an impossible task?

[MichaelZ]

a rather clueless person brought a motherboard back to the store.

he complained that it was unstable and he gets the blue screen of death. he was quite sure of himself that it was the MB's fault... so i take it outta the anti static bag and find the CPU socket was filled with thermal paste...

when i inquired why it was filled with thermal paste, he said he had a refrigiration unit to cool his CPU, the thermalpaste within the socket "and" the pin holes was to stop condensation.

obviously you do need anti water compound but not in the pin holes and you don't use silicon thermalpaste for that!!!. anyway, he bought another motherboard and wanted a tube of silicon paste as well, can already visualize his next visit when the same thing happens. *sigh*

this MB he brought back could be resold if it works properly, any ideas? no frikken idea how i can get all that paste outta the pin holes and from under the socket.

 

[hjo3]

Your store gave him a refund for the motherboard he ruined?

 

[MichaelZ]

told him we'd test it and then get back to him.

 

[SKORPI0]

He should be using Dielectric grease not thermal compound. Ask him if he really has a clue on what he is doing. Tell him there can be no exchange or refund. :roll:

 

[Wahsapa]

why didnt you just tell him what he did wrong?

 

[Special1Sauce]

If your pissed, Slap him and tell him the error of his ways.

If your not, Tell him that you wont honnor a refund on a defaced product or soemthing like that

 

[MichaelZ]

yep. after some testing this morning. the MB wasn't stable at all. tried to install XP but it often locked up on loading files. tried a hard drive with win98 already present, blue screened like expected...

refund or RMA? not a chance in hell. he didn't even bring back the stock intel HSF mounting bracket...

 

[dmw16]

cant believe you let him return it. that was dumb.

 

[Blain]

"He should be using Dielectric grease not thermal compound."

How True!

 

[Jeff7]

Well, there's a dental device called a Waterpik - sort of like a mini pressure washer for teeth. Maybe use something like that with rubbing alcohol. I've already soaked an old ISA soundcard in rubbing alcohol for a week, left it dry a few days, and then tried it out - it still worked. So I'd figure that washing the thing with this Waterpik or something similar would do the job. I don't know what a Waterpik, or something similar would cost though. Actually, maybe a little Supersoaker with rubbing alcohol would do the job - just not so much pressure as to blast off components. And don't forget about it and shoot the thing in someone's face. Or try to put a fire out with it.

 

[NokiaDude]

Once thermal grease gets inside the pin holes, the board is physically damaged. Your GM is going to be soooo pissed that you let him exchange an item he damaged himself.

EDIT: I re-read you post and I'll give you some advice; whatever you do, do not give him a refund. And tell him thermal grease is to increase thermal dissapation, not for preventing corrosion.