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Publication №3: Cleaning the computer and replacing the thermal interface - part 2

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Publication №3: Cleaning the computer and replacing the thermal interface - part 2

If you've had time to relax after the first part of cleaning your PC and are ready to finish the job with me, then the PC for Bannerlord is near :grin:
Some time ago, my computer began to slow down very much and I could not understand what was happening. After a small investigation, I discovered the reason for the huge performance decrease was the dried thermal paste on the CPU. The processor lowered frequencies to protect itself from overheating, thereby reducing its performance.
List of required items

Replacement of thermal paste and thermal pads:
- cotton pads;
- cotton buds;
- isopropyl alcohol;
- thermal pads;
- thermal grease arctic mx 4.

You can use the thermal paste you have on hand if it has good heat-conducting properties and it has not expired.
Replacing Thermal Paste and Thermal Pads
Turn off your PC, set the switch on the PSU to OFF, and disconnect all cables and peripherals. Remove both side panels and lay the PC on its side. We are looking for a cable from the cooling system, going to the connector marked CPU FAN. Disconnect it and start to dismantle the cooling system. There are several types of fasteners, and the dismantling of some of them may seem difficult for beginners. I think every programmer at first cursed Intel engineers. :grin:

Pay attention to the arrows on the legs of the cooler, by default they point in the direction opposite from the cooler.

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Turn them counterclockwise, and then gently pull each one towards you while holding the cooler.
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Now, gently rock the cooler in different directions until it separates from the motherboard. For clarity, you will find two videos below.
[MEDIA]
[MEDIA]

Once you removed the cooling system, blow out any dust that is in it. For convenience, remove the cooler from the radiator by hooking the latch with a screwdriver. Also, do not forget to lubricate the cooler if possible.
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When finished with the dust, begin to remove the old thermal grease with cotton pads with a small amount of alcohol applied. Wipe the radiator, and then the processor. After degreasing and cleaning the surface, proceed to the application of thermal paste. There are different methods of application, but there is practically no difference between them in temperature.

Option 1
We extrude the thermal paste from the tube into the center of the processor in the form of a pea or strip and put on it the cooling system without breaking the thermal layer.
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Option 2
Apply thermal grease and spread it evenly with a spatula, card or finger wrapped in a bag and install the cooling system.
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To be honest, I thought that the first option is the most correct. But recently, I watched a very interesting video that tested the effectiveness of various methods of applying thermal paste and its quantity. Below I left a temperature chart and a video in which you can see how to apply thermal grease.
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Let's start the installation process. Check the legs of the cooling system. They should be in the “installation” mode as in the picture.
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If the leg looks like below, then just gently pull it towards you.
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Now, gradually and trying not to touch the thermal paste, we install one leg followed by the one diagonal from it, slightly pressing each one to the characteristic click. After the cooling system is installed, turn the legs clockwise so that the arrows look in the opposite direction from the cooler. After installation, try to shake the cooling system. If it is not loose anywhere and it is very stable, then you did everything right. Do not forget to connect the power cable to the CPU FAN connector.

If you have AMD, then the process is much easier. You need to move the lever on the cooling system from horizontal to vertical and remove the arc from the two mounts. After that, lightly shake the cooling system in different directions until it comes off the processor. We perform the process of cleaning and replacing the thermal interface as with Intel, with one difference. To remove the cooler from the radiator you need to unscrew 4 bolts. To reinstall the cooler, hook the arc on the opposite side of the lever for mounting and then do the same from the side of the lever, while making sure that the arc does not jump off the other side. Now move the lever to a horizontal position and check that the cooling system is stable.
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Also, some of you may have an updated cooling system that comes with Ryzen processors. For its assembly and disassembly, it is simply necessary to unscrew a pair of bolts crosswise, which are screwed into the backplate on the reverse side of the motherboard.
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It's time for the video card and here, too, you need to be especially attentive. As an example, consider the disassembly of an RX 470 Sapphire. First, unscrew the bolts holding the back plate and the plastic cover.
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Put aside the backplate, and slowly lifting the video card cover over the radiator, you will see two cables that are connected to the board. They need to be disconnected.
If the video card has been used in bad temperature conditions (for example, in mining with overclocking without stretching over a farm and without timely cleaning, then there is a possibility that the cables will stick to the connectors on the board. If it does not readily come off, do not try to force it out, as there is a chance of damaging it.
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Next, we unscrew the 2 side bolts (yellow). Then, be cautious. For the bolts marked in red, press the radiator to the video card processor. It is desirable to unscrew the bolts marked in red in the order indicated in the picture or noted by the manufacturer, otherwise you may damage the GPU and be stuck without a video card.
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Before replacing the thermal paste, clean the radiator and the board of dust with a brush and compressed air. Now is the time to remove the old thermal grease and change to a new one. The process of applying thermal paste and replacing is exactly the same as with the processor, only here we apply the thermal paste not on the lid, but on the GPU directly and after applying it we smear it.
Thermal pads are changed if they are dry or damaged, but for this you need to find out the exact thickness of the old thermal pads and order the same new ones, and you must be confident in their quality!

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Do not forget to lubricate the coolers.
Some may wonder, why not use thermal grease instead of thermal pads? This is not the best idea. Thermal pads are created specifically for thermal conductivity with a gap between parts of more than 0.15 mm, and the thermal paste in this case will not be effective.
On this line, we are done with maintenance. We did everything in our power to make the PC work as before. Now we can go on with a clear conscience, as there are still a lot of interesting things ahead!

Friends, we really need help with the correct translation! If it's not difficult for you, please suggest corrections.
 
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