Question Removing heat sink from cpu

[dave1310]

This is one of those things I should know, and maybe I do, but when faced with actually moving my cpu to another motherboard and heat sink, well let's just say I'm not as sure of how to do it as I thought.
What is the procedure? I know I'll never install the cpu in the new motherboard with the heat sink attached. I really don't want to screw up the cpu. It's not that it's an expensive one, it's that I only have this one and I need to get my computer working again.
So, someone please walk me through the steps. I have acetone, in the form of plain nail polish remover with no oils added. What else do I need?
By the way, I'm communicating via a tablet and it's a pain in the butt. In case you were wondering.

 

[rigg42]

Depends on the cooler and socket design. Coolers have a lot of different mounting configurations. Usually instructions are available for an aftermarket cooler's mounting system. I've always used 90% + isopropyl alcohol to clean off thermal paste. I have no idea if acetone is safe. Other than that usually all you need is a #2 Phillips. Crappy stock coolers sometimes just have plastic tabs you twist and require no tools.

 

[dave1310]

Depends on the cooler and socket design. Coolers have a lot of different mounting configurations. Usually instructions are available for an aftermarket cooler's mounting system. I've always used 90% + isopropyl alcohol to clean off thermal paste. I have no idea if acetone is safe. Other than that usually all you need is a #2 Phillips. Crappy stock coolers sometimes just have plastic tabs you twist and require no tools.

The cpu is a Phenom II and the cooler is amd branded with three copper pipes coming up from the heat sink to the radiator. The whole thing is held in place with a single latch mechanism which latches\unlatches both sides of the latch-down at the same time.
I'd enclose a pix but my phone (and sole camera) is bricked, so no joy on that. I must have REALLY ticked off the electronics gods this month!
BTW, is there an "s" between the Rigg and the 42?

 

[DMAN999]

We need to know what MB, CPU and heatsink you have so we can give the proper (detailed) instructions for your setup.

The general steps are:

1. shut down PC and disconnecrt the Power cord.
2. remove the side panels.
3. lay the PC on a flat non conductive surface, like a wood table with the CPU/cooler facing up.
4. put on and connect your anti static wrist strap to an unpainted part of your PC case.

How to Use an Anti Static Wrist Strap / Wristband?

There are plenty of ways you could get this done but the sheer number of the said correct ways just makes it more confusing. Now that you have

www.wepc.com

1. un plug the cooler fans from the motherboard.
2. unscrew/unclip the cpu cooler and from the cpu (look online for installation instructions for your exact cooler and reverse them). and lift it off the cpu.

- Note: a magnetic tipped screw driver is highly recommended to be sure the screws don't fall into the case and get lost.

1. set the cooler aside.
2. remove cpu from MB socket (look in MB manual and reverse installation procedure).

- Note: you can use alcohol to clean the thermal paste from the cpu while it is still in the old MB to ensure that you don't bend any pins or damage the new MB while cleaning it.
-- Make sure to NOT bend any pins on the CPU while handling it.
Read this for the proper way to do that:

How to Clean Thermal Paste Off a CPU

How to clean thermal paste off a CPU and hundreds of other cleaning tips

www.howtocleananything.com

1. clean the thermal paste off of the cooler with alcohol using the same method.
2. Install CPU in new MB as per Manual instructions.
3. apply thermal pase to cooler and install on CPU per manufacturer instructions.

 

[rigg42]

The cpu is a Phenom II and the cooler is amd branded with three copper pipes coming up from the heat sink to the radiator. The whole thing is held in place with a single latch mechanism which latches\unlatches both sides of the latch-down at the same time.
I'd enclose a pix but my phone (and sole camera) is bricked, so no joy on that. I must have REALLY ticked off the electronics gods this month!
BTW, is there an "s" between the Rigg and the 42?

I'm assuming this is the same or similar mechanism that the wraith prism uses. If so just release the latch with little handle and gently release the metal latches off of the plastic tabs attached to the motherboard . Give it a gentle twist to un-stick the thermal paste and gently lift the cooler out. Be careful the cpu doesn't get yanked out of the socket with the cooler.

 

[CountMike]

I'm assuming this is the same or similar mechanism that the wraith prism uses. If so just release the latch with little handle and gently release the metal latches off of the plastic tabs attached to the motherboard . Give it a gentle twist to un-stick the thermal paste and gently lift the cooler out. Be careful the cpu doesn't get yanked out of the socket with the cooler.

This !!!

 

[dave1310]

Thanks. I appreciate your time and the good answer.

 

[dave1310]

Thanks! Everything worked out perfectly. Only thing I had to do differently was that I only had basic rubbing alcohol available (70%, I'm pretty sure) but it worked just fine. I'm sure there are circumstances where the 90% would be needed but, thankfully, this wasn't one of them.
I noticed that the center of the cpu and the center of the heat sink were both virtually bare of paste. I assume that was from the way the mount forced the heat sink down into the top of the cpu and squeezed it off to either side. I wonder how often that happens and what effect the unequal thermal characteristics could have? Hummm. Research for later!
Thanks again,

Dave Riggs