How do you remove a heatsink from a socket 478 CPU?

btcomm1

Senior member
Sep 7, 2006
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I'm begninning to think that the 4 pins sticking out of the motherboard are not meant to be taken out. Instead you disconnect the heat sink somewhere else.
 

w00t

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2004
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yes, you have to turn the arrows towards the heatsink than lift them up. I also suggest if you used a thermal paste that is adhesive warming it up.
 

btcomm1

Senior member
Sep 7, 2006
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Turn the arrows towards the heatsink? What do you mean? Can you show me a picture that would show me what you are talking about? I will take a picture of what it looks like and post it.
 

w00t

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2004
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There should be little arrows on the plastic points your talking about twist them towards the heatsink than pull up it should come out without applying too much force.
 

btcomm1

Senior member
Sep 7, 2006
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Hmmmmmmmmmm

Well I managed to take a very crappy picture of what the bottom of the mobo looks like I don't know if you will be able to tell but I've uploaded it.

http://home.earthlink.net/~btcomm1/P1010039.JPG

I will try to take a better one.

I don't think I have what you are talking about though. There aren't really any arrows. There are points that point down.
 

w00t

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2004
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well you don't take it out from the back you take it out from the front. Look at the front of the heatsink on the sides there should be four plastic things turn the arrows if they don't have them just turn them towards the heatsink by twisting them then pull up on them.
 

bob4432

Lifer
Sep 6, 2003
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Originally posted by: btcomm1
I'm begninning to think that the 4 pins sticking out of the motherboard are not meant to be taken out. Instead you disconnect the heat sink somewhere else.

it sounds like you are taking off the heatsink mounting bracket...
 

btcomm1

Senior member
Sep 7, 2006
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I hope you don't go to bed yet, I'm going to take some good pictures of every side and if you see exactly what I need to do maybe you can edit the images I'm posting to show me what you are talking about.
 

btcomm1

Senior member
Sep 7, 2006
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yes

Are there really pins that I need to turn or do I do something else?

Ok, I finally got the heatsink off of the CPU.

I think I might know what you are talking about now but I will post a pic.

Do most socket 478 boards already have the plastic peice to connect the heat sink to?

I'm still not sure if taking that plasic peice out is possible, here is a pic of it.

http://home.earthlink.net/~btcomm1/CPU.jpg
 

bob4432

Lifer
Sep 6, 2003
11,724
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Originally posted by: btcomm1
yes

Are there really pins that I need to turn or do I do something else?

Ok, I finally got the heatsink off of the CPU.

I think I might know what you are talking about now but I will post a pic.

Do most socket 478 boards already have the plastic peice to connect the heat sink to?

I'm still not sure if taking that plasic peice out is possible, here is a pic of it.

http://home.earthlink.net/~btcomm1/CPU.jpg

it is possible....are you installing a aftermarket hsf? unfortunately i don't have a p4 m/b handy so i am recalling from memory of when i did have a p4 about 1.5yrs ago or so.

the way to do it is carefully lift up on the white plugs (the white items in the 4 corners of the hs base that you have pictured here), i used needle nose pliers. they will pull up about 1/8", then flip the board over and you will see the other side of the pins have a little bit of distance between 2 halves. what you do is compress the 2 sides together, again carefully and again i used needle nose pliers and then you can push the white items through the hole in the m/b.

you must be very careful not to scratch the m/b as you can damage some of the traces and f*ck up a board that way.

if you don't have to take the hsf mount off the board i wouldn't do it for fun...only do it if you need to to install a different, aftermarket hsf setup. hope this helps
 

w00t

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2004
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he's not trying to take off the heatsink he already has that off looks like it was just the heatsink bracket.