Struggling to remove hardened thermal paste or liquid metal from a CPU.
Struggling to remove hardened thermal paste or liquid metal from a CPU.
Before starting, I installed the system using liquid metal last year. It performed well at first, but after roughly three months it started reacting with the heat sink on the water cooler. I now need to reapply it every 3-4 months. Since then, I’ve switched to standard thermal paste. The CPU is an Intel Core i9-12900KF desktop processor with 16 cores up to 5.2 GHz, unlocked LGA1700 125W chipset. I’ve noticed some small pock marks on about 25% of it, which might explain why cooling isn’t optimal when I run Prime95. I’d appreciate a photo if it helps identify the best cleaning method.
I’ve tried various approaches—pure alcohol, Q-Tips, at least 23,000 curse words, and even the two-part cleaning solution from Artic Silver—but with limited success. I want to avoid damaging the CPU while trying a thorough clean. Any advice from someone experienced would be greatly appreciated, especially if they have used hardened paste or liquid FML. Thanks ahead!
thermal paste differs from liquid metal. Capture a picture. Appears as metals merging, likely due to the substances involved.
This situation arose from concerns about overheating and the need to maintain optimal thermal performance. The process involved careful consideration of materials and methods to ensure long-term reliability. Adjustments were made based on the specific conditions and requirements of the components involved.
I appreciate both of you. I’ll capture a photo when I revisit this issue. The temperatures appear acceptable now, despite some small areas of hardened material. At full capacity with handbrake encode, it’s around mid 50C and reaches a peak of 70C. I was concerned about prime95 causing overheating in the 90s, so until I removed the CPU this setup should be safe. Iiquid metal was effective initially, but over time it tends to get hotter and requires reapplication after roughly three months. I’m switching to regular paste now. I believe the necessity to reapply LM relates to the copper heatsink or metal used. When I spent about a year working with it, this prompted the decision to clean it and simplify. What sandpaper grit is suitable for a CPU later?
I discovered this resource and believe it could help achieve a smooth finish on your CPU.