How to remove the CPU / heatsink?

[oron]

I need to return my MSI motherboard for replacement and I need to pull out the cpu. It's an AMD Athlon64 with AMD stock cooler/heatsink.

Is there any way to remove this without ruining the thermal material? If not, how do I remove the heatsink without damaging the processor? This seems very vague in the descriptions.

THANKS!!

 

[oron]

Umm...

I undid the clips and gently pulled at the heatsink and it came up *with* the cpu! That stock thermal pad is STICKY!

The pins on the cpu all look perfectly straight, so no damage done.

But how could this have been possible? Shoudln't that arm have kept the cpu in place?

How about putting it back? Am I going to have to strip the cpu off and clean it all up, or is there some way I can just stick it back down again??

Why can't the CPU's be like the good ol' days of slot processors....

THanks

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Lol, If you have some thermal paste around I'd take off the pad and put that on, if you dont - since the pad has not come off the CPU - you might be lucky and not need to replace it.

Just watch your temps closely

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[oron]

but how do i get back on there with the heatsink still attached without breaking/bending the pins?

This is pretty amusing, I agree.

 

[pat]

I suggest trying with a thin blade to separate the two parts. Hold the heat sink in a way that the CPU is at the top and pry it off the sink.

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[endyen]

As Pat said, you will have to pry the chip free of the hsf. If I were you, I would press a piece of styrofoam gently onto the pins. This should give some protection should the chip go sailing.

 

[Cybercraig]

Stick the works in a freezer bag and pop it into the freezer for a couple of hours. It will pop right apart. Use alcohol to clean the heatsink off and coat the chip with ceramique when you re-install it.

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[SidVicious]

Styrofoam is a <font color=red>BAD BAD BAD</font color=red> idea, ever heard of static electricity ?



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[oron]

i'm using the little foam pad that came w/ the cpu in the box

 

[endyen]

Is that why they ship new chips in foam?

 

[oron]

OK, I *FINALLY* got my motherboard fixed and shipped back to me!
Now I'm back to putting the CPU back on. I haven't done anything with it since I shipped off the mobo for replacement. The CPU is still stuck to the HSF with that thermal pad.

Should I remove it? Is there any way to put it back on as one unit without bending the cpu pins (with that zif lock arm)?

If I take them apart (and how?) which thermal compound should I use?

The last question is the most important.

Thanks!!

-oron

 

[Crashman]

I'd re-use the stock stuff. Re-using it works so long as it's in the exact same position and orientation.

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[Clob]

I agree. I have reused stock several time and had the same performance.

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[oron]

How do I reuse it? Once I pry it apart, won't it be ruined? Or can I just pull it apart and reset it?

Thanks

 

[oron]

I'm not sure I understand how this is ok.

I managed to pull the HSF off the cpu by twisting it slightly back and forth and pulling out. It came off fairly easily - i think it was just a really strong vacuum holding it on.

The thermal pad paste is about 90% on the HSF and 10% on the CPU heat spreader. It's a bit splotchy, although the splotches "line up" if I were to put the HSF back on.

Can this splotchy thermal paste be reused as-is?

Just in case I bought some premium silver thermal compound.

I'm totally a newbie at this thermal compound stuff, so thank for the help!

 

[Crashman]

Nah, d00d, it's just a thick putty. You pry the two parts apart, some will come off with the CPU, some will come off with the sink. When you put it back together in the same orientation, all those tears in the putty line up, and pressure+heat molds them back together.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[oron]

sweet. saves me time and headache. i'll save the $8 thermal compound for later... (or return it)

Thanks

 

[endyen]

Keep it long enough to make sure of your chip temps.

 

[pat]

I already thought about using a little drop of orange oil between the CPU and the sink when I was, once, out of thermal compound. I was ready to go to the drugstore (seen small bottle on the natural medecine shelves) when I remember of a small envelope in one of my mobo's box.

Oil could dissolve the compound to allow good contact and soon evaporate to hade the paste to become ...hard, as the original.

Well, that just a theory...

-Always put the blame on you first, then on the hardware !!!

 

[oron]

Running steady at 40c so far...

thanks guys

 

[coylter]

Load temps?

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