Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > CPUs > How to remove the CPU / heatsink?
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
oron   11-15-2004 at 09:23:20 AM

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!!

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
oron   11-15-2004 at 10:19:55 AM
- 0 +

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

Reply to oron
Ned_Flanders   11-15-2004 at 02:42:11 PM
- 0 +

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

_______________________
<A HREF="http://www.moviewavs.com/MP3S/TV_Shows/Simpsons/flanderssong.mp3" target="_new">Audio Sig</A>

Reply to Ned_Flanders
oron   11-15-2004 at 09:29:30 PM
- 0 +

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

This is pretty amusing, I agree.

Reply to oron
pat   11-15-2004 at 09:56:12 PM
- 0 +

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 !!!

Reply to pat
endyen   11-16-2004 at 04:01:19 AM
- 0 +

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.

Reply to endyen
Cybercraig   11-16-2004 at 04:59:07 AM
- 0 +

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.

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

Reply to Cybercraig
SidVicious   11-16-2004 at 06:12:47 AM
- 0 +

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



Mobile Barton 2500+ @ 2.5GHz (217MHz x 11.5)
Abit NF7-S V2.0
2x 512MB of Samsung TCC4
Sapphire Radeon 9700 128MB @ 360/310
2x Maxtor 40GB 7200RPM RAID-0

Reply to SidVicious
oron   11-16-2004 at 11:22:45 PM
- 0 +

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

Reply to oron
endyen   11-17-2004 at 03:14:19 AM
- 0 +

Is that why they ship new chips in foam?

Reply to endyen
oron   12-12-2004 at 09:28:26 PM
- 0 +

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

Reply to oron
Crashman   12-13-2004 at 05:00:31 AM
- 0 +

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

<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>

Reply to Crashman
Clob   12-13-2004 at 05:18:11 AM
- 0 +

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

"If youre paddling upstream in a canoe and a
wheel falls off, how many pancakes fit in a doghouse? None! Icecream doesn't have bones!!!"

"Battling Gimps and Dimbulbs HERE at THGC"

Reply to Clob
oron   12-13-2004 at 10:31:31 PM
- 0 +

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

Reply to oron
oron   12-13-2004 at 11:10:55 PM
- 0 +

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!

Reply to oron
Crashman   12-14-2004 at 12:46:35 AM
- 0 +

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>

Reply to Crashman
oron   12-14-2004 at 01:39:18 AM
- 0 +

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

Thanks

Reply to oron
endyen   12-14-2004 at 04:04:20 AM
- 0 +

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

Reply to endyen
pat   12-14-2004 at 05:22:09 AM
- 0 +

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 !!!

Reply to pat
oron   12-14-2004 at 07:58:41 PM
- 0 +

Running steady at 40c so far...

thanks guys

Reply to oron
coylter   12-14-2004 at 11:52:49 PM
- 0 +

Load temps?

Signature (up to 200 characters). You may use <font color=blue><b>Markup</b></font color=blue> in your signature

Reply to coylter
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > CPU & Components > CPUs > How to remove the CPU / heatsink?
Go to:

There are 1291 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.565 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them