[SOLVED] Thermal paste went onto/around cpu pins

[darknightbacca1]

Hi so the other day i was installing my ryzen 7 2700x and it's cooler, while installing the cooler had a bit of trouble but got it in except it scrubbed a ton of thermal paste, so i left it idiotically not knowing that it would cause an issue right about 1 hour ago, i took my cpu out and didn't wipe off the thermal paste thinking it to be fine except it got some paste on my cpu pins, and under them.

I looked at a bunch of topics on how to fix it and didn't have any isopropyl or rubbing alcohol so had to use normal 5% alcohol which is weak and luckily almost got rid of it all, i used a soft toothbrush soaked in the alcohol and softly scrubbed against the pins, and on some other pins not knowing not to do that, i've wiped off excess thermal paste on the sides of the cpu.

Will what happened shorten my cpu's lifespan and should i get some rubbing alcohol / isoropyl to finish it off or should it mostly being gone be ok, also i should let it dry for 12-24 hours to get rid of the excess alcohol right?

here are some pictures, i don't think there are any bent pins whatsoever i tried my hardest not to bend them,

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dsD7mw5rDrKXPZxeGsJDyaqOO-9MzBQ7/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/19IQBP63J9DIdQAhuVE4cCMJEKTD_EnGT/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P2CvaogTtzRNvlDLTcerZPbplhc5Rg8f/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/158dGWmCSdJ5SXCO3-QJPZyZy2ryEQsGg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kxuv_FqEHbqjGttkElZ4TRw3-R5zANdp/view?usp=sharing

 

[Rogue Leader]

So to be clear, there is no thermal paste in the socket?

Get some better alcohol and go over it quick to be sure, you don't need to wait 12 hours, give it like 10 minutes drop it in and and fire it up. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly.

 

[tennis2]

Isopropyl alcohol is super cheap and readily available at MANY stores. Neither here nor there I suppose, just try to be less hasty. Get the right tool for the job.

Can't picture how you got thermal paste on the bottom side of your CPU. You're supposed to install and lock the CPU into the socket, THEN install thermal paste, THEN place the heatsink on. When you took your heatsink off and CPU as well (not sure why), did you set your CPU pins-down on the dirty heatsink or?

Also, there should be a very small amount of thermal paste used (the size of a grain of rice in the center of the CPU). Once the heatsink has squished the TIM down, it should be so thin it's nearly translucent (but still covering most of the CPU).

What thermal paste was it? Most TIM is non-conductive, so it shouldn't matter much, but there is some TIM that's conducive (which you need to be more worried/ careful about)

DEFINITELY let it dry a good long time since you basically used water to scrub your CPU. I'd recommend getting isopropyl alcohol to clean it again. At the very least, the 95-99% alcohol will dilute into any remaining moisture and dry it up quicker.

 

[darknightbacca1]

Isopropyl alcohol is super cheap and readily available at MANY stores. Neither here nor there I suppose, just try to be less hasty. Get the right tool for the job.

Can't picture how you got thermal paste on the bottom side of your CPU. You're supposed to install and lock the CPU into the socket, THEN install thermal paste, THEN place the heatsink on. When you took your heatsink off and CPU as well (not sure why), did you set your CPU pins-down on the dirty heatsink or?

Also, there should be a very small amount of thermal paste used (the size of a grain of rice in the center of the CPU). Once the heatsink has squished the TIM down, it should be so thin it's nearly translucent (but still covering most of the CPU).

What thermal paste was it? Most TIM is non-conductive, so it shouldn't matter much, but there is some TIM that's conducive (which you need to be more worried/ careful about)

DEFINITELY let it dry a good long time since you basically used water to scrub your CPU. I'd recommend getting isopropyl alcohol to clean it again. At the very least, the 95-99% alcohol will dilute into any remaining moisture and dry it up quicker.

I'll get some isopropyl alcohol to clean it off, but do you think me using 5% alcohol damaged it at all, also it was a ryzen cooler so it comes with thermal paste, pop the cooler on and it'll go over the cpu when it's in the socket, i screwed it up by trying to figure out how to put the cooler on for the first time, and it put too much thermal paste on the cpu, when i took the cooler off and the cpu, somehow the thermal paste went onto the pins, i took the cpu out to switch it for troubleshooting, and the paste is what comes with the cooler, no idea what it is.

Also checked, only isopropyl alcohol via shops is coles, only 64% though, will that work?

 

[darknightbacca1]

So to be clear, there is no thermal paste in the socket?

Get some better alcohol and go over it quick to be sure, you don't need to wait 12 hours, give it like 10 minutes drop it in and and fire it up. Rubbing alcohol evaporates quickly.

inside the cpu socket no, also do you think using 5% alcohol damaged anything? also do the pins look damaged to you?

i can get the alcohol tomorrow will it be safe to leave it overnight?

oh and while i was cleaning the pins i noticed on the silver gaps on the side of the cpu there was some alcohol, not sure if it was fully in there, but i could see some, would that damage anything?

