On 30 Jul 2006 16:53:09 -0700, "altcomphardware"
<altcomphardware@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:


>> If the base of it is rough, it might help to lap it, then
>> rub thermal compound hard into it and wipe it off (dry paper
>> towel only, leaving compound in the surface flaws) before
>> applying another tiny tiny speck of thermal grease and
>> reapplying to the CPU.
>
>I'm curious - has anyone developed a refridgerating case yet? Sort of
>like an air conditioned, insulated case. That way all CPU/GPU/PSU/etc.
>fans can be switched off if the case is internally kept at ~0 Celcius.
>Use a large 12" fan or so inside the case to blow air around.
>


Small compressors usually aren't very quiet, who would pay
more for this?

Video card 'sinks are more difficult to find in HQ versions
as everyone seems taken to extremes of thin higher RPM fans
or those very loud squirrel cages but for the CPU, it's
quite easy to find quiet cooling. I can't hear the fan at
all on my o'c XP Barton Mobile, but it's a tad below 1.8V,
IIRC (don't recall exact voltage it uses at the moment).

>> >> The same rules for cooling still apply, decent sink, decent
>> >> thermal interface, decent chassis cooling... and not
>> >> overvolting it much unless you have a really good 'sink.
>> >
>> >I'm guessing it is the thermal grease. It is a few years old (reused,
>> >just scraped around the CPU die and slapped back on).
>>
>>
>> It's good to avoid doing that.
>> For an open flipchip like an Athlon XP, it is best to use a
>> thin coat of fresh synthetic based compound, not old and not
>> silicone based.
>
>Yeah. Just about everyone I know expressed their horror the way I used
>all 5g of the thermal paste on the CPU :-/. The way I saw it, just
>about *anything* is a better conductor than air, so what the heck.

If the compound isn't very thick, it'll squish out pretty
well from the core of an Athlon XP, but over the long term
it may still separate into silicone oil and solid islands
which dont' cool as well or as evenly.

>
>Is 99.9% pure isopropanol acceptable for cleaning out the gunk?

Yes, though if it hasn't dried out and hardened, even a very
soft toothbrush, detergent, and warm tap water will suffice.
Just make sure that whatever you use, when you're done there
is minimal if any residue on the pins and it's completely
dry before reinstalling.