Tips & Tecniques - Cpu Removal

[HAVOC]

When dealing with a CPU you need to be extremely careful. They are so delicate that 1 broken or bent pin can really make the CPU not function. This makes removal a very interesting and nail biting task. Depending on the Socket, it is a nightmare sometimes trying to remove the Heatsink & Fan to get to the CPU. If there is a Thermal Pad in between them, if it's been there a long time it is normally like glue and if you pull up the HS & FAN your going to take the CPU with it. Which is always not a good thing. There is a lot of potential for disaster here.

What i'd like for everyone to do is post some really solid techniques for this situation. HS & FAN Removal without pulling the CPU out of it's slot.

The only technique I've found to work, 50% of the time is Running the PC for a good 20 minutes, getting it nice an hot, loosing up the thermal compound "somewhat" then when removing the HS & FAN using a gentle twisting motion (right or left) usually works pretty well. But, sometimes it doesn't work at all. hence the other 50% of the time.

What are your tips and techniques?

 

[DJ-CHRIS]

Just pull it off?

I have never had problems with it except witha 166 once

 

[macdude425]

Yeah, me neither.

If you have an LGA 775 processor you should probably more careful than with any other processor because the pins are so delicate.

But that's about it, really.

 

[Lintal]

But the 775's don't have the pins on the processor (they r on the mobo).
Secondly, the 775's are clamped onto the motherboard so they can't come off.

But I suppose that care does have to be taken to make sure the pads on the processor don't get damaged... or you get a bricked CPU

 

[Trifid]

if it's been there a long time it is normally like glue and if you pull up the HS & FAN your going to take the CPU with it. Which is always not a good thing.

I did that when removing my stock heatsink for a all copper one. The thermal compound had metled, and started to wrap around the cpu, so the heatsink couldn't come of, until one quick strong pull upwards it wripped it out of the socket, with that lock still on, bloody scary moment, but luckily I pulled it directly upwards, and no pins where bent.
#


I like the idea of running it for a while to melt the thermal interface, that sounds like a good idea.

 

[GrimReaper23]

yea that is probably a good idea letting it run

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Get it realy hot and slowly pull the heatsink up and off..... Unless you accidently put to much AS5 on it, that it turned to glue basicly.....

 

[Nubius]

Pry it with a crowbar has always worked for me. Or putting my foot on the motherboard to hold it down and yank on the CPU....works like a charm every time

My tip is to never use a stock thermal pad because of such reasons of it becoming a solid pain in the butt.

Even generic paste will work better and cause you less trouble in the future and create less of a mess.

Make sure you don't rock the heatsink from one side to the other as you could damage the edge of the core

 

[C0RR0SIVE]

Better hope your CPU has a heatspreader if you rock the thing....

 

[HAVOC]

DJ-CHRIS???

What are you talking about? You can't just pull the HS&F off? Did you read any of my thread? May-be with your own PC that you know what kind of Thermal Material is on the CPU. But, 99 time out off 100 i'm trying to remove a CPU from a clients PC. I never know what kinda crap is applied. It's usually Stock Thermal Pads. And they are always like freakin' cement. You can't just pull the HS&fan up. The CPU will come up with it. UNless it's the LGA775, which happens to be a very nice idea, with the metal jacket clamping hte CPU to the MOBO. THere is no way you could mess up that socket.