Removing CPU & HSF without damaging anything, using older tube of Arctic Ceramique

[WhipperSnapper]

I've more or less decided to upgrade my single core Socket 939 Opteron 148. However, I'm really still just a computer building noob and I'm wondering:

How hard is it to remove an installed HSF without yanking the CPU it's attached to (via now baked and hardened thermal paste) right out of the socket? Is there any risk of damage to the motherboard, the socket, the HSF, or the CPU? Is there a special technique to use?

Also, I still have a tube of the Arctic Ceramique that I used two years ago when I built this rig. Of course, I only needed a little bit and have a mostly full tube left. Could it still be good after all this time? As far as I k now it doesn't contain water and only has oils, but might they have separated out? I'm planning to buy a CPU that comes with free shipping and tacking on a $2.50 tube of Ceramique would add a $9 shipping charge.

 

[ctk1981]

Just undo the retention mechanism and give the HSF a couple twists clockwise/counter clockwise.....should pull off pretty easily. In all the times I've damaged or witnessed damage when removing/installing a HSF it has been due to the retention mechanisms on various setups and usually a slip of the screw driver. Only one I ever fubar'd was an old socket a processor. Forgot the HSF has a step and put it on backwards, crushed the core. Luckily had another one laying around and was up and running in a few minutes.

I dont know about ceramique, but I have used some older tubes of nanotherm blue and nanotherm II which are pretty old. But its going to depend on brand/composition with regards to shelf life. www.svc.com has artic silver 5 on sale for 6.99 with free shipping, would be slightly cheaper than your other option currently.

 

[Fayd]

i have a tube of ceramique i've been using for like 3 years. still works exactly as it used to, no change in thermal properties at all.

i wouldnt worry about it. i've been using it in the meantime to apply HSF's for video cards, processors, and so on and everything runs at or lower than stock TIM.