Don't ever let your computer get this dirty

[setishock]

I was gone for 8 months with the understanding it was a 2 week gig. While I was gone they took the full sized AC out and replaced it with a broken down POS. They didn't even seal the unit in the mounting sleeve or bother to turn it on. Dirty Air + High Humidity = MUD. Besides the mildew I had to clean up.

At any rate I didn't think to open The Beast up to check the inside. It had been turned off sometime while I was gone.
Last night the temp on the Northbridge was getting to 200F. I though it was just the software wigging out which it turned to be. But it made me think I haven't cleaned it up in a year and with my preaching about a clean computer and good air flow, I thought I needed to practice what I preach.

I'm some what embarrassed my baby got in this sad a shape. But if nothing else I can show you how to get back to a squeaky clean setup. There are too many large pictures to post them here. I have them in an album at my place so here's the link. VB has a nasty habit of shuffling around the order of the pictures. setishock's Album: Cleaning The Beast

I just got the video card opened up and I could have cried it is so nasty.

 

[strollin]

Are those the after pictures? I didn't look at every picture but what I saw didn't look to me like it needed to be cleaned.

 

[donetao]

Are those the after pictures? I didn't look at every picture but what I saw didn't look to me like it needed to be cleaned.

That's because you didn't look at all the pictures. Some are pretty bad!!

 

[strollin]

Ok, went back and looked at all the pictures. The next to the last one is the only one I would consider as "pretty bad". The others all look pretty normal to me.

Maybe you guys have never seen a really dirty computer?

This is the kind of stuff I was expecting to see: http://www.tomshardware.com/picturestory/565-dusty-pc-clogged-fan-dirty-power-supply.html

 

[donetao]

Yuppers that's pretty bad!!

 

[setishock]

I bought this when I built the system thinking I just might need it sooner or later. When I swapped out the OEM heatsink, I just clean the CPU with alcohol and a coffee filter. This time since it's a system tear down I got it out and gave it a try. You can get this from NewEgg for $6.00usd

Its smell makes me think it's a cirtus based cleaner. Matter of fact when I put the first drop on the heatsink, the scent was unmistakable. Orange oil.

Ok so this post is just the Reader's Digest version of getting the heatsink and CPU heat spreader cleaned up. We'll start with the heat sink.This is a nasty critter. Normally you would wipe off the excess paste but I wanted to see how well it really works so I left it in place.

I applied 3 drops and let it sit for 30 seconds then wiped it off with a coffee filter. The gal in the cafe thinks I'm nuts for asking for some filters. They work best for getting paste off and I didn't have any handy.
I did this twice to be sure it all came off. I then applied the polisher which is actually a solvent in its own right. It cuts the citric oil and what ever is left on the metal. And you get an all clean ready to remount contact plate.

TADA!!! Beats a dry coffee filter and alcohol by a counrty mile.

Next up is the CPU heat spreader. UGH! I wiped off the excess down to where I could read the branding on the spreader. 2 drops of bottle 1 and ran it around with a Q-tip. I did that twice. I did let it sit on the metal for 30 seconds each time. Here's before.

After the filter wipe down.

After 2 applications of cleaner.

And after 2 applications of polisher.

After the filter wipe down you don't see much differance in the other pictures. After applying the drops the liquid spreads out and you can see a black ring form as it eats up the oily residue. When you wipe it off the general apperance is like night and day. The lighting over my bench stinks so you can't really see the differances in each stage. It's one of those you just have to see it first hand.
Now to flush out the fins and get the sluge build up out where the brush can't reach.

 

[~mr mixx~]

It would have been easier to just put your heat sink in the dish washer...just kidding.

Yea, those pictures Strollin posted were pretty gross !!

 

[Celery]

Setishock, I have the same bottles along with a syringe of Arctic Silver thermal compound.

Like you said, night and day when it comes to cleaning and I wondered why it has a citric smell.

 

[setishock]

Well you can't sell something that is caustic with out some dumbass suing the maker when they misuse it. Citric cleaners are just as good with nothing near the hazard. The other bottle I haven't figured out yet but it doesn't appear to be hazardous either. The only warning is to keep out of the reach of children.

I have to clean the fins out and I can get it back in.