Too much thermal paste

Elgato748

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This is an i5-9600K and board that is for sale.
Obviously way to much thermal paste was used.
Would you be concerned about paste seeping into the socket and stay away from it?
Thanks
 

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would not be concerned at all... clean it up really good, remove the cpu and clean any residual paste up without damaging the socket, and reinstall cpu and send it.
 
I have never removed a CPU with this much paste around the edges. What are the chances that it can actually get into the socket or pins?
Maybe better off leaving it in place and just wiping off as much paste as possible?
 
I have never removed a CPU with this much paste around the edges. What are the chances that it can actually get into the socket or pins?
Maybe better off leaving it in place and just wiping off as much paste as possible?
Well the exposed paste is obviously dried and of no impact as long as the system currently boots and runs fine. Doing what you suggest might in fact, although unlikely, do exactly the opposite of your intentions. Don't fix what aint broke.
When you are ready to replace the paste do a good thorough job like Enigma said and you should be solid.
 
I have never removed a CPU with this much paste around the edges. What are the chances that it can actually get into the socket or pins?
Maybe better off leaving it in place and just wiping off as much paste as possible?
Not high, might see some on the outside edges of the socket. Best way to clean is to lift the clamp and keep the CPU in the socket while you wipe the excess off. This way you will keep the pins protected until you remove the CPU entirely to fully clean it.
 
Personally I would leave the cpu in socket and use isopropyl alcohol in a spray bottle. Start with a tooth pick a d scoop out the bigger areas. Then use the IPA to flush out the paste. Once it is cleaned up then pull the cpu and flush out any remaining paste.
 
I used to do retail computer repair and saw this a lot on customer built computers. I always left the cpu latched and cleaned it as best as possible with q tips and toothpicks. Then unlatch and repeat before finally removing.

I have never had any issues using this method. (Other than when a customer intentionally filled the socket with AS5 before installing the cpu lol)
 
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How dry is the paste, actually? If it's completely dry and brittle, you could use an ESD safe(!) electronics vacuum and a toothpick to chip off and remove the majority of the paste.
 
Use gravity to assist and then some WD switch cleaner if any happens to get in the pins and a bit of air doesn't get it out.
 
Apply method? Spread is supposedly the best? I thought the pea method was but then watched a video of the authors/youtubers claiming the spread method is best - but, how do you do that? With a spatula?

I also was wondering if it matters which brand you use - MX-4 or MX-5 used to be recommended? Also, Noctua NT-H1?

I was going to use the one that came with the cooler - for some reason, there's nothing on the label. It's blank white. :)

I hope this post wasn't too off topic (also, remove thermal paste with Isopropyl alcohol 99% - is fine)?
 
Pea is fine , or do a line. Spread is unnecessary except on exposed dies

Those pastes are fine, I use noctua nt-h1 usually or prolimatech pk2/3, thermal grizzly, or similar. Doesnt matter too much as long as it's similar to these.

Also used shin etsu in the past, gelid gc extreme, corsair, ic7 diamond, and a bunch of others.

Isopropyl 99 is perfect, as is everclear or similar extreme proof spirits. Iso is a lot cheaper though.
 
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Pea is fine , or do a line. Spread is unnecessary except on exposed dies

Those pastes are fine, I use noctua nt-h1 usually or prolimatech pk2/3, thermal grizzly, or similar. Doesnt matter too much as long as it's similar to these.

Also used shin etsu in the past, gelid gc extreme, corsair, ic7 diamond, and a bunch of others.

Isopropyl 99 is perfect, as is everclear or similar extreme proof spirits. Iso is a lot cheaper though.
I guess I am just paranoid. I got a Dark Rock Pro 4 cooler and I only opened the box so far to look at the mounting parts. I have watched a review/install on youtube though - and the guys that use the thermal paste with the cooler - it's a short tube with a white label. Be Quiet doesn't even stamp their name on it. It concerns me a bit. They do sell their own paste as an accessory on their website and their name is on it.
The reviewers who compared all the application methods - discovered that the pea application actually wasn't really good - but, the spread one was the best - I can't remember the results of the rest. Perhaps, I should watch it again? I could post it here? It was interesting because they used a clear glass and thus you could see the other side. I believe there's a lot of videos like that now.
 
Spread,pea or line does not make a huge difference if the cooler is put on correctly. Personally I use the spread method. My preferred paste is Thermal Grizzly. It comes with a spreader. My next paste to give a try is KPE. Read some great things on this stuff.
 
+1 Spread method. I've installed many CPUs using the pea size and also line. They all worked but I end up pulling the cooler off to check for coverage anyway. Might as well have spread it out. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut and and PK-3 came with spatulas and I've been using them for years. Before that I used credit cards cut into strips. I normally use whatever paste I feel like that day. Arctic MX-4, Noctua, Thermal Grizzly, and Promlimatech PK-3. They all work fine. My personal home computer always gets Kryonaut.
 
Properly installed with pea, it will form a circle of paste which is fine even if it doesn't fully cover the IHS. Exposed GPU and CPU dies need full spread to ensure no hot spots since they can't thermally conduct like the IHS, otherwise they degrade fast

The IHS is primarily there to keep you from breaking the delicate silicon die, not for conducting heat. That said, you may get very slightly better performance, but in the end it really doesn't matter. Spreading can be messy and wasteful, and cause excessive squeeze out if you overdo it. Don't do anything other than pea, line, or spread but in ideal applications we are talking about probably 5% difference or less... You can get air bubbles on thicker pastes doing stupid shapes etc although the clamping pressure can usually overcome them.

If you use a heat sink with exposed heat pipes, don't do pea. Do a line PERPENDICULAR to the pipes or spread it. I haven't used a dark rock pro 4 and am phoneposting so I can't tell you if its a solid base or exposed heat pipes, but you can visually tell in a split second by looking at it. If you see a solid base its solid, a bunch if copper or lines is exposed
 
Lite spread with small pea -> Best of both worlds :D. I just use a finger (no condom) to spread, specula for me puts it on too thick. For the 5800 X3D, 75c for Cinebench looping for 20min, Aida 64 with AVX on, 86c at equilibrium with default bios settings besides memory at 3600mhz.
 
What about on a laptop? I have a Asus G751JT gaming laptop from the 2014/2015 years. Playing Far Cry 3 I get temperatures around 80-85 degrees C. I took the laptop apart thinking that it's probably time to reapply thermal paste. After cleaning all the old stuff off, I used MX-4, and my temperatures are higher now, running about 95 Degrees C.

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Not sure if it's the MX-4 which I've used before with excellent results, or maybe I got some air trapped. The GPU was running about 75 Degrees C.
 
I guess I am just paranoid. I got a Dark Rock Pro 4 cooler and I only opened the box so far to look at the mounting parts. I have watched a review/install on youtube though - and the guys that use the thermal paste with the cooler - it's a short tube with a white label. Be Quiet doesn't even stamp their name on it. It concerns me a bit. They do sell their own paste as an accessory on their website and their name is on it.
The reviewers who compared all the application methods - discovered that the pea application actually wasn't really good - but, the spread one was the best - I can't remember the results of the rest. Perhaps, I should watch it again? I could post it here? It was interesting because they used a clear glass and thus you could see the other side. I believe there's a lot of videos like that now.
Don't stress it. Nothing blows up. Less is more, but you really can't go wrong. If your into [H]ard over-clocking and not getting what you expect you can always try again. As many times as you like.
I've always put a small pea dollop in the middle and used my finger to dip and finger print around until the CPU is lightly covered. Just press and press until happy. I've always had good O/C's and temps.
Go for it and you will soon realize there was no reason to be apprehensive.
Oh and I have always used dirt cheap paste or whatever was included with the HS. I've found it to matter little as I'm not going for records
 
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Got mine fixed. Took it all apart again, and this time I used NT-H2 thermal paste, but before I applied it, I polished the brass heat sink using Autosol metal polish. I then cleaned everything with 99% Alcohol. I also used a thermal pad for the resistors instead of paste as suggested on another web site. Now my temperatures are 79 Degrees C and the fans are not even on all the way. I did have to replace the 8 screws that held the heat sink in place, as I did not want to risk stripping the top of the screws.
 
I know the thread is old. That someone would be that careless with thermal paste would tell me all I need to know about the seller. I see this all the time on Ebay. Why the hell wouldn't you clean that up before listing it for sale. CRC Contact Cleaner will take that off without risking damage to the pins. Dry it with a can of air.
 
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I know the thread is old. That someone would be that careless with thermal paste would tell me all I need to know about the seller. I see this all the time on Ebay. Why the hell wouldn't you clean that up before listing it for sale. CRC Contact Cleaner will take that off without risking damage to the pins. Dry it with a can of air.

Oh jeez I don't get why so many folks on Ebay get that a little cleaning and a wipe with a cloth can make the value of something seem so much higher. "Why the hell did you not think to wipe the dried pasta sauce off that camera lens you are selling?"
 
This is an i5-9600K and board that is for sale.
Obviously way to much thermal paste was used.
Would you be concerned about paste seeping into the socket and stay away from it?
Thanks
See you should use a custard creme injector to fill those areas between the CPU IHS and the socket bracket. It really adds flavor.
 
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