Question CPU metal cover (heat spreader) came off - How badly have I messed up???

[RAIDGoblin]

So... I was cleaning the fan and replacing the thermal compound on a laptop, something I have done hundreds of times and this has never happened before

For information: it's an old SONY Vaio that's been used for retro-gaming and from the looks of things it's been badly overheated

I unscrewed the fan and heat-sink and it came away with no resistance, then I unplugged it and turned it over and the CPU heat spreader is stuck to the heat-sink and I'm looking straight at the CPU chip:

There is a line of black adhesive on the CPU around the edge that looks like it held the heat spreader on, and in-between the chip and the spreader is thermal paste,

My question is: Can I fix it and how???

I don't even know if I can clean the CPU chip? and what kind of thermal paste should I use on it, and what is the adhesive/how do I clean it off, Kinda feels like I messed up big time and the laptop's not even mine LOL

 

[CelicaGT]

Ironically this is done to new desktop processors intentionally. Yes, you should be able to fix it, carefully. You'll need to carefully remove the TIM from the CPU, heatsink, and heat spreader. Reapply TIM to the CPU, test fit the heat spreader and removing again to ensure good TIM contact. Clean again, reapply identical amount of TIM. Now using a silicone sealant/adhesive reinstall the heat spreader. Now apply TIM to the heatsink as you normally would and install. Test run the system and check temps.

Use rubbing alcohol to clean all components, do so carefully to avoid damaging or tearing off surface mount components.
Any high quality TIM (Thermal paste) will do. Non conductive is best.

 

[RAIDGoblin]

Ironically this is done to new desktop processors intentionally

Thanks so much for the help After a little more research I assume this is the practice referred to as "de-lidding"?
It's good to know I can just clean the chip and that it won't damage it, and I have a tube of arctic TIM, it says non-conductive compound and is quite a high end one so I assume that would be OK then

Now using a silicone sealant/adhesive reinstall the heat spreader

any advice on which one? because all the stuff I have read says it has to be heat proof

 

[Eximo]

Just have to keep operating temperatures in mind. PCs run up to about 100C, 125C on the high side for things like VRMs. So anything above that will do.

Brands will be all over the place depending ho where you are.

 

[RAIDGoblin]

I'm in the UK, there's hundreds of different things on the market so I'm not totally sure what to look for, but there's a lot of gasket glues similar to this:
https://www.google.com/shopping/product/16942761173067721492

 

[CelicaGT]

Thanks so much for the help After a little more research I assume this is the practice referred to as "de-lidding"?
It's good to know I can just clean the chip and that it won't damage it, and I have a tube of arctic TIM, it says non-conductive compound and is quite a high end one so I assume that would be OK then



any advice on which one? because all the stuff I have read says it has to be heat proof

Pretty much any silicone sealant will be sufficient. Most are rated to around 200C even if it's not marked. You could look and see what Der8auer (Search his YouTube channel, he covers stuff about delidding/shimming etc extensively. He has both German and English sites) and others use.

 

[RAIDGoblin]

Pretty much any silicone sealant will be sufficient. Most are rated to around 200C even if it's not marked. You could look and see what Der8auer (Search his YouTube channel, he covers stuff about delidding/shimming etc extensively. He has both German and English sites) and others use.

Thx I watched various YouTube vids and everyone uses something different, so I guess it'll be this one then: https://www.halfords.com/motoring/p...lant-40g-173867.html?stockInventory=undefined because I can buy it from a shop down the road