 

[Holyster]

I cleared it with my tooth brush xd it was ez

 

[Rogue Leader]

inside the cpu socket no, also do you think using 5% alcohol damaged anything? also do the pins look damaged to you?

i can get the alcohol tomorrow will it be safe to leave it overnight?

oh and while i was cleaning the pins i noticed on the silver gaps on the side of the cpu there was some alcohol, not sure if it was fully in there, but i could see some, would that damage anything?

Your pics are super blurry but it looks fine to me. You will not damage anything with 5% alcohol, will be good to leave it overnight to be 100% sure its dry. but once you get the isopropyl it should be good to go in a short time (like not even 10 min).

When you install the CPU again it should just drop right in VERY EASY AND SMOOTH, if it does not then check your pins closely.

 

[darknightbacca1]

Your pics are super blurry but it looks fine to me. You will not damage anything with 5% alcohol, will be good to leave it overnight to be 100% sure its dry. but once you get the isopropyl it should be good to go in a short time (like not even 10 min).

When you install the CPU again it should just drop right in VERY EASY AND SMOOTH, if it does not then check your pins closely.

and what about the gaps in the gpu it might have seeked into, also i know from experience amd pins are very very strong, so using a weak toothpick and a toothbrush was sure as hell not gonna bend them, so i'm 99% sure they are straight.

Do you know if using 5% alcohol or isopropyl alcohol on the pins would lower the cpu's lifespan ?

 

[Rogue Leader]

and what about the gaps in the gpu it might have seeked into, also i know from experience amd pins are very very strong, so using a weak toothpick and a toothbrush was sure as hell not gonna bend them, so i'm 99% sure they are straight.

Do you know if using 5% alcohol or isopropyl alcohol on the pins would lower the cpu's lifespan ?

Alcohol does not harm the CPU in any way.

Not only that a modern CPU doesn't have a lifespan, they last effectively forever unless you overclock the hell out of them or run them hot all the time. It will be long obsolete before it ever "wears out"

If a little alcohol seeped into anywhere it will evaporate by tomorrow, I wouldn't worry about it. Its sealed.

 

[darknightbacca1]

Alcohol does not harm the CPU in any way.

Not only that a modern CPU doesn't have a lifespan, they last effectively forever unless you overclock the hell out of them or run them hot all the time. It will be long obsolete before it ever "wears out"

If a little alcohol seeped into anywhere it will evaporate by tomorrow, I wouldn't worry about it. Its sealed.

So you're saying i've dodged a bullet once i get that alcohol and make sure all pins are fully straighten, which they should already be, thankgod.

 

[Rogue Leader]

So you're saying i've dodged a bullet once i get that alcohol and make sure all pins are fully straighten, which they should already be, thankgod.

Correct. As long as that CPU is clean and no pins are bent, its good as new.

 

[jsmithepa]

If it boots, you are good.

 

[darknightbacca1]

If it boots, you are good.

Correct. As long as that CPU is clean and no pins are bent, its good as new.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wynwzuvia1X0Q7wYGsEohMb9HxeARsVU/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QAuJtCcm_WzFNlkrdykasZuYcwOLloXt/view?usp=sharing

After 12 or so hours it's still got alot of discolouration where i cleaned with alcohol, can i get rid of it with rubbing alcohol, does it even matter?

 

[Rogue Leader]

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wynwzuvia1X0Q7wYGsEohMb9HxeARsVU/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QAuJtCcm_WzFNlkrdykasZuYcwOLloXt/view?usp=sharing

After 12 or so hours it's still got alot of discolouration where i cleaned with alcohol, can i get rid of it with rubbing alcohol, does it even matter?

It shouldn't matter, thats strange to see, but alcohol is NOT going to damage anything.

 

[darknightbacca1]

It shouldn't matter, thats strange to see, but alcohol is NOT going to damage anything.

So i've cleaned out the cpu & put it into my motherboard, looked to have 0 bent pins and boots fine, was just a little slow when i rebooted it, also when i was cleaning it i used a soft toothbrush with not much force & a toothpick along the sides of the pins, do you think by doing that it has weakened the pins so when i need to take it out it will bend them?

 

[Rogue Leader]

So i've cleaned out the cpu & put it into my motherboard, looked to have 0 bent pins and boots fine, was just a little slow when i rebooted it, also when i was cleaning it i used a soft toothbrush with not much force & a toothpick along the sides of the pins, do you think by doing that it has weakened the pins so when i need to take it out it will bend them?

First off how often do you really need to take it out? Should be nearly never.

And no you haven't weakened anything, and the slow boot was probably just the BIOS readjusting if you reset it.

Again nothing you did affected this processor's life and operation at all.

 

[darknightbacca1]

First off how often do you really need to take it out? Should be nearly never.

And no you haven't weakened anything, and the slow boot was probably just the BIOS readjusting if you reset it.

Again nothing you did affected this processor's life and operation at all.

I meant take it out as in thermal paste eventually, or troubleshooting as even if the cpu is working, something in my pc isn't, therefor a ton of troubleshooting involved, atleast i know next time to be extremely careful with thermal paste and never let it leak on the pins, thanks for your help.

Actually while your here, i'll make it short as possible, i bought a new cpu & gpu to replace my old ones which were the only things that made sense to be damaged, my pc has been having issues with areas being fluid and smooth (normal) & sluggish, slow and choppy, i've tested EVERYTHING, so i replaced the parts

but it still has the issue, now my old power supply damaged parts in my computer, maybe even my motherboard which i put it into, now i'm unsure whether or not my motherboard has damaged my new cpu & gpu, and i've got a spare motherboard i can pop them into, but if my cpu & gpu are damaged, then will that damage the new board, and could they have been damaged by my motherboard (it has no bad symptoms, beep codes or visual damage fyi, neither did my old cpu & gpu) but i've tested all tests there are and am completely lost, what do you think?

 

[Rogue Leader]

I meant take it out as in thermal paste eventually, or troubleshooting as even if the cpu is working, something in my pc isn't, therefor a ton of troubleshooting involved, atleast i know next time to be extremely careful with thermal paste and never let it leak on the pins, thanks for your help.

There really is never a reason to remove the CPU

If you are redoing your thermal paste just be careful cleaning it, wipe from the outside in. Removing the CPU is risky unless you must do it, because there is no way to easily support it while cleaning without risking bending the pins. Thermal paste these days is good for 5+ years or more. Just monitor your temps if you start to see it getting too high under load then sure. But it will be a long time before that happens.

Anyone who tells you to change thermal paste yearly or whatever is telling you to waste time and money, and risk damaging your hardware.

Troubleshooting your system again no reason to remove your CPU.

The only real reason to remove your CPU is to replace it, unless somehow you have to clean it as you got a ton of thermal paste on the sides. CPUs do not fail unless run super hot or overclocked to the moon with no cooling. Stock or even lightly overclocked usage and they will last effectively forever (well beyond the time they are obsolete).

 

[darknightbacca1]

There really is never a reason to remove the CPU

If you are redoing your thermal paste just be careful cleaning it, wipe from the outside in. Removing the CPU is risky unless you must do it, because there is no way to easily support it while cleaning without risking bending the pins. Thermal paste these days is good for 5+ years or more. Just monitor your temps if you start to see it getting too high under load then sure. But it will be a long time before that happens.

Anyone who tells you to change thermal paste yearly or whatever is telling you to waste time and money, and risk damaging your hardware.

Troubleshooting your system again no reason to remove your CPU.

The only real reason to remove your CPU is to replace it, unless somehow you have to clean it as you got a ton of thermal paste on the sides. CPUs do not fail unless run super hot or overclocked to the moon with no cooling. Stock or even lightly overclocked usage and they will last effectively forever (well beyond the time they are obsolete).

Ok nvm you're right, i kinda blanked when it came to thermal paste, though the one time i do need to take it out is to switch it to another motherboard, as i said i have no idea what is broken, only way to know is to troubleshoot, now please could you help me out by answering my questions, a second point of view would help a ton.

 

[Rogue Leader]

Actually while your here, i'll make it short as possible, i bought a new cpu & gpu to replace my old ones which were the only things that made sense to be damaged, my pc has been having issues with areas being fluid and smooth (normal) & sluggish, slow and choppy, i've tested EVERYTHING, so i replaced the parts

but it still has the issue, now my old power supply damaged parts in my computer, maybe even my motherboard which i put it into, now i'm unsure whether or not my motherboard has damaged my new cpu & gpu, and i've got a spare motherboard i can pop them into, but if my cpu & gpu are damaged, then will that damage the new board, and could they have been damaged by my motherboard (it has no bad symptoms, beep codes or visual damage fyi, neither did my old cpu & gpu) but i've tested all tests there are and am completely lost, what do you think?

Your old CPU was not broken, as I mentioned.

Your old GPU maybe but you said you've installed new parts and it still runs poorly so that wasn't the problem either.

Your motherboard hasn't broken any of them if they are running and not crashing. Slow and choppy is not necessarily a hardware failure.

I think you are throwing money at a problem that didn't necessarily need to have money thrown at it.


Do this. Since its a new problem, create a new thread with all your system specs (name and manufacturer of all parts) and a detailed description of what it was doing and what you did to correct it and what you replaced etc. That will get you not only my opinion but other knowledgable folks. In this thread go ahead and pick the best answer to your question by clicking on the little trophy icon to the left of the post, and we can close this out.

 

[darknightbacca1]

Your old CPU was not broken, as I mentioned.

Your old GPU maybe but you said you've installed new parts and it still runs poorly so that wasn't the problem either.

Your motherboard hasn't broken any of them if they are running and not crashing. Slow and choppy is not necessarily a hardware failure.

I think you are throwing money at a problem that didn't necessarily need to have money thrown at it.


Do this. Since its a new problem, create a new thread with all your system specs (name and manufacturer of all parts) and a detailed description of what it was doing and what you did to correct it and what you replaced etc. That will get you not only my opinion but other knowledgable folks. In this thread go ahead and pick the best answer to your question by clicking on the little trophy icon to the left of the post, and we can close this out.

Alright i'll do that, try and finally figure this hell hole out, thankyou so much for your help.