# removing a cpu heatsink which is stuck to the cpu



## Easy Rhino (Oct 19, 2007)

it is that time of year to remove my cpu and heatsink and clean off the thermal paste and add some fresh stuff. (as well as clean out dust and what not.) however the heatsink is stuck to the cpu. well not stuck, i can sorta slide it around, but i cant remove it from the cpu because the thermal paste is acting like glue. and if i pull to hard im afraid ill rip the cpu right out of the socket. and tricks for doing this would be helpful.


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## newtekie1 (Oct 19, 2007)

Give the heatsink a twist.


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## Sasqui (Oct 19, 2007)

You need to heat up the CPU/Heatsink.  If you have the mobo out of the case, put it in an oven at 170f for about 15 min.  Otherwise, you can use a blow-dryer, or if possible run the computer on a stress like Prime95, shut down and quickly remove it.

Sometimes it just requires some careful twisting.


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## Easy Rhino (Oct 19, 2007)

well i cant twist it because the cpu bracket seat makes it impossible to move. i guess ill just run prime95 on it to heat it up and then try removing it.


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## mikek75 (Oct 19, 2007)

Its not stuck, its a suction effect. You could try using a cocktail stick or something similarly sharp (and non-metallic!) to break the seal, or as newtekie1 suggests, carefully twist it off.


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## Frick (Oct 19, 2007)

mikek75 said:


> Its not stuck, its a suction effect. You could try using a cocktail stick or something similarly sharp (and non-metallic!) to break the seal, or as newtekie1 suggests, carefully twist it off.



Then it's vacuum there? And that doesn't make sense..

Anyhow, I had this problem with a ATi Silencer 5 for my x800GT, and when I tried to twist it off, one memory chip came along. So be careful.


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## rick22 (Oct 19, 2007)

i would say take a credit card or something and try to get it between the 2 to break the suction


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## mikek75 (Oct 19, 2007)

Frick said:


> Then it's vacuum there? And that doesn't make sense..
> 
> Anyhow, I had this problem with a ATi Silencer 5 for my x800GT, and when I tried to twist it off, one memory chip came along. So be careful.



Really? Never picked up a glass of beer and found the beer mat stuck underneath?


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## Frick (Oct 19, 2007)

mikek75 said:


> Really? Never picked up a glass of beer and found the beer mat stuck underneath?



Indeed, but that's wet. Thermal compund isn't wet.

I could be wrong though, I've just never seen this happen with thermal compound..


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## erocker (Oct 19, 2007)

It happens all the time with thermal compound.  Suction = good contact.  It's unfortunate you have never experienced that.


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## bigboi86 (Oct 19, 2007)

Frick said:


> Indeed, but that's wet. Thermal compund isn't wet.




Thermal compound isn't wet? Just because it's a thick liquid doesn't mean it's a solid.

I've had this happen lots of times. Usually I twist while pulling upward with a steady but careful motion. If you can't twist, either heat it up some more, or pull on one side of the heatsink kind of hard(not too hard, though).


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## Sasqui (Oct 19, 2007)

I've had the same problem quite a few times... if you cant twist it because of the mount, heating it was the only solution that worked for me.  There was always a _little_ bit of twisting that could be done.

...Come to think of it - when I had a socket 478, I pulled the whole CPU out with the HS (latch still tight!)  YIKES!  Nothing broke, but a few lines of pins were slightly bent.  I think that's when I realised I shouldn't use so much force.


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## SK-1 (Oct 19, 2007)

erocker said:


> It happens all the time with thermal compound.  Suction = good contact.  It's unfortunate you have never experienced that.



How true,.I have actually pulled a s939 right out of the locked socket due to the suction.


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## newtekie1 (Oct 19, 2007)

This problem can be both from suction and from certain thermal compounds that harden when they cool(like a glue).  So you are all correct, sort of.

Either way, heat+twisting usually solves the problem.


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## mikek75 (Oct 19, 2007)

True, however, EasyRhino mentions that he is able to slide it around, which suggests a liquid suction effect.


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## Basard (Oct 19, 2007)

Same thing happened to my friends Dell.  I pulled His AM2 right out of the socket, carefully pull STRAIT up if you got the guts!  Maybe gently rock back and forth.  If you can fit a razor blade maybe between the cpu and heatsink try that... those metal covers on the cpu are pretty durable dude.  If you have room to spin it off do that, but I'm sure you tried that already.  

If it comes to it, that CPU will come out of the socket with the ZIF handle in the locked position, it will sound like metal getting torn apart by robots, but it's alright, the guys at AMD use super glue to hold the pins in the bottom of the cpu man. No, seriously I've been forced to take two cpus out of their socket with heatsinks attached, as long as you pull strait (so the pins don't bend) you'll be alright.


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