[AMelvin]

At 2AM I'm goimg to replace the 820 with new 965 and wanted to get some input on cleaning the H50 water cooler and preping the CPU for Artic 5 paste.

 

[compuman145]

Ethanol or TIM cleaner and primer

I think its ethanol anyway.

 

[duhasttas]

2 AM huh?

I use q-tips (cotton swabs) with rubbing alcohol, its cheap, but gets the job done

 

[AMelvin]

Yeah early AM. The kids are asleep and I've been wanting to do this for almost a week so I can get into some real overclocking with this BE 965. I have to move the cooler fan to the outside of the case with new grill and filter to allow side cover with fan to fit so might as well take care of these all at once! If the websites say a dot in the center why does the cooler come with paste on the entire surface?

 

[SporkofdooM]

Because the cooler, when you get it, has the TIM layer perfectly evenly applied (for the most part) but the dot method is best for preventing air bubbles

this video gives you a pretty good idea

YouTube- How Thermal Compound Spreads

 

[Th0m0_202]

the dot method is really good as id the X method. dont spread it if using ac5 as the video above should explain why

 

[Gib007]

I agree, use some alcohol with a cotton swab or tissue to clean off both the CPU's surface and the heatsink's surface. Then use the blob (dot) method described in the video to spread your thermal compound (if applicable to your thermal compound in particular). I use IC Diamond 7 Carat and that one recommends it use the blob (dot) method and nothing else, performance-wise.