Removing chip from heatsink?

[Stryker]

I'm hoping that someone can give me some help with this. I just bought the ASUS P4P800 board, and when I was removing my heatsink from my old machine, the chip came with it. Is there a "safe" way to separate the chip from the heatsink so I can install it on my new board? This is my first upgrade, so I've never attempted this before. I'm assuming that it's just thermal grease that's sticking, but I'm not sure - the chip came stock from Dell with the heatsink attached. From what I can tell, it looks like a white, rubbery-like substance. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[techfuzz]

More than likely the substance is a thermal epoxy and needs to be warmed up to separate the chip from the heatsink. Stick it in a computer, turn it on and let it heat up for a little while, turn off the computer, remove the chip and heatsink and stick a knife or something flat but rigid between the heatsink and chip and twist the blade. The heatsink should pop off the chip with a little bit of force. Clean off the remaining epoxy with some 99% pure isopropyl alcohol and mount whatever heatsink/thermal grease solution you have bought instead.

techfuzz

 

[Stryker]

I thought of that, but the problem is that the heatsink is so big, I can't get at the ZIF lever to put the chip back in. The heatsink hangs over the sides of the entire socket.

 

[pspada]

I had the same problem with an Asus motherboard, the main reason I don't sell Asus equipment any more. Worse, when the chip came out with the hsf, it bent several of the pins and it took me hours to get them straight again.

I was able to use a very blunt dental tool inserted between chip and hsf and slowly pried it up as I moved the tool around the chip. It took some time, but I finally got the chip away from the hsf and was able to clean it up properly and put it in a new motherboard.

Hope this helps.

 

[techfuzz]

Try using a hair drier to heat up the processor and heatsink enough to loosen the epoxy then before trying to pry them apart.

techfuzz

 

[redhatlinux]

Don't think that's Epoxy, probably PCTC (Phase Change Thermal Compound). A hair dryer, carefully used, should cause the PCTC to 'melt' or Phase Change. Phase Change temp is normally about 58c so it will get pretty warm.

BTW, are putting the new mobo in the Dell case ?? Dell used to use proprietory Power Supplies, not sure if they still do, maybe not compatible with your new mobo ??

 

[snowwie]

I don't know how old your dell is, but in their latest, as in the last six months, I've been seeing them attached to the heatsinks with a TIM kinda like tin foil, like a Phase change, but it definitely wasn't white or rubbery like

I just usually use a screwdriver to separate my p4 from the heatsink

 

[Amorphus]

its not like tin foil, but I know what you mean (I have no idea how, but I know.)

its a stiff pad of sorts, with black TIM on each side... it should pop off when you heat it okay.

 

[snowwie]

no that's the Intel retail thing...

I'm talking about the one that dell uses right above the heatspreader is alu foil, then a black phase change tim thingie, then the heatsink

 

[techfuzz]

Originally posted by: redhatlinux
BTW, are putting the new mobo in the Dell case ?? Dell used to use proprietory Power Supplies, not sure if they still do, maybe not compatible with your new mobo ??

Dell uses standard ATX power supplies, connectors, and motherboard connectors now. Too many people got upset with Dell when they had a power supply go bad on their 3+ year old computer and were FORCED to purchase a replacement from Dell for a premium over going to your local PC parts store and getting a cheap regular ATX as a replacement.

techfuzz

 

[Cerb]

Edit: I should read before posting. I'm tired.