Framework 16 owner here. Just wanted to get some anecdotes from the community just in case the procedure I’m planning to follow does not work.
My plan is to run an intense benchmark on my Framework 16, then turn it off, turn it over, and let it cool. Then I disassemble the laptop and change out the thermal pad. The goal is to ensure most of the liquid metal ends up resting on the heatsink instead of the mainboards. However, when I last ran an intense workload on my Framework 16 7840HS, it was only putting up clock speeds around 3.5-3.7GHz and a temperature average of 73 degrees Celsius. Granted, it was on battery.
Will my plan still work, or will I have to resort to a hair dryer and gentle prying?
EDIT: where to clip my iFixit anti-static wrist strap would be a very nice thing to know, since I don’t want to fry something important on accident in the dry Eastern winter climate.
There is a FW supplied guide to doing the change. FW even supply the PTM for it.
My experience of it was I removed the heat sink carefully, as the guide describes.
There was then solid metal (cooled Liquid metal) on both the CPU and heatsink.
There is a clear plastic sheet around the CPU.
I placed some A4 paper sheets slightly under the plastic sheet, so that the whole mainboard was protected.
I then used a plastic scraper. (the flat end of the FW screwdriver was good) to lightly scape off all the old LM. It would flake into very small bits, and this is where the A4 made sure none of the flakes jumped off and landing in the main circuit board at all. They would cause shorts if they did.
I then used cotton buts and cleaning alcohol to clean off the heat sink and cpu, before putting the PTM on it.
The guide is pretty good. I just added the A4 sheets bit, to protect the mainboard a bit better.
The anti static strap can go on anything grounded or an anti-static mat. If you’re feeling particularly paranoid, they have adapters that can connect to the ground on wall outlets.
The sponge around the liquid metal. They talk about it in the liquid metal replacement guide.
Actually, could you send me a link to one of those adapters that can connect to the ground on wall outlets? A wall outlet is the only thing I know I will have access to. (I live in an old house.)
That being said, I’m pretty sure that clipping the strap to the laptop and removing the memory before taking the mainboard out should be good enough.
EDIT: Or, if what I’m reading is correct, just clipping it to the dented spacer I’ve had lying around ever since I replaced it with a non-dented one and dragging it around while I work on my PC.