Sticky situation...

[dymetrie]

Have just upgraded my CPU after nearly 5 years of solid service.

Only problem is that when I pulled the HSF, the processor came with it!

Any advice on how to unstick the processor so I can repurpose it?

 

[dymetrie]

hairdryer, lowest setting.......let it slowly warm the old paste up. then gentle twisting action at the corners.....and patience. much patience

Awesome advice, worked like a dream and didn't take too long, either

Just needs a bit of a clean up and then can be added to my collection of archaic CPUs to sell (alongside an i3 2100 and an i5 2500k)

if it's an upgrade isn't it all going in the bin anyway?

Just because I've moved on, doesn't mean there isn't plenty of life left in it that someone might be able to make use of...

 

[dymetrie]

While too late for OP, the advice I seen which I took when I've upgraded a CPU or a cooler is to run the system for a few minutes first to get some heat into the thermal paste which can make it easier to twist the cooler off.

Glad you didn't try to pick it off with a screwdriver, that's very poor advice.

What you should have done is, played a game for a few mins or a benchmark and then it will hear up the paste and you can then just take it off normally.

Looks like to much paste as well, or is that the stock cooler and that how it came?

For AM4 CPUs I'll always disconnect the CPU fan and just turn it on a while. If I don't do that, it's almost a guarantee it'll be pulled out with the cooler.

All of this makes a huge amount of sense! But then I've not done any proper PC upgrading/building since I put this lot together 4 years ago

@cjgardens can confirm it was the stock cooler, with the stock paste

So damn lucky you didn't bend any pins!

Stupidly lucky!

 

[dymetrie]

So what did you upgrade to ???

Something slightly shinier