Heatsink compound in processor socket... -_- any hope?

Audigy

Audigy

New member
Hi.

Before we embark on what might be a pointless journey, I'm interested in impressions from anyone who may have had a similar issue.

My boyfriend recently obtained a barebones P4 system. It looks great, other than that 9-10 of the pin holes in the CPU ZIF socket are covered with thermal compound.

Is there a point to attempting to clean the holes out, or is it an operation that has no hope of being done completely? (ie: it's extremely possible for compound to infiltrate the inside of the ZIF socket or whatever, where no human tools could ever touch?) If it's cleanable, what type of stuff should we use?

Yeah, dumb, dumb question... and frying a free PC wouldn't be that painful, but I'm sure there is only one right answer to this issue, and it would be nifty to have a media center PC for the living room (we have all the other parts the thing needs to run, woot.)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions. :)
 
I found my mom's nail remover works pretty well for removing super glue from human skin (don't ask), but I don't know the effects it would have on electronic components.
 
> Solder sucker? Might be able to yank it out. A pin to dig
> it out?


<img src=smilies/werd.gif>
 
Easy.

Build an antigravity device with parameters that are only applicable to the thermal compound. Remember to adust the weight ratio down to 10ths of an ounce, rather than pounds/kilograms. Aim the AntiGrav field at the area with the thermal compound and adust it to 'on'. Stuff will come right out.


Or if that sounds too retarded (as it totally is) just get a pin, or maybe some acetone or rubbing alchohol and a toothbrush (might not want to use the toof brush with the Acetone) and scrub the area lightly.
 
Yeah, scrub it off with rubbing alcohol on a gentle (well-used) toothbrush, then use an air duster (compressed/canned air) to dry. Let it sit for a day in the sun to ensure dryness. Enjoy.
 
> Let it sit for a day in the
> sun to ensure dryness. Enjoy.

You can also use a hairdryer to blowdry it in less than 10 minutes since alcohol and acetone have very low evaporation temperatures the heat will evaporate the chemicals very quickly . <img src=smilies/magbiggrin.gif>
 
> You can also use a hairdryer to blowdry it in less than 10
> minutes since alcohol and acetone have very low evaporation
> temperatures the heat will evaporate the chemicals very
> quickly .
>

Yeah, but it's still a good idea to let it sit. If there's any moisture on it at all, it'll fry. Letting it sit for a day is the best way to ensure it's totally dry.
 
> You can also use a hairdryer to blowdry it in less than 10
> minutes since alcohol and acetone have very low evaporation
> temperatures the heat will evaporate the chemicals very
> quickly .
>

Might not a hairdryer with its heating elements turned on, used on the same spot for several minutes, make it a little too hot? <img src=smilies/erm.gif>

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<center><img src=http://pages.nyu.edu/~jc73/misc/FieryAshNazg.gif></center></p>
 
> Might not a hairdryer with its heating elements turned on,
> used on the same spot for several minutes, make it a little
> too hot?
>

Hmm. Not usually. We use hairdryers at work to test for thermally sensitive components:

Remove the case.
Start the computer and a temp monitoring utility.
Turn on the hairdryer and point it at the suspected component.
Monitor temps until it locks up or BSODs.

Doing that with the computer off probably won't hurt it. A haridrier is more likely to catch your hair on fire than it is to melt or damage an usused computer component.
 
> Doing that with the computer off probably won't hurt it. A
> haridrier is more likely to catch your hair on fire than it
> is to melt or damage an usused computer component.
>

Acetone and rubbing alcohol are about as flammable as substances get...

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<center><img src=http://pages.nyu.edu/~jc73/misc/FieryAshNazg.gif></center></p>
 
> Acetone and rubbing alcohol are about as flammable as
> substances get...
>

Yeah, but the hair dryer isn't likely to catch the little bit of fluid that remains after having used the compressed air on fire.
 
Heh, thanks for all the cool suggestions.

We ended up using a combination of alcohol, a needle, some q-tips... ...and a ball of sticky tack. It's unbelievable how much help the ball of sticky tack was.

We'll find out tomorrow or so when we (ironically) pick up some thermal paste, which is the last ingredient to getting this system working. I think everything else is ready to go. I dunno, it's Jeremy's pet project. It's going to be a combination Windows Media Center 2005 PC/Portable A/V editing station. (micro-ATX case)

I'll update with info on any spectacular fizzling or whatever if it happens. :p It was all free (except the hard drive, which was left over from an XBox) so ... no big deal if it doesn't work.
 
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