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Help needed - heatsink and processor stuck

Forum CPU & Components : CPUs - Help needed - heatsink and processor stuck

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BlackCat99   08-31-2008 at 06:24:59 PM

Hi there, I need to remove the Pentium 4 processor from my computer but cannot do so because of the thermal compound that binds the processor and its heatsink (which I think is just a stock Intel heatsink with a fan on top of it) together.

About two years ago, I was able to pull the heatsink away from the motherboard with brute force, taking the processor with it and bending several pins in the process, but now I can't even manage that, even using both hands.

I have tried leaving the computer on overnight whilst running CPU-intensive applications in order to try to 'melt' the thermal compound, and have also tried heating it up with a hair dryer, but to no avail. It simply will not budge. When I've seen the thermal compound in the past, it was rather thick and looked like concrete.

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can remove the heatsink, preferably without taking the processor with it? I'd rather not have to fork out for a new processor (or even a new motherboard, if that were to crack).

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strangestranger   08-31-2008 at 06:58:53 PM
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you need to just wiggle and twist it about a bit, do not use excessive force

------------------------------ I'm a git, deal with it.

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BlackCat99   08-31-2008 at 07:25:58 PM
- 0 +

I've tried wiggling it many times, to no avail. There isn't really any room for it to be twisted :(


Message edited by BlackCat99 on 08-31-2008 at 07:27:41 PM
Reply to BlackCat99
particleman   08-31-2008 at 08:20:01 PM
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The clips that hold the heatsink.....make sure they are unhooked and free from snagging on anything.

-PM

Reply to particleman
Legless Ethiopian   08-31-2008 at 08:36:16 PM
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would there be room to twist if you removed the motherboard from the computer first?

Reply to Legless Ethiopian
venkat karthik   08-31-2008 at 08:43:40 PM
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i give no guarantee for his but you may try this

slowly drop isopropyl alcohol in between processor and heatsink and try to go towards the center

you may now make it easy

Reply to venkat karthik
teaser   08-31-2008 at 09:03:32 PM
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Put it in the freezer for an hour or two,then try to wiggle it off

Reply to teaser
BlackCat99   09-01-2008 at 03:09:30 AM
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No, removing the motherboard wouldn't give me room to twist, there's a yellow plastic thing (I presume the "rentention module base", as supremelaw posted) completely surrounding the heatsink preventing me from twisting it. http://uk.giga-byte.com/Products/V [...] uctID=1706 is the motherboard that I have, and I can see four nuts in the corners of the yellow thing, but I don't think it's possible to remove them while the heatsink is there. :(

Yeah, it's a socket 478. Reaching the CPU's locking lever is completely impossible, unfortunately, because it's entirely beneath the heatsink.

Is putting a motherboard in the freezer safe? :o

Thank you for showing so much interest, supremelaw, I appreciate it very much.

Reply to BlackCat99
Grimmy   09-01-2008 at 03:19:21 AM
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If memory serves, my old P4 stock HSF, when the retention levers are released, it automatically breaks the seal, since those levers actually lift one side up, then the other. The only other trick was getting the fan bracket off the HS bracket, which would be the black or orange. Once that is off, the aluminum HS should come right off with no resistance.

If you do have the fan bracket off, but still can't get the HS off, you might have used a thermal adhesive instead of compound. It shouldn't be hard to get off.

Reply to Grimmy
BlackCat99   09-01-2008 at 03:23:34 AM
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Hmm, I'd forgotten that I could detach the fan from the top of the heatsink. I'll try that tomorrow morning and let you know what happens.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to BlackCat99
Grimmy   09-01-2008 at 03:42:26 AM
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BlackCat99 wrote :

Hmm, I'd forgotten that I could detach the fan from the top of the heatsink. I'll try that tomorrow morning and let you know what happens.



Heh.. putting it on is literally a snap. However taking it of is not. :lol:. o O (unless you break it)

Using a Flathead screw driver can help get those Fan Bracket clamps off the bottom retention bracket, which would be the orange bracket.

Once that is off, there should be no resistance to take the HS off.

Reply to Grimmy
BlackCat99   09-02-2008 at 02:02:27 AM
- 0 +

How horribly humiliating, that's all there was to it. >_>

I hope at least this thread can serve as a reference for anyone who has a similar problem in the future.

Reply to BlackCat99
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