Taking the CPU fan off.

[Lordmizchief]

Stripping and cleaning the computer today. It's dirty and dusty inside.
When putting the cpu fan back on, it's a noctua, do I need to apply more paste?
Lee

 

[Dunlop0078]

Yes, you should remove the old paste with isopropyl alcohol and apply new thermal paste if you take the cpu heatsink off.

 

[aldan]

you can remove the fan without removing the heatsink.if this is what you are doing there is no need to replace the thermal compound.if,however,it has been some time since you have applied new paste,now would be a good time to do it.

 

[Sephirion]

Yes, you should remove the old paste with isopropyl alcohol and apply new thermal paste if you take the cpu heatsink off.

Do you have to remove it with isopropyl alcohol or is there another way incase you dont have that?

 

[aldan]

isopropyl alcohol is what you should use.99.9% is recommended as it doesnt have as much water in it as the weaker stuff and so dries better.

 

[Lordmizchief]

Do I need to remove the cpu from the mother board to do it? I'm not taking the motherboard off. Would ideally like to leave the cpu too.
Also will it just wipe off, or need to be scraped?
Lee

 

[Sephirion]

isopropyl alcohol is what you should use.99.9% is recommended as it doesnt have as much water in it as the weaker stuff and so dries better.

Does the same apply to switching coolers so if i switch from air to liquid cooling with pre applied thermal paste, I still need to take off the "old thermal paste" and i shouldnt add more?

 

[aldan]

first question,do i need to remove the cpu.no.if you are switching to a liquid cooler that has preapplied paste you need to remove the old past from the cpu an install the cooler with the preapplied paste.

 

[Sephirion]

first question,do i need to remove the cpu.no.if you are switching to a liquid cooler that has preapplied paste you need to remove the old past from the cpu an install the cooler with the preapplied paste.

Okay thanks! Aldan

I don't suppose you can take a look at my thread named "Custom Built pc problem" I really need some feedback!

 

[aldan]

sure,just post the link to that thread.

 

[Lordmizchief]

Thanks for the responses everyone..