Cleaning CPU

PootDog · Post by **PootDog** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:39 am

I have an Athlon 1700+ that I was using in the first system I ever built. When I built it I didn't know too much about thermal paste or thermal tape/pads. So I used both. This, as it turns out, was not the correct thing to do. So anyway, when I upgraded my mobo and CPU, I removed the 1700+ to store it. This is when I discovered that there was funk just crusted around the chip. The bottom of the heat sink would need to be grinded to get rid of the crud baked onto it.

So, I would like to use this chip again, now. How do I go about getting that funk off the chip, short of using a hammer and chisel? I've tried a q-tip soaked in rubbing alcohol. That didn't do jack shit. Would soaking the whole thing in rubbing alcohol for an hour or two damage it? I would imagine it would.

Any ideas would be welcome.

Thanks...

Lmandrake · Post by **Lmandrake** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 9:54 am

Chips and cpus can absorb moisture so immersing one in a liquid has risks. However, I think it would be perfectly safe for you to pour enough alcohol in a jar lid or saucer to immerse the crud if you put the cpu face down in it. Let it soak for a bit and see if it helps.

If that doesn't work, you can go for a longer soak.

If need be, you can "bake" moisture out of a chip in a regular oven set at a low temperature. I once saved a video card that had got soaked by a leak in a water cooling system by baking it at 150 degrees (F) for a couple of hours.

PootDog · Post by **PootDog** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:12 am

I am hesitant to try that right out of the gate. If I don't get anymore suggestions in the next day or two, I'll give that a shot.

Thanks

wvjohn · Post by **wvjohn** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:15 am

if you've got steady hands, you can get most of the goo off with a razor blade - then you can use soething a little stiffer that a q tip to clean off the rest of the cpu - they are actually fairly sturdy, you just don't want to scratch anything

as for the heatsink, razor what you can then use steel wool or a brillo pad to get the rest - you may have to repolish it with fine steel wool or a compound, but that's not hard

PootDog · Post by **PootDog** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:31 am

Any suggestions as to how to secure the chip while scraping with a razor? I'd hate to go through all the hassle of getting this crust of it only to snap a pin off while doing it. I have a small piece of that black foam that comes in the AMD retail packaging. That may suffice.

Thanks

Lan-Evo · Post by **Lan-Evo** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 11:08 am

steel wool? Razor blade, i would never take that anywhere near a CPu if i were you

the ol' rubbing alchol and q-tip always worked for me! But i guess if its baked on and all i woul djust replace it CPU are only like 40 bucks now

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 12:00 pm

I use borathane.. you cant get it any more due to OSHA outlawing it. the stuff is so powerfull that if you get some on your skin it will proceed to eat all the oil right off it and dry it out real bad. i have a small stockpile of it... but i only use it as a last resort.

Busby · Post by **Busby** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 1:20 pm

Originally posted by Pugsley
I use borathane.. you cant get it any more due to OSHA outlawing it. the stuff is so powerfull that if you get some on your skin it will proceed to eat all the oil right off it and dry it out real bad. i have a small stockpile of it... but i only use it as a last resort.

What do you not have a stockpile of?

Absolut Talent · Post by **Absolut Talent** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:12 pm

Originally posted by Lan-Evo
steel wool? Razor blade, i would never take that anywhere near a CPu if i were you

\

he was mentioning steel wool for use on the heatsink....not the cpu

and I use razors on my cpus all the time. thats what I use to smear new AS3 on the cores as well. unless you DIG into a core with a razor....it wont damage it

Pugsley · Post by **Pugsley** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 4:19 pm

Originally posted by Busby
What do you not have a stockpile of?

The stuff i could use... like gasoline and oil!

VidmanII · Post by **VidmanII** » Thu Jul 17, 2003 10:45 pm

First use Dawn dishwashing liquid detergent ( no I'm not kidding ), rubbing gently with an old clean cotton rag wrapped around one finger, and then use Isopropyl rubbing alchohol to remove any remaining residue. I use that combo ALL the time and nothing works better. You can use both Dawn and rubbing alcohol on both the core and the ceramic area without causing any damage, provided you use a light touch.

To get crud of HS's, first use goo gone and then Isopropyl rubbing alcohol. Do NOT use goo gone on CPU's.

PootDog · Post by **PootDog** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 2:37 pm

I would think that Dawn, while mild, would be next to impossible to completely remove from the chip. A soapy chip can't be good. The harsher solvents like acetone/fingernail polish remover may work, but I think they may do more damage than good. I may just havbe to suck it up and buy a new chip...

Lmandrake · Post by **Lmandrake** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 4:24 pm

In my opinion a cpu is a lot more robust than you are giving it credit for.

You can wreck one, but it is going to take a lot more than using dishwasher soap to clean it. Just be careful not to do any physical damage or let it get nuked by static. Otherwise I bet you could put one through a diswasher and it would work afterwards...

VidmanII · Post by **VidmanII** » Fri Jul 18, 2003 10:40 pm

Originally posted by PootDog
I would think that Dawn, while mild, would be next to impossible to completely remove from the chip. A soapy chip can't be good. The harsher solvents like acetone/fingernail polish remover may work, but I think they may do more damage than good. I may just havbe to suck it up and buy a new chip...

That's why I use a 2 step process. First the Dawn, THEN rubbing Alchohol. I haven't seen any bubbles yet,

and not many CPU's around my house run at anything close to default speeds.

Don't dilute it either. Leave water out of the equation. Put some directly on the clean cotton rag.

Dawn also works great if you get tree sap on your nice new car too.

The stuff is awesome!

Don't use the stuff for dishwashers. Use the "wash the dishes in the sink" type Dawn.

:

vwkess · Post by **vwkess** » Mon Jul 21, 2003 11:09 am

I may just havbe to suck it up and buy a new chip...

Um... if you're willing to buy a new chip then what do you have to lose?

The process Vid uses will work for most things... the soap dissolves the grease and the alcohol will remove the crustier things. Don't be so afraid of it man!!