Question Is it possible to rotate the CPU without removing the stock cooler?

[ElFerrari]

Hello, since I previously installed the stock cooler as in the photo, it is blocking one of the RAM slots. Now I want to solve this problem because I will buy new RAM. I don't have thermal paste, so can I remove only the part shown in red in the photo and turn it to the right direction without removing the cooler completely?

 

[Eximo]

Yes, you can rotate the fan without removing the heatsink.

 

[ElFerrari]

Yes, you can rotate the fan without removing the heatsink.

Is this easy? Or would it be easier for me to buy thermal paste and remove it completely?

 

[Eximo]

Those four screws should do it. Not exactly an expensive marvel of engineering, just plastic screwed directly into aluminum. Even if it isn't completely symmetrical, you should be able to rotate it 180 degrees.

As long as thermal paste is still liquid, you could also just stick it back down immediately with little risk. Maybe push it all into the center again with a credit card or piece of hard plastic. Not best practice, but should work.

That or take the opportunity since you would have to pay for shipping a tube of thermal paste anyway to order yourself a better heatsink.

Ryzen 2200G isn't a powerhouse of a CPU though, so the stock cooler is really fine.

 

[Gururu]

If that AMD bump is the only issue, unscrew the fan, rotate and screw back into the heat sink. There should be no thermal paste involved and you don’t need to manipulate the heat sink at all.