Why do you think I killed my 3870?

External Since: Mar 09, 2006 Posts: 55

>
> After posing the message, I took a good look at the card and saw residue
> of artic silver on several parts of the board.
>
Get a 3/8" natural bristle paint brush, and cut the bristles to about
1/2" in length. Then using 99% pure isopropyl alcohol lightly scrub
the Arctic Silver residues lightly. Flush with alcohol before it dries
again. The only issue with alcohol is that is may cause labels to
become unglued.

External Since: Jan 27, 2008 Posts: 30

In article <47ae361e$0$15161$607ed4bc@cv.net>, "KlausK" <dinga DeleteThis @noone.com> wrote:
>
>"GMAN" <glenzabr DeleteThis @dontspammebro.xmission.com> wrote in message
>news:folab8$2a2$1@news.xmission.com...
>> In article <c7KdnSD7BdSggjPanZ2dnUVZ8sOonZ2d DeleteThis @eclipse.net.uk>, "Dr.White"
>> <w DeleteThis @sted.coma> wrote:
>>>
>>>"KlausK" <dinga DeleteThis @noone.com> wrote in message
>>>news:47ad47d2$0$15196$607ed4bc@cv.net...
>>>> Today, I re-installed a Thermalright HS on my 3870 because I wasn't sure
>>>> if I applied thermal paste properly. I took out the HS, cleaned memory
>>>> modules and GPU with alcohol, attached memory HS's with thermal tape,
>>>> and
>>>> attached the GPU HS after applying artic silver.
>>>>
>>>> I re-installed the card and it displayed weird colors and garbage
>>>> characters. I couldn't get to Windows. I tried the card on another PC
>>>> and
>>>> it didn't even generate video signal.
>>>>
>>>> I was wearing an anti-static strap while working on the card, so static
>>>> electricity didn't kill the card. I remember I cleaned the GPU and mem
>>>> modules with too much alcohol. So, did alcohol kill it?
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Maybe vodka would have a negative effect on electronics, but the standard
>>>'cleaning alcohol' a.k.a. isopropanol, isopropyl alcohol, propan-2-ol -
>>>call
>>>it what you will, the clear stuff that can be bought from any chemist for
>>>about £5 per 500ml - is absolutely inert to electrical components. You can
>>>safely use as much as you like, it doesn't even have to dry out.
>>>
>>>In the past I've had a couple of RAM modules that seemed dead - bathing
>>>them
>>>in isopropanol and cleaning the contacts brought them back to life.
>>>
>>>One possibility is that some of the thermal compound you used or that was
>>>previously on the chips was electrically conductive, *like your arctic
>>>silver* and some of that ended up where it shouldn't. So, make sure it's
>>>isopropanol you've got and give the whole board a thoroughly good clean,
>>>use
>>>plenty of alcohol, then clean the pci-e contacts just to be on the safe
>>>side. I'll bet it's a bit of arctic silver causing the problem.
>>>
>>>Good Luck.
>>>
>>>Dr.White.
>>>
>>>
>> You keep telling people to bathe the electronics in alchohol. Do you
>> forget
>> that alchohol is flamable?
>
>Well, I used rubbing alcohol to clean gpus and mem modules because 3rd party
>cooler makers (eg, Zalman, Thermalright) recommend using alcohol.
>
>
Agreed, i use it too, but i do suggest that before applying any heat sink
compound or before reinstalling and turing on your system, you allow the
alchohol to completely dry up first before turning the system on. You could
sometimes have some liquid still sitting beneath a leg or two of a memory chip
or GPU or whatever and when you turn the power on, alchohol, as is any liquid
is conductive and could immediately short out a card.

I usually take my wifes hair dryer and switch it to very low or no heat and
blow dry the card very well before applying the new compound and ram sinks and
cooler.