How to change heat sink/fan

skyodyssey

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Jun 12, 2003
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Has anyone replaced the stock heatsink fan of a Pentium 4 2.4? I was looking at it and it doesn't look like it can be done. I want to upgrade the fan, but keep the heatsink if at all possible. So has anyone done this, or know of someone who has done this? Also, how hard would it be to just change the whole thing, heatsink and all. It is the stock heatsink so it has that sticky pad on the CPU. Is it hard to get that sticky pad off of the CPU? I don't want to damage the CPU by trying to get that stuff off of it. Is there and good articles on doing this? Thanks.
 

error_911

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Nov 10, 2002
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i'm an AMD kid at heart, so sorry for not being able to picture the stock HSF, but if its the one i think it is (the flower looking one that remind me of a Zalmann creation) then removing the fan is a big no-no. as for removing the entire heatsink, even if there is a thermal pad between the two (its not adhessive so don't worry) its not hard... quite simply put, just yank it (in a very slow and fluid motion, heh). then to clean it off just use a gaus pad or some cotton swabs and rubbing alcohol (isopropyl alcohol), and clean off the CPU and heatsink's base (the one to be installed obviously), then let it dry, apply some thermal paste and you're set. and don't worry, you won't damage the CPU - just be careful and don't decide to play catch with it and you'll be fine.

<b>I have nothing better to say</b>
 

skyodyssey

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Thanks for the reply. So what your saying is that the thermal pad is not stuck to the processor? I don't want to take the heat sink off and have allot of the thurmal pad still on the processor. Should I leave the processor mounted to the motherboard when attempting to remove the heat sink? Or should I lift both the processor and heat sink out then remove it? Below is a link to a pictue of the heat sink I have, there is a picture twords the top that shows the bottom, and at the bottom there is a picture of the top. Thanks again!
http://peripherals.about.com/library/weekly/aa082402a.htm
 

error_911

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well the processor will be somewhat stuck to the heatsink, but not technically glued (the thermal pad is sticky, but not purposfully so, so it can be removed easily enough). As for your heatsink, you can actually change the fan on that to a bigger better one, all you need is a 60mm to 80mm fan adapter (though i would still suggest something better). Just remove the heatsink first and leave the cpu in place, you don't need to remove it to remove the heatsink (you probably can't even remove the CPU before removing the heatsink)... then remov the CPU to clean it off (don't worry, if you use something soft you can lightly scrub it to remove the thermal pad).

<b>I have nothing better to say</b>