Can't get heatsink off

[Slickone]

I've got a 6 year old Compaq PC w/ an AMD K6 or K6-2 that I can't get the heatsink off. I tried twisting, and prying it off with medium force. Any tips?

 

[Fresh Daemon]

Try heat and cold. Put it in an anti-static bag and stick it in the freezer for a few hours. Then try again. If that doesn't work, heat it up with a hairdryer, and try again. Generally heat and cold will weaken the epoxy stuff OEM's use. I have used the freezer method to remove OEM graphics card coolers that were epoxied on.

 

[Slickone]

So you're saying to remove the heatsink and CPU from the motherboard and put them both in the freezer. That won't hurt the CPU? Also if I remove it, there's nothing to pry on. Right now, I can use something else mounted in the case as a fulcrum, prying up on the heatsink (not touching the CPU). But it starts to pull the CPU from the ZIF socket.

And if I can't get it off, is it hard to put the CPU back in the socket w/ the heatsink on?

 

[Fresh Daemon]

It won't damage the CPU to be in the freezer. There are people who run phase-change coolers that keep their CPUs at -40C (or colder) while running. Just make sure any condensate is evaporated before you put it back.

Is the heatsink blocking the ZIF lever?

 

[theMan]

have you tried running prime95 burn tests, and then, doing it? that would heat things up a lot.

 

[AMDCrazy]

Smack it with a BFH.......J/K good luck in your adventure.

 

[bdww00]

pull up the hs with the proc. it should come out pretty good out of the socket with enuff force then spray engine degreaser all over the hs and proc. to loosen the suction on the proc

 

[imported_Kensai]

Welded on heatsink?

 

[bdww00]

no!/\ i dont think so

 

[Canterwood]

Stop being a girl and just pull it off!

 

[JEDIYoda]

I wouldn`t advise using a blow torch to heat it up!!

 

[Bona Fide]

Originally posted by: Canterwood
Stop being a girl and just pull it off!

wo0t

 

[ssvegeta1010]

Originally posted by: bdww00
spray engine degreaser all over the hs and proc. to loosen the suction on the proc

Insticnt is telling me that that would not be a good idea...

 

[thescreensavers]

buy a new cPU and heatsink should not be so much money. I bought a 500MHZ celeron for $3 OEM on a site (not from ebay).

 

[Slickone]

Tried the freezer thing, but still wouldn't budge. Gonna try prime95 later, once I get it on the PC (wont fit on a floppy). But either way, any force will be against the CPU's pins. I'm afraid they'll bend or break.
What if it's got a thermal pad on it?

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: Slickone
Tried the freezer thing, but still wouldn't budge. Gonna try prime95 later, once I get it on the PC (wont fit on a floppy). But either way, any force will be against the CPU's pins. I'm afraid they'll bend or break.
What if it's got a TIM on it?

If it didn't have TIM on it the CPU would probably have died by now

 

[JEDIYoda]

Originally posted by: Slickone
Tried the freezer thing, but still wouldn't budge. Gonna try prime95 later, once I get it on the PC (wont fit on a floppy). But either way, any force will be against the CPU's pins. I'm afraid they'll bend or break.
What if it's got a TIM on it?

Whatever you do don`t resort to using WD40....

 

[Slickone]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
If it didn't have TIM on it the CPU would probably have died by now

Sorry I meant a pad. Fixed my post.

 

[otispunkmeyer]

i always remove my HSF right after use if i need to. that way the thermal stuff is still warm n gooey...and it comes off easy as pie

 

[MDE]

It's probably dried up silicone paste. Just pry the thing off with a flathead screwdriver. You won't hurt anything because the K6-2s had heatspreaders.

 

[Slickone]

FYI, it came off pretty easy after getting it hot. Just old silicone.

Originally posted by: thescreensavers
buy a new cPU and heatsink should not be so much money. I bought a 500MHZ celeron for $3 OEM on a site (not from ebay).

I'm curious, where?

 

[bobsmith1492]

Crowbar - 2 ft, with 5 ft pipe as an extension. I guarantee it will work. I don't guarantee the CPU will afterward.

 

[Fresh Daemon]

Edit: Nevermind, I see you did it. Good work.