Clean Heatsink Thermal Paste

Avoid using rubbing alcohol which is just 70 ipa.

Clean heatsink thermal paste.

If this is the case you will need to remove the old thermal paste clean the surfaces and then re apply new thermal paste. Thermal paste can get mighty hard depending on how long it has been applied for. Thermal paste or some oily thermal interface material is necessary because it fills in the microscopic imperfections that otherwise trap air particles between the cpu and the heatsink preventing the cpu from properly cooling heat radiates outward from the cpu to the heatsink before eventually making its way to a fan where it disperses. If it isn t clean it reapply thermal paste and make sure it is now connected much more stable to the cpu.

I like to use kimwipes as they leave very little lint. Inspect it for any thermal paste where it came into contact with the heatsink. But since air is a notoriously poor conductor of heat. Use a coffee filter or a lint free cloth and a little isopropyl alcohol a k a.

However if you use a spudger to scrape the old paste away only use a plastic one to reduce the chance of scratching or otherwise damaging parts. Remove the heatsink depending on what kind of heatsink you have flip the latch or release the retention clips that keep the heatsink attached to the cpu. Ipa 90 concentration or greater to clean the thermal paste residue off the thermal contact surface of your heat sink. Chances are if you ve noticed an increase in temperature over the years it s due to the paste drying out.

I usually keep the heatsink as level as possible when i put it back on and tighten the screws little by little in a star pattern like lugnuts on a car. 6 5w m k thermal paste cpu paste heatsink past thermal compound. Macbook pro 15 unibody early 2011. Clean out the heatsink and cpu then apply a very thin even coat of thermal paste on the cpu.

Replace the heatsink careful to put it straight down on the cpu. Looks like you have no ventilation. If you find any use the same steps to clean the surface. Thermal paste can sometimes harden which greatly reduces its effectiveness.

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