I am somewhat skeptical that the fibers of either don't potentially get stuck in the residue of the paste; I cannot see the CPU getting thoroughly clean without popping the CPU out, but in any case, it works, the aftermarket cooler is on, temps are down by 5 to 10 degrees (should I be impressed by that?) I could not fix the cooler in the position I wanted, but it *is* cooler. The lingering issue in my mind is the fact when applying the paste, and then trying to re-position the cooler, some paste spread on the borders of the socket. Is this a common thing or am I just butterfingers or is it Arctic MX-4 - this didn't happen to me when I applied the paste from the same tube two years ago.

 

[BFG-9000]

Removing a CPU from the socket for cleaning causes needless wear. The i5 processor (pg. 15) is only rated for 15 insertions, and the socket (pg. 14) is only rated for 20 insertions. After that, it may still work but is not guaranteed reliable. Surely you've noticed the crater left on each pad after a single installation, but what you don't see is the bending of each socket pin when installed--repeated bending of copper alloys work-hardens them so they will eventually weaken and stay bent to reduce contact pressure, or even crack.

Removing the CPU also offers the perfect opportunity to zap the exposed pads with static electricity. If you can't clean the top of the CPU without getting paste into the socket, then you have used far too much!

 

[consptheory77]

Removing a CPU from the socket for cleaning causes needless wear. The i5 processor (pg. 15) is only rated for 15 insertions, and the socket (pg. 14) is only rated for 20 insertions. After that, it may still work but is not guaranteed reliable. Surely you've noticed the crater left on each pad after a single installation, but what you don't see is the bending of each socket pin when installed--repeated bending of copper alloys work-hardens them so they will eventually weaken and stay bent to reduce contact pressure, or even crack.

Removing the CPU also offers the perfect opportunity to zap the exposed pads with static electricity. If you can't clean the top of the CPU without getting paste into the socket, then you have used far too much!

I had no idea that both the processors and the sockets were actually rated for a limited number of insertions, but it makes sense as you explained it.

It wasn't that I used too much paste, I used the same amount that I did before (pea-sized) but the MX-4 dispenser did something it hadn't done when I installed my old G3258: there was still some paste coming out a bit like a string after I stopped dispensing and when I moved it away (upwards, not to the side), that string fell to the side. I don't know how to avoid this or if this has happened to anyone else. Should I always use a brand new dispenser of thermal paste?

 

[BFG-9000]

I know people say pea-sized but rice grain-sized is really more appropriate, unless you have a direct-touch heatpipe base. For those I fill the gaps with a credit card first, then use the rice-grain sized dot. The purpose of the grease is only to fill in micro-imperfections, and a thick layer of grease will make heat transfer worse, because no matter how good the grease is it's worse than metal. And you don't really need to cover the entire heatspreader as the cores are only in the middle of it, but you do need to ensure there aren't any air bubbles in the middle!

With a syringe, I pull back up on the plunger before removing the tip, then kind of smear the stringer along the top of the CPU to break it. Some pastes are a lot messier than others.

MX-4 always has good results in all those thermal paste comparisons, is available in large tubes and is very cheap, but is known to deteriorate over time, requiring reapplication every couple years (perhaps the secret to its performance is thin silicone oil which pumps itself out over thermal cycling until it's dry, and other silicone-based greases also deteriorate). So expect to have to re-do it later, just watch the temperatures. I think it stays good in the tube for many years though.