thermal paste question

[uphillcastle]

i want to change my cpu fan, which i originally used artic silver paste...do I need to clean all of that off and start afresh with a new coating of thermal paste, or can i just swap fans. the fan i want to remove was installed about a week back, thanks

 

[rick fowler]

i would just to be safe ect,clean off with TIM and re-apply all good then.

 

[StevenRaith]

Aye, while you have it off you might as well re-apply fresh and clean. Only takes a few minutes to do.

Akasa do a thermal paste cleaning majig - linkification:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=OA-001-AK

Which I used to clean up my CPU after changing from an Arctic Freezer 7 Pro thingy to the Noctua NFPNFLDHCPDualReversePingPong cooler.

I plan to do the same when I bother to throw my Fenrir on it too.

Take everything apart, dab cleaning fluid liberally, leave for a few minutes, then wipe off and polish clean.

Reapply AS5, spread it out, check it's even and covers it all, slap it back together, jobs a good 'un.

If it's a mobo out job, it might be worth bunging some AS5 on the NB/SB/any other chipset with pop-clips on it - same trick as above.

Obviously just be careful not to spill any over anything likely to short, and if you do, wipe up as much you can and leave for half an hour to evaporate before powering anything on...

 

[Soundood]

or forget spending £5 + postage, for a bottle of lemon and orange concentrate with water and alcohol,

do what i do, use a baby wipe, or a couple, and then use clean rag with some vodka on it, rub till dry.

re-apply paste, using cling film on finger and rub in smal circles, to both heatsink and CPU.

walla, just saved yourself 8 quid

 

[setter]

I use cd cleaner, dont waste good vodka

 

[Mr.Nick]

If you mean fans as it the Heatsink, then yes, I would changes the thermal paste for optimum cooling.