Too much thermal paste: all over i7 CPU

[exm]

Hi,

So I made the mistake of using way too much thermal paste on my i7 860 CPU (Gigabyte P55A-U4P mobo). Thankfully I never turned it on, but cleaning is a nightmare.

First the CPU: the thermal place is all over, including some CPU contacts at the bottom. I used a QTip with rubbing alcohol to clean most of it off, but there is still a lot of thermal paste on top (specifically the sides of the CPU). The bottom looks clean now. Should that be sufficient or do I need to remove EVERYTHING from the CPU? I'm not sure how to clean the CPU further. Anything else you guys can recommend?

As far as the mobo: the paste actually made it between the pins so I feel like I'm out of luck there. I tried QTip and rubbing alcohol but it won't come off. Any other ideas? Worse case is that I'll RMA the board back to Gigabyte to see if they can help me.

Thanks so much!

 

[moody89]

Well you're doing all that I could really recommend which is rubbing alcohol and QTips (cotton wool buds as we call in over here in the UK). You may wish to try a lint-free cloth. Just be careful you don't bend or break any of the pins on the CPU or in the motherboard and make sure you don't bend or damage anything on the motherboard itself.

If it were me I'd clean it all off before booting my system, I wouldn't want to take the risk personally. You can perhaps try a more concentrated isopropyl solution - 99% if you can this may help.

I doubt very much you would be able to return the board since it was your fault. Try your best to clean it and hope for the best. And don't apply so much next time

 

[exm]

Well you're doing all that I could really recommend which is rubbing alcohol and QTips (cotton wool buds as we call in over here in the UK). You may wish to try a lint-free cloth. Just be careful you don't bend or break any of the pins on the CPU or in the motherboard and make sure you don't bend or damage anything on the motherboard itself.

If it were me I'd clean it all off before booting my system, I wouldn't want to take the risk personally. You can perhaps try a more concentrated isopropyl solution - 99% if you can this may help.

I doubt very much you would be able to return the board since it was your fault. Try your best to clean it and hope for the best. And don't apply so much next time

Thanks for the response. Is the top of the CPU 'sealed'? I should be okay with some residue leftover there if it is, correct?

I'm concerned to boot my PC since I don't want to fry the CPU... And I'm planning on RMA'ing the board to GB 'being honest'. Hopefully they will accept the RMA and we'll see what happens. The thermal paste is really layered thick on the mobo pins so I'm not sure how even to begin to clean that...

 

[obsidian86]

wash it

 

[ibemad]

Is the top of the CPU 'sealed'? I should be okay with some residue leftover there if it is, correct?

There's absolutely no way thermal grease could get into the actual cpu die.

 

[jonpaul37]

coffee filters work wonders as well as they are lint-free and often fit into smaller areas.

 

[exm]

How about the small gold contact points on top of the CPU? They are not being used I assume?

Anyone any thoughs on hoe to clean the mobo? I'll try the coffee filter...

 

[RetiredChief]

What you might try is to get a spray Bottle (stream, not spray) and fill it with alcohol (highest %, normally comes in 70% and 91%, I have 100%). Turn the MB upside down and direct the stream into the area that has the paste, will probably use alot. Most Paste is non-conductive; however it will act like a small capacitor between pins.

I would spray, then wait a couple of minutes, then spray again. Repeat until past is gone. You can also use this method on CPU.

 

[exm]

Thanks a lot guys. Will def try it. Am just really concerned to fry my CPU

 

[jonpaul37]

yeah, just out of curiousity, how did you get so much thermal goo all over the joint in the first place?

 

[exm]

I might have just saved my mobo by using a cleaning duster (with the rubbing alcohol). The cleaning duster spray took care of the thermal paste!

jonpaul37: I didn't read the directions and used the whole tube.... My bad! Last time I build a computer was in 2003 (P4) and there was no need for this in the days...

 

[damien12g]

this is why use paste with no metal in it...wont conduct...what type of paste did you use?

 

[exm]

this is why use paste with no metal in it...wont conduct...what type of paste did you use?

Arctic Silver Matrix

 

[jonpaul37]

I Feel a sticky coming in the near future, might do good for the community, unless there already is one on applying thermal paste, i'm just too lazy to look right now...

 

[exm]

So it was your first time using thermal paste and you didn't read the directions?

To be honest: yes. My last computer I built was a P4 and thermal paste wasn't an issue back then. Lesson learned. My new Mobo/CPU/Cooler is already up and running using AS5. This time I used just enough to put a small layer on top of the cpu

 

[exm]

Best answer selected by exm.