i7-7700K Stuck to Heatsink

[lockheedmartinengineering]

Hello all, I'm trying to remove my DeepCool Gammax 400 heatsink from my CPU so I can send it in to get delidded and binned, and also install a Corsair h115i AIO cooler. I've got everything broken down now, and I've detached my cooler from my motherboard, but the heatsink isn't coming off of the CPU. I haven't put any elbow grease into it yet because I've afraid I'll damage or warp the motherboard. What's the proper way to get this thing off without damaging anything? I have an Asus Z270E motherboard (rest of my specs are below).

Does anyone know why the tracked threads link on this site is always blank for me? I know that I've created other posts on this site through this account but for some reason they are nowhere to be found.


INWIN 805: Front Panel Modified for Higher Air Flow Rate
Processor: Stock Clock Rates & Voltages. KABY LAKE INTEL 7TH GENERATION CORE I7-7700K
Cooler: (Acquired Another Fan for Push Pull Config): DEEPCOOL GAMMAXX 400 CPU AIR COOLER WITH 4 HEAT POPES 120MM PWM FAN
SSD: SAMSUNG 960 EVO SERIES - 500GB NWMe M.2 INTERNAL SSD (MZ-V6E500BW)
FANS: 120MM PWM FANS ASIAHORSE SOLAR ECLIPSE HYDAULIC BEARING QUIET 1800 PRM 4 PIN CONNECTORS WITH ANTI VIBRATION RUBBER.
Power Supply: EGA SUPERNOVA 650 G2 80+ GOLD 650W FULLY MODULAAR EVGA ECO MODE 7 YEAR WARRANTY FREE POWER ON SELF TESTER 220-G2-0650-Y1 | 90% EFFICIENCY
RAM: XMP Enabled CORSAIR VENGENCE RGB 16GB DDR4 3466 (PC4-2700) C16-INTEL 100/200 SERIES PC MEMORY CMR16GX4M2C3466C16
Graphics: ASUS GEFORCE GTX 1080 8GB ROG STRIX GRAPHICS CARD (STRIX-GTX1080-A8G-GAMING)

 

[COLGeek]

Fire up the system, "warm up" the CPU by running a benchmark or game. Shutdown and disassemble quickly. Intent is to warm up TIM to ease removal.

 

[The Original Ralph]

or you could just try using a hair dryer to warm it up -

 

[lumineZ]

When this happens, I just lay the PC on its side so that the CPU cooler stands on the CPU. then undo all the screws etc. Run a program so I put some kind of load on it, then very carefully twist the cooler. Once it moves very easy. Shut down the computer and lift the cooler off at almost the same time.

 

[The Original Ralph]

when you are ready to re-attach, definitely do not re-use the same thermal paste you used last time - i've always used Noctua NT-H1 thermal paste and never had an issue of it drying out & glueing the heatsink to the cpu.

 

[lockheedmartinengineering]

Thanks all. I actually worked it and twisted it off carefully without turning it on. I expected the TIM to be completely dry and hard but it was still a little pasty on the edges. Its been about 5 months since I put the PC together. I have some Kryonaut that I'll use to attach my new AIO. Sticking with thermal grizzly since Silicon Lottery uses Conductonaut liquid metal to reattach the IHS.