First thing - do you have thermal compound to replace on the cpu before you reinstall the fan. Don't try and run the cpu without thermal compound. I wouldn't recommend re-using whatever gunk is in there at the moment either.
Secondly - if you are really not comfortable doing this - DON'T! Take it into a shop and let them do it. It really isn't hard, but accidents happen and you could break your cpu or motherboard doing this if you got it badly wrong.
Okay - general key is always take the fan off. For this a flat head screwdriver and needle nosed pliers are handy to remove the clips.
This allows you access to the clip more easily.
If you are worried, take the mobo out of the case, or remove the tray if you have a mobo tray. If there are components near the CPU, like memory, remove them too. If you do, ther is a right way round to install memory, make sure you get it right with the keys and slots in the socket.
Right, a good working area, clear, free access to the heatsink and motherboard.
You'll see the clip is pressing apparently off center in the heatsink. This pressure point should be directly over the cpu die (you'll see it when the heatsink is off).
Now up to this point you have not done anything dangerous to your cpu. The heatsink is still firmly attached, you can re-clip the fan, plug it in and off you go.
Removing the clip. This is where you could potentially damage something. The key thing you want to avoid here is the heatsink tipping or rocking on the cpu with any pressure applied. You want to release the pressure of the clip without really disturbing the heatsink. The best way to do this is to use a screwdriver to firmly push down on the longer of the sprung sides of the clip.
As I recall there is a slot in the end of the clip that you could insert a fat flathead screwdriver into to do this. You do not want the screwdriver to slip and damage your motherboard or components and you will have to push fairly firmly.
When you have pushed down, you will see tension in the clip over the socket lug loosen, allowing you to ease it away and release pressure on the clip. This is the point where you are most likely to slip or tilt the heatsink. You need to ensure that the pressure is released evenly and that the heatsink stays steady. It will not be a great force on it, but try not to let the clip 'ping' off.
Okay, once you have released the pressure, and the clip is off at this end, you can ease the heatsink away from the free end, with the clip, to release the other end. Do not rock the heatsink on the cpu, lift it away if you must tilt it. CPU cores are not _very_ fragile, but they do not like metal grating against their sharp corners.
Okay, as you lift it away, you should see a gunk, probably white or red, covering a spot on the heatsink about 3/4 inch in diameter. There will be an imprint of the cpu core in it, and probably a lot of residue on the cpu core itself.
You will need to clean this gunk off both the cpu and the heatsink before you can reseat it. I recommend the use of a lint free cloth, your fingernail, nail varnish remover/isoproyl alcohol, cotton buds. Once you have a mirror like (or very clean anyway) finish on the cpu core and the heatsink base you can think about re-assembly.
Before you do, you might want to take a look at the chip itself ensure all edges are true and straight and make a not of any markings. Very frustraiting to decide you want to know what week your cpu was made if you don't do it now...
You need thermal compound to re-seat your heatsink. What you removed was a thermal pad that was probably shipped with the heatsink. If you are lucky the builders discarded it and used thermal 'grease' instead, but buy the sounds of your temperatures I don't think so.
Check out <A HREF="http://www.articsilver.com" target="_new">link</A> for instructions on how to apply Artic Silver II or Radio Shack Thermal compound, both of which are said to work equally well.
When you have applied the thermal compound to your cpu, you need to reseat your heatsink. Often you'll feel like you need three hands to do this.
Objective 1 - do not crumble/crush your cpu by tiliting it or pressing too hard.
Objective 2 - do not ruin your motherboard by damaging it with a tool that slips off your heatsink clip.
Objective 3 - do not damage your processor socket by breaking off a retaining lug during installation.
Right, you are looking for a reversal of what you did to remove it. Make sure the heatsink is the right way around and that the clip is set so that it will press on the cpu core, not off center of it. The fixed end of the clip should be on the socket side without the shoulder (clip swing mechanism).
Without applying clip pressure place your heatsink down on the chip, holding it flat. Don't twist it, tilt it or slide it around any more than you must. You are trying to maintain a good contact with even distribution of the thermal compound and any of the above might introduce air pockets.
With the heatsink in place, and holind it, reapply pressure to the clip, making sure that the tool you use cannot slip. Make sure of this, because you need to push down whilst holding the heatsink in place, then release the heatsink, using you on the clip as the pressure, and then locate the free clip mechanism on the socket lug. Make sure both clips ends are securely fastend onto the lugs and not at an angle or anything.
Once you are happy with the seating, make sure the heatsink is secure, give it a little movement and make sure it does not fall off. Don't rock or tilt it significantly, just test until the clip takes the strain type of thing.
Reattach the fan (blowing onto HS seems to work best) and plug everything back together again.
When you come to power on, I'd recommend you watch it, ensure that the fan turns (power off quickly if it does not) and then boot to bios only. Go into the bios hardware monitor and check temps for 10 minutes first, see that it does not go too high. If it does, redo and reseat the HS once more.
Then, once you are happy, off you go.
Good luck, I hope this helps. Remember - if you are really not comfortable - don't do it. Accidents also happen, anyone could damage a component by working on it.
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