CPU fused to heat sink - Help?

Barron2110

Barron2110

Barron2110

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Joined
27 Mar 2014
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213
Location
Newcastle Upon Tyne
Hi guys,

I've been doing some general upgrades to my friends. PC and one of them was replacing the stock AMD cooler which is running funny and generally just needs replaced. However today when I took out the mobo and un clipped the heat sink. It was really stiff and tight, after a little wiggle it popped out. Only with the CPU still attached to it!! I've heard of this before but never experienced it myself so I was kind of shocked.

I'm worried about damage to the CPU as it was still locked in. Pins all seem fine...lucky
I've tried removing the excess thermal paste from around the heat stink but it's still jammed down tight.
I've tried using dental floss to try chip away at the paste but it looks like there's not even enough to do that.

I'm worried it's just actually fused together over the years of use and I can't get it off and I can't get it back into the slot because it won't lock in with the fan in the way.

He's currently using a ASUS Crosshair IV formula but I can't seems to find any plan AM3 socket CPUs they are all AM3+. Would one of those fit in this mobo? I don't think it will, but read online some mobo's can handle them.

My last option I can think of is using my heat gun to try loosen the paste but I'm worried about damage to the CPU?

If not looks like its a new mobo and CPU?

Any thoughts/help would be greatly appreciated.
 
ThaReaperGuy said:
Put it back into the system and run it for about an hour, this will warm the thermal paste up and it should separate!
Click to expand...

Won't fit back into the slot as it's impossible to lock it back into its socket with the heat sink being attached.

stulid said:
Warm the cpu up with a hairdryer, that might soften the paste to release it.
Click to expand...

The PC was running for 5hours before I switched it off, unplugged and dismantled it. Which took about 5minutes. would have cooked that fast?
 
Holding the heatsink try and twist the cpu off, but use your judgement with how much force to use.
 
Tried that too even tried a little excess force, but still suck and was scared of knocking the pins. I'll try the card trick tomorrow if I find one, if not the heat gun / hair dryer is coming out to play..

If this fails?
 
Barron2110 said:
Tried that too even tried a little excess force, but still suck and was scared of knocking the pins. I'll try the card trick tomorrow if I find one, if not the heat gun / hair dryer is coming out to play..

If this fails?
Click to expand...
I've never had a chip sufficiently stuck that a bit of heat and a twisting motion didn't remove it but this guy on youtube had success with rubbing alcohol dabbed around the edge to soften the paste then dental floss to slice through the rest - www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDRgahrnOC8&t=40s
 
Lay it on its side and drip some alcohol based paste remover along the gap between the CPU/cooler and leave it overnight to soak,then try

Or wd40 will work the same

Or some dental floss down the gap and floss it free
 
Last edited:
Will give all these a try soon, just gunna have a cuppa and some breakfast. Stanley blade and some heat might help break it away. I can't even make out where the paste is to be honest, if that makes sense.

Well this is definitely an experience. I even showed him my old rig and took off the water block to show him it should just come off now stick. Feel like I've broke it haha.
 
Finally after a bit time with the heat gun and pressure with a Stanley blade it popped off. It was literally engraved into the heatsink!

Got back into the old rig with new components and all it running fine, thanks for the help guys, your awesome as always.
 
Good to hear, they do stick on well some times, ive had it happen a few times when i felt it was gonna do some dmg.
 
This is something I've had too on some older AMD chips (not used newer AMD much) up to AM3. Maybe its the bigger surface area of the chip IC. I usually release the clamp and just give it a little twist before removal after pulling my first chip straight out the board.
 
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