Stupid question: How do I separate CPU from HSF?!

[BLACK KNIGHT]

I upgraded my CPU and I'm trying to get my old AM2 CPU separated from the stock AMD HSF. What did they super glue these on?!?! Is there a procedure for removing the CPU from the HSF. When I pulled the HSF off the mobo, the CPU came with it and is stuck to the bottom of the HSF!

[cauzomb]

If you are bored of new idea's, don't want to buy a CPU cooler and won't cut your fingers off while using a paint scraper/razor blade, skip to the bottom.

Number 1:
Try sawing between the heatsink and cpu heatspreader with some dental floss or sewing thread.

Number 2:
Heating the heatsink up with a hair drier, don't exceed the thermal specs for "storage max temp" of your cpu package type, after it's hot, try twisting/sliding it off..

Static=bad, use anti-static best practices, a ground/anti-static wrist strap etc..

Number 3: Just leave that stock heatsink fan on the CPU and upgrade to a bracket backed 120mm fan/heatpipe cooler for your new CPU..

Bottom:If twisting and sliding does not work, do not pry it away from the base unless you use a large surface area wedge, a razor blade works well here, place the sharp edge flat against the gap between the heatsink and IHS of the CPU, then while holding the lot of parts over a soft surface, like anti-static bubble wrap, tap the razor blade with a wooden block or screwdriver handle untill it breaks free..

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Okay, cool will try some of those ideas. I was just surprised. I upgraded my processor and the CPU was stuck to the HSF when I pulled it out but I was able to remove the CPU from the HSF fairly easily. Then when I upraded my wife's PC the same thing happened but I had the stock AMD HSF on her CPU and it won't budge!

[cauzomb]

it could be epoxied?

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Nah, I don't think AMD would put epoxy on their HSF...would they? It's a stock AMD HSF as I buy my CPU's boxed...as opposed to OEM.

I just never had this happen back in the Socket A days.

[cauzomb]

Probly not epoxied. I have seen some socket 939 chips that used the stock HSF and was baked on pretty good, I think those are pretty close to the am2, had to twist the heatsink to get it loose. The pins of your old CPU probly just slipped out of the socket but check the socket/retention mechanism for any damage or dislodged CPU pins remaining in the socket before installing the new cpu..

Try a different CPU thermal grease, the factory amd thermal compound works well enough but tends to get baked on after a while and usually doesn't perform as well as the good stuff in regards to load temperatures.

I use Arctic silver 5 but there are other good ones.

[BLACK KNIGHT]

Well a small flathead screwdriver pryed it apart very easily. And all is well. Thanks!

[cauzomb]

You're welcome. The old heatsink is probly good to go if you didn't gouge the CPU/Heatsink contact surface, but you may want to check the base of the heatsink for scratches where you used the screwdriver to pry them apart if the screwdriver got between the CPU and heatsink contact area.. The reason is that the scratches might have raised edges, the raised bit of metal on the heatsink base would prevent the heatsink from sitting flat on the CPU, leading to less than ideal heat transfer.

[BLACK KNIGHT]

I was actually very careful...so no scratches, it actually pried apart with VERY little force...I was surprised...it almost fell off by using the screwdriver...go figure! I cleaned itreally well with alchohol and applied fresh thermal paste and all is well now...it has been running along nicely ever since!