I'm wondering if it's okay to just apply regular thermal paste on top of dried liquid thermal paste, or should I remove the old stuff first? What's the best way to handle this situation?
3 Answers
Yeah, you really need to clean it all off. If you leave the old thermal paste, it could cause problems later. Just use a lint-free cloth with some isopropanol to wipe it clean—it's pretty easy to do!
You should definitely remove the old thermal paste before applying a new layer. Using 99.9% isopropanol works great for cleaning it off. It's important to get a clean surface for the best thermal conductivity.
Absolutely, you need to get rid of the old paste. Trust me, the new paste will perform much better if you start fresh. It's worth taking the time to clean up first!
Also, be careful with dried liquid metal. Alcohol wipes might not work well on that stuff; you might need something stronger to loosen it up.