An IT technician is replacing the thermal solution on a desktop computer that has been experiencing automatic shutdowns caused by CPU overheating. After unmounting the original heat sink, the technician notices hardened, degraded thermal compound on the processor's heat spreader. Which of the following describes the correct procedure the technician should follow before mounting the replacement cooling unit?
- Clean off the old thermal compound completely using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth, apply a small amount of new thermal paste to the center of the CPU heat spreader, and attach the replacement heat sink.Answer
- BApply a fresh layer of new thermal paste directly over the hardened thermal residue to ensure complete coverage across all gaps.
- CScrape the hardened thermal paste off using a steel flathead screwdriver to ensure a completely bare surface before mounting the heatsink dry.
- DDelid the processor package by separating the integrated heat spreader from the substrate to apply thermal compound directly to the internal CPU die.
Answer
The technician must clean off the old thermal paste completely using isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth, apply fresh thermal paste to the CPU heat spreader, and attach the new heatsink.
Removing all old compound with isopropyl alcohol and applying a fresh, small amount of thermal compound ensures optimal thermal transfer between the CPU integrated heat spreader and the new heatsink base without creating heat-trapping air gaps.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
CPU Thermal Management and Thermal Paste Application
Estimated Time:1m 0s