HowToNot: Taking Corsair RAM heatspreaders off

[Thrackan]

Hello ladies and gentlemen,

As I am now the proud owner of 8 RAM chips and a seperate PCB with another 8 RAM chips, I feel it as my duty to express to you the following:

Corsair Dominators and XMS DHX modules have those nice looking heatspreaders.
Say, you're the ignorant jerk I am.
Say, you feel like popping those heatspreaders off.
Say, you even think for a change and start at the top where it's metal on metal.

Should be safe right?

WRONG

In the corner of my eye, I noticed the ball joints of the first chip were not connected anymore.
Of course, at that moment I decided that the stick was killed anyway and pried the entire sink off just to show you guys

What have we learned today?

1. XMS heatspreaders are glued.
2. Ball joints are weak.
3. I still don't know which chips are (were) on these sticks.
4. RAM without heatspreaders is safer simply because you can't kill it with stupid things like this.

 

[alexp999]

Corsair You

At least it shows Corsair uses decent adhesive for the spreaders. I guess you should have warmed them up first.

 

[Thrackan]

Corsair You

At least it shows Corsair uses decent adhesive for the spreaders. I guess you should have warmed them up first.

I was going to try the freezer method, but all I wanted is to see if I could separate the inner and outer HS... Guess not

 

[alexp999]

I wonder if the retailer would take em back?

 

[Thrackan]

I guess if I stick the spreaders back on and delete this thread... But I'm not one to screw retailers around.

I know that people do otherwise, but I stand by the fact that this is my own fault.
IMHO, even if a retailer screws you around, you will simply lower yourself to their level if you do.

 

[alexp999]

Just a thought not saying you should/shouldnt. I wouldnt

 

[h3llb3nd4]

Ahh A nice set gone...

 

[alexp999]

I actually feel more sorry for the RAM than Thrackan

I wondered if it will run as single sided ram?

 

[Bo$$]

you must'a pulled them real hard to break them clean off

I actually feel more sorry for the RAM than Thrackan

RIP --- RAM ---

lets all take 1 min silence in honour of the ram that gave it's/their live/s

 

[MKmods]

Thanks for showing this.. you may save a few folks from repeating this (like me)

 

[Thrackan]

Thanks for showing this.. you may save a few folks from repeating this (like me)

That was somewhat the goal of this thread

I actually feel more sorry for the RAM than Thrackan

I wondered if it will run as single sided ram?

Hmm, let's test!

 

[Bo$$]

im sorry, stupid question but do they still work like 512MB or something?

EDIT- seen your post now

 

[MKmods]

I wonder what kind of glue/epoxy that is and if its better/worse than the Arctic Silver I use on all my stuff..

Though its on a smaller scale I feel ur pain

 

[DreamSeller]

they where so sexy

 

[h3llb3nd4]

Did you sand it off mk?

 

[Thrackan]

Hmm, CPU-Z still reports the 4th stick as Corsair - 2048MB.
BIOS and Windows now report 4 Gb instead of 6 (or 7) total.

Let's try booting with only this stick now.

 

[h3llb3nd4]

I laugh if it boots

 

[Thrackan]

What have we learned #5:
- SPD chips work to identify memory even if you tear off the memory chips
- Memory sticks on the contrary, do not.

 

[h3llb3nd4]

so did it boot?

 

[WarEagleAU]

Wonder why they use glue. Its not like glue transfers heat any better. I was thinking a thermal pad or thermal tape or at the very extreme, Thermal Epoxy.

 

[vega22]

dude i cant stop pmsl, i know its bad but damm what was you thinking???

cant you find out what they are by the version number or the serial and the ram list?

lets hope this works as a warning for others hey


ninja edit

love you sig btw

 

[Thrackan]

I wonder what kind of glue/epoxy that is and if its better/worse than the Arctic Silver I use on all my stuff..

Though its on a smaller scale I feel ur pain
http://i370.photobucket.com/albums/oo142/Partspicts/Picture110.jpg

Well it's hard but still a tiny bit flexible. I doubt it's epoxy cause as far as I know most epoxy compounds dry up rock hard.

so did it boot?

Nah, fun to see the SPD chip did work though...

WHY?

"Do, or do not, there is no why."

 

[DrPepper]

Oh well I wish they made them screwed on or bolt on so they can be changed.

 

[cdawall]

i did the same thing with my XMS2 they were promos so its not like i killed anything important

 

[largon]

Ouch.
I thought Corsair used soldering paste/cream and not glue what it looks like to attach the HS'...