i7 - Removing Stock Heatsink, putting on Aftermarket

[Mikepsyche]

I just set up my i7 build a few days ago, just in time for me to take it apart again. I'm planning on getting a Thermaltake Ultra 120 Extreme (planning on OC'ing to 3.5ghz) Is there anything I need to know that the directions won't tell me? I actually wasn't the one who cleaned off the stock foam, put on T-X2, and put the heatsink on the CPU - my bro did that. So I'm not sure how all that goes. Will I need to blow it with a hairdryer to melt the paste so I can take off the stock heatsink? Is that officially how you're supposed to do it?

 

[commandercup]

removing the heatsink is actually a relatively time consuming process if you haven't done it before lol... it gets quite frustrating if you don't see how it works from the start

Getting rid of the paste is a simple matter of just rubbing it off with some isopropyl alchohol (rubbing alcohol) and then cleaning the alcohol off with a lint free cloth. Avoid touching the actual top of the processor since the oils on your fingers can hinder thermal transfer/how the paste sticks to the surface of the processor/heatsink.

Taking off the heatsink is the easiest part. Just twist the four black knobs on the legs of the heatsink in the direction of the arrow either with your fingers or with a flathead screwdriver and then pull the black knob upwards while holding down on the heatsink (so you won't break the pins or warp the motherboard). Once all four have been pulled, the heatsink will just lift up.

Installing a heatsink is fairly straight forward although I've never had much luck with push pins... I usually prefer using a backplate... but it depends on what heatsink your using, just follow the directions that accompany the cooler.

 

[Mikepsyche]

Cool, thanks. I actually remember now my brother gave me two vials specialized for removing thermal paste, one for the bulk and one for the microscopic remainder. So, I remove the paste and then the heatsink?

 

[Hefemeister]

The paste is between the cpu and heatsink so remove the heatsink first.

 

[commandercup]

Cool, thanks. I actually remember now my brother gave me two vials specialized for removing thermal paste, one for the bulk and one for the microscopic remainder. So, I remove the paste and then the heatsink?

The paste is between the cpu and heatsink so remove the heatsink first.

what hefemeister said

and yes, if you've got the actual solutions recommended for removing stuff from the processor, that's proabably bounds better then off the shelf rubbing alcohol...

 

[Mikepsyche]

Yeah, I'll definitely use the solution stuff, but, how do you remove the heatsink if it's glued to the CPU?

 

[chesirecat1701]

The thermal paste is merely there to ensure a good contact point between the CPU topplate and the heatsink for correct heat transfer. Although when you remove the screws/pushpins that hold the heatsink on it may feel tight as if glued because the paste will have hardened a little bit.

Just gently wiggle the heatsink upwards until it lets go and then clean the paste off of the CPU and then you'll get the rest.

 

[Mikepsyche]

Ok, just ease it off? I heard about somebody using a hairdryer to melt it... Unnecessary?

 

[brinks]

Just ease it off, your's should come off pretty easily since you only had it on for a few days.

 

[commandercup]

if your sure its tx-2 then yes, it should just ease off... if your not sure, its possible you used the glue version of thermal paste... those are usually used for memory heatsinks on graphics cards etc.

make sure you don't just pull the heatsink right out... try to wiggle it/shake it a bit

back when I had an AMD system (S939) I actually pulled the heatsink out and the CPU popped out as well... half of the pins were bent!