Thermal paste removal?

Hardware Hub Cooling
1

Hey guys,

I have recently bought myself a corsair H100i which is coming tomorrow to replace my huge noctua NH-D14 which I was afraid was going to break my CPU in transit. Speaking of my Noctua NH-D14 I was hoping to sell this for the best asking price on any site I can in addition to be CM stryker case and asus p8z77-i deluxe which as a broken USB 3 header over paypal. 

But my CPU currently has arctic silver mx-4 paste on it which I am unsure about removing. I wish to use the TIM on the H100i just because it it spread and pre applied already. 

I do not have any kind of alcohol to remove the thermal paste so I was wondering whether I could leave the paste on.

If my temperatures will be effected badly I heard nail polish remover can be used to remove it so I do have that at hand (don't ask why ;)

-Binary

2

yes

3

I'd send the h100i back as its not going to be any better than your Noctua tbh .......but no you need to remove that paste you can use ligther fluid if you realy have zero cash but any high strength alcohol/surgical spirit/rubing alcohol can do the job for cheap.

4

Ouch. My preference would be the NH-D14. Even though it is pretty fugly.

I simply use a microfibre cloth to clean paste.

5

+1, that will also work! Just try to get it as CLEAN as possible!!

6

I travel with my PC a lot and so when I heard the noctua creaking in the back of the car I thought I needed to change this.

Am I right that I can just use a microfiber cloth and then rinse it with water when it gets covered (I dry it again obviously)

7

I'm not sure where you live exactly, but you can get a bottle of 99% Isopropyl alcohol for like a dollar.... im sure you could find that in a couch cushion....

8

+1 99% Isopropyl alcohol. Worth it and cheap.

9

well if you are selling your nh-d14 im interested but at a reasonable price, also you a uk resident?

10

The TIM that comes with the H100i will work just fine.  I would give it a try for the time being, at least until you can get your hands on some isopropyl alcohol.