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    What's this on my CPU/GPU?

    Discussion in 'Gaming (Software and Graphics Cards)' started by doyle1994xxx, May 8, 2015.

  1. doyle1994xxx

    doyle1994xxx Notebook Enthusiast

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    My old laptop's screen was recently destroyed (That's what you get for lending it to a friend) and I thought I'd go ahead and sell the parts (3610QM and 675M).

    [​IMG]

    Problem is, under a layer of particularly hard to remove thermal paste, I found these marks on both my CPU and GPU. I just can't decide whether its just caked on thermal paste residue or genuine physical damage. (They're completely functional as far as I'm aware)

    So, do you think they're fit to be sold? If not, any idea how this happened

    Thanks :)

    PS. Sorry for the massive, not particularly clear photo.
     
  2. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

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    Did you happen to use IC Diamond? Because if you don't thoroughly dissolve it before removing it, it really can scratch up a die.

    This is what it did to my 4940MX.

    IMAG0055.jpg
     
  3. TomJGX

    TomJGX I HATE BGA!

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    Yup those scratches on the die is due to IC Diamond most likely...
     
  4. doyle1994xxx

    doyle1994xxx Notebook Enthusiast

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    Yeah, I did. Didn't think it would be that fickle of a paste. Are these marks serious at all?
     
  5. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

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    No, just cosmetic. Some system builders will void your warranty for it and it drops resale value, sometimes sharply, but it doesn't affect the functionality at all.
     
  6. doyle1994xxx

    doyle1994xxx Notebook Enthusiast

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    That's good to hear, I was hardly looking to make a fortune off of them anyway. Lol. I'll stick with MX-4 over IC Diamond from now on, though.

    Thanks for the quick response!
     
  7. Ethrem

    Ethrem Notebook Prophet

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    Don't use MX-4. Get GC Extreme. MX-4 not only performs worse than both IC Diamond and GC Extreme in low pressure mounts (laptops), it pumps out quickly. GC Extreme doesn't have the longevity of IC Diamond but it lasts a lot longer than MX-4.
     
    TomJGX likes this.
  8. Talon

    Talon Notebook Virtuoso

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    I've had those exact results from IC Diamond.

    No matter how careful I've been and soaked the paste for awhile in bernal remover it always seems to leave scratches.

    I now avoid it and have had great results with PK-3.

    MX-4 was garbage in my laptop.
     
  9. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    The scratches are purely cosmetic and don't affect performance of the TIM.
     
  10. hacktrix2006

    hacktrix2006 Hold My Vodka, I going to kill my GPU

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    Yep ic diamond is a die scratcher alright it scratched my i7 2670m to hell but it still works very well. Stop using ic diamond us pk2 or pk3
     
  11. TomJGX

    TomJGX I HATE BGA!

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    Agreed... Use Gelid GC Extreme... MX-4 is total utter junk and it will pump out in no time :)
     
  12. jack34

    jack34 Notebook Geek

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    Roughly how long the Gelid GC Extreme and IC Diamond?
     
  13. HTWingNut

    HTWingNut Potato

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    IC Diamond will last years, GC Extreme you might have to replace after a year.
     
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  14. jack34

    jack34 Notebook Geek

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    Thank you very much for the information ... :)