ĭon’t worry, I’ll cover both types of socket in the cleaning process below. These CPU sockets are used by Intel as part of the LGA or Land Grid Array socket types used with their ‘Core’ Line of CPUs. The CPU has little rounded connectors on the underside, and you can literally drop the CPU (Not from too great a height) straight into the socket for easy installation. These sockets have little pins arranged in an array on them. Pin Socket (LGA) Image courtesy of Smail On Wikipedia. These types of sockets are generally used by AMD as part of the PGA or Pin Grid Array socket types for the Ryzen family of CPUs. This type of socket can be harder to clean due to the difficulty of prising all the thermal sludge out of the tiny holes. When you insert the CPU, pins on the CPU are inserted into the socket. This type of socket has an array of holes arranged all over it. Pinhole socket (PGA) By Appaloosa – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, But don’t worry, they can both be cleaned easily. Ok, now you know what I’ll be talking about, I’ll start with an explanation of the different types of CPU socket as they need slightly different cleaning techniques and you don’t want to mix them up… CPU Socket Types and How They’ll Affect Cleaning A fantastic alternative to thermal paste.A quick explanation of thermal paste and why you need the nasty stuff in the first place.A step by step guide explaining the cleaning process.What you’ll need for the cleaning process.What types of CPU sockets there are and how it’ll affect the cleaning process.Dead to the world and in need of replacing… But, it turned out that wasn’t so…Īfter doing a bit of research, and naivety fueled experimenting, I discovered it’s actually possible to clean thermal paste and remove it from a motherboard’s CPU socket. You know the stuff I’m talking about: that grey toxic sludge that comes packed in a syringe. I’ve gone and wrecked my CPU Socket on my motherboard by splurging thermal paste all over it.Īnd when I say all over it, I mean all over it, everywhere.