CPU heat sink clean

[ChrisXPPro]

Interested to know what folks do to achieve this.

Over time the cooling fins do get somewhat choked up with lint and that of course prejudices cooling function air flow.  I have never found an easy way to remove the cooling fan/heatsink - without the CPU coming out with it ... which means it has to be somewhat forcibly but carefully pulled out of the socket even when that is locked.  It seems all but impossible to activate the CPU socket locking lever before this - not enough clearance.

One time I actually had three or four pins get bent - fortunately that was remedied.  Last time was hassle free but even so - the CPU still had to exit the socket when locked.

Over time the heat sink compound not only seems to firm up but - there is also a ''suction'' effect so - anyone have any bright ideas for releasing this bond prior to a clean up.

I have found BTW that even a compressed air cleaning with all in place does not remove enough fuzz - removal makes for a good result.

[patio]

One method i have used with success is letting the system warm up for 20 minutes or so before trying to remove the heatsink...
YMMV.

However if it still feels stubborn make sure to unlock the ZIF lever and carefully remove it in one piece.

[ChrisXPPro]

Good idea - must admit I have done this when cold.  Thx Patio.  A good way to go next time.

But - as I mentioned, last twice anyways - the ZIF did not have enough access or clearance to move before the removal.

[patio]

Not stock heatsinks then ? ?
The ZIF can at least be raised a little bit if that's the case.

[ChrisXPPro]

I'd say they were stock sinks - but there did seem a problem getting enough access between the bulk of the assembly and mobo to raise the lever much at all.

One was on an Asus mobo - no way could I get to lever ..... after clean up and reinstall - wouldn't ya know two of the plastic tensioning clips bust!    I had to jury rig things to get good enough contact - and so it all carried on another 18 months but - I was aware that CPU cooling was never as efficient.

Unless things get real bad - I work on - ''if it ain't broke ...." 

[Kurtiskain]

I was always told to "twist" the heatsink off.

Not pulling up of course, just twisting until it made a small 'crack' noise then lift off with ease.

Of course now you must replace thermal paste/padding   

You can seriously damage the sockets pulling them like that not to mention yourself when it lets go and gets you in the face 

yes that is second hand experience, not my own, just enjoyed laughing at the guy at the time when he had heatsink fin marks across his head 

[Calum]

I've only had this trouble twice - once on a graphics card where whoever assembled it had glued the heatsink to it - I used a knife to pry it apart and had to sand it down to mount a new