Removing stock cooler for OCZ Vendetta 2

[ricknash61]

So I just bought an OCZ vendetta 2 w/ NP-12 fan and bolt thru kit to replace the stock intel one. Question is, what is the proper way to remove the stock cooler and remove any remaining pre-applied thermal paste on the CPU so I can use some MX-2?

I have some 2-propanol (HPLC grade, 99.9%) and bought some coffee filters, as suggested by someone to remove the thermal paste.

I think it goes like this:
1) let the CPU warm up so the thermal paste gets warm and easier to separate
2) Turn computer off, unplug everything, remove mobo from case.
3) remove pins by turning inwards with screwdriver, remove intel heatsink.

Now do I remove the CPU from the socket before removing the thermal paste, or leave it in the socket?

Also, I read an article on how to apply the thermal paste to the Vendetta 2. Do I need to apply thermal place to both the heatsink and the CPU, or just the heatsink?

[Cptn Vortex]

The stock cooler is easy to remove. just shut the machine down, unplug the power, remove the pins, and rotate the CPU cooler slightly back and forth, it should basically fall off.

[ricknash61]

Cool, now what about the CPU? Does it stay in the socket for thermal paste removal?

Do I apply TIM to the heatsink and CPU, or just the heatsink?

Also, like I mentioned, I bought a Noctua NF-P12 fan for the heatsink. I've read around and there seems to be a disagreement on the direction of air flow.

My guess is that airflow should be directed towards the heatsink. Is this correct?

[SugarJ]

I'd leave the CPU in personally. The last thing I want is to get some TIM on the contacts. Dry wipe as much as you can 1st, then use the alcohol.

I usually put 2 very thin lines on the CPU (1/2 the width of a rice grain). Then smush the heatsink down.

And pushing air through the heatsink generally works better than pulling.

[miggs78]

Yes Sugar is right, pushing air through usually is better than pulling air.

As for thermal paste lots of people prefer the sandwich method, meaning put a thin layer and then put the heatsink on, applying pressure to spread it. I personally would rather spread the paste, that way your over applying just to be sure.
Just take a credit card or something of that sort and apply a very small amount in the middle of the heatsink, and use the credit card to spread it evenly, spread it until you can only slightly see the base of the heatsink.

You can leave the cpu inside the socket, just get few q-tips apply some 99.9% alcohol on it, that will help clean the sides, where its hard to get the filter.

Good Luck

[t0m]

i used the stock mounting system for mine and didnt take my mb out of the case to install it. for the thermal paste i followed the instructions for my ceramique, which recommend that you use a line on top of your cpu cores (on my dual core that means putting a line down the center, i think its different for quads) then squish it down with the heat sink. they actually recommend that you do that then remove the heat sink and wipe off most of the tim (leaving a dull finish instead of completely polishing it off with solvent, to leave a very fine layer for the next application of tim to stick to). after that i put a bit on the heat pipes and made sure to rub it around and fill in the areas between the copper pipes and aluminum block (wiping off any excess and leaving that dull layer on the flat parts like i did on the cpu), re-applied the line on my cpu and clamped it all down. the main thing they stress in the ceramique instructions is that you want to avoid any possibility of air getting trapped in there, which they say can happen when you try to smooth it out yourself before clamping the heatsink down.

love this cooler so far. i can hit 3.6 pretty easy but some of the software i use is touchy and crashy (my 3d package cant do long renders at that speed, and crysis crashes out after about 30 mins every time) at those speeds so i brought it down to 3.4 and have 0 stability problems now (at least for the last 2 weeks or so). the highest temps i have seen on this thing were 52 under load at 3.6...it averages ~25 idle and 49 load right now.

i have the fan blowing into the heatsink, and im using the stock fan too by the way.