Replacing mobo

Bags · 2011-12-17, 06:03 PM

Gonna exchange my mobo for a replacement, as I have deemed it to be defective.

So, do I clean the thermal paste off the cpu / heatsink, or leave it on and reuse it? I've only been using the cpu / aftermarket heat sink for a week. Between mobos they will be sitting under cover for an hour or so.

If I clean it, how to?

inigma · 2011-12-17, 08:12 PM

i think a drop of isopropyl alchohol and coffee filters - aka a lint free cloth. Go check out youtube for lots of vids on how to clean up old thermal paste.

and yes, everytime you remove parts and expose paste, you will need to clean it totally and start over to eliminate bubbles when you readhere them.

Bags · 2011-12-17, 09:06 PM

Alright thanks

Also, I went with the big grain of rice in the center technique, and this is what I see a week later:

my temps were fine, however. Idled at like 30C and underload it went like 45C, stock cpu speed atm.

Should I do the same or do a bigger grain or what?

Goku · 2011-12-17, 09:25 PM

What exactly did you find to be defective?

Also clean the paste. Don't use it twice imo.

inigma · 2011-12-17, 09:29 PM

his system would freeze for 20 seconds randomly. he tried differnt hd's swapped ram, and it froze even before he oc'd. short of rmaing his entire ram set, or hdd, (i dont think it's vid card) he thought he'd try the mobo as mobo reviews revealed similar symptoms.

inigma · 2011-12-17, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bags

Alright thanks

Also, I went with the big grain of rice in the center technique, and this is what I see a week later:

my temps were fine, however. Idled at like 30C and underload it went like 45C, stock cpu speed atm.

Should I do the same or do a bigger grain or what?

Looks like your coverage was just fine although a little looks like it spilled over the edge. You might even want to consider doing just a hair less. I plan on doing the center grain method as you did - and then checking coverage, then redoing it all over again.

I've been told that you should test whatever thermal paste methods works best for you by first doing the paste once, installing the heatsink, and then removing it to see how much it covered. If it worked, then do it again. If not enough, then add a little more or try a different method. At least when you do it the second time you know what the result will be. There is more than enough in a standard paste tube to do quite a number of paste tests if needed. Just remember to fully clean and clean some more before doing a new application each time. There are some excellent youtube vids and google info on thermal paste theory. The idea is that the most important coverage needed is on the center of the processor (or in quad cpus the center areas of the cpu divided into quadrants). A center grain will still work for quad cpus (as easily proven by your temps with this last time you did). This is because the heat of any processor is concentrated in the center. Some get fancy by doing a dice of 5, but I don't think it's needed as other youtube vids show it's not really the best compared to the standard center grain method. The target is to get a near perfect circle (or less, never more) fitting in the square area of your cpu.

Infektion · 2011-12-20, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by Bags

Gonna exchange my mobo for a replacement, as I have deemed it to be defective.

So, do I clean the thermal paste off the cpu / heatsink, or leave it on and reuse it? I've only been using the cpu / aftermarket heat sink for a week. Between mobos they will be sitting under cover for an hour or so.

If I clean it, how to?

Jeezus bags... we go through the same things in unison! My mobo just decided to kill it's Channel A Dimms... so i'm stuck using Channel B dimms on single channel memory mode now. I'm trying to RMA with Gigabyte. To remove that gunk, I use acetone + qtips and then a coarse napkin (those don't break up)

Bags · 2011-12-21, 01:23 AM

I used rubbing alcohol and some micro fiber cloth.

I was lucky, I bought my mobo locally so I was able to walk in, hand then it, and then grab a new one.

Eveyrthing is working fine now!

inigma · 2011-12-21, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by Bags

I used rubbing alcohol and some micro fiber cloth.

I was lucky, I bought my mobo locally so I was able to walk in, hand then it, and then grab a new one.

Eveyrthing is working fine now!

So it was the mobo. Awesome. Glad to hear it!

This is why im going to keep up the ASRock recommendation on the PS2 Gaming Rig. here's hopin'

Goku · 2011-12-21, 05:35 PM

Originally Posted by inigmatus

So it was the mobo. Awesome. Glad to hear it!

This is why im going to keep up the ASRock recommendation on the PS2 Gaming Rig. here's hopin'

Asrock? I wouldn't even bother with them due to having shorter warranties on their motherboards compared to other manufactures.

Traak · 2011-12-22, 03:57 AM

For future-proofness, SATA III, USB 3.0, at least two full X16 PCI-e slots, and Whatever Bridge Your Processor Can Work With That is Preferably Ivy Bridge.

inigma · 2011-12-22, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by Goku

Asrock? I wouldn't even bother with them due to having shorter warranties on their motherboards compared to other manufactures.

I hope to add a 1 year extended warranty to the ASRock board for a 2 year warranty total. Aside from that I've not heard many complaints with the particular board in question (ASRock Extreme 4 Gen 3) compared to other boards.