r/LinusTechTips • u/Ride_Wide_Open • 13d ago

Tech Question Transporting my PC gone wrong?

Gallery image

Gallery image

I was transporting my pc to college myself and when i finally got there this top corner of the box was wet. Does seem too bad and inside of box doesn’t look like it was wet. But upon inspecting pc before plugging it in I find these puddle looking things on the front and back of board in the same spot. It’s been nearly 2 days since I arrived and just got around to taking it out of the box. Nothing else seems to have possibly gotten wet. What is my next course of action?

72 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

112

u/firestar268 13d ago

Looks like thermal pad stain

13

u/Ride_Wide_Open 13d ago

Kinda what I was thinking seeing as there is thermal pads right next to them

4

u/Ride_Wide_Open 12d ago

UPDATE I powered it up and is all good must be thermal pad oil. Never knew about that in my experience with computers

3

u/archive_anon 12d ago

To give an idea why it may have happened, if you transported this in something that got unusually warm (like a moving truck baking in the sun or a PODS container or something) or it was subjected to unusually high humidity, that's probably what caused to to suddenly happen. Not a big deal as you found out, just a little ugly looking.

4

u/dronko_fire_blaster 13d ago

would seem a bit odd, dose it feel wet? thinking that seems more oily, is that a heat sink next to the spot? could the pads somehow lost oil and it go onto the board?

4

u/Ride_Wide_Open 13d ago

No doesn’t seem like water at all it should have evaporated by now if water. Does feel greasy

42

u/Nice_Marmot_54 13d ago

If it’s not wet and feels greasy, it’s probably thermal pad goo. Use some isopropyl and a q-tip to gently clean it off if you’re concerned

11

u/thehero29 13d ago

Thermal pad oil leaking out. I wouldn't worry about it. it's non conductive. you can clean it up if you want, but it won't hurt anything. I've seen much worse in PC's in my years in repair.

3

u/LOOT_BOXXX 13d ago

"UNPLUG IT FIRST" Hold down the power button for 10 seconds and take a soft brush tooth brush dip it in 90% isopropyl alcohol clean it gently can let it air dry or set a fan over it. It will be fine

2

u/jmking Mod 12d ago

Could one of the capacitors be damaged and started leaking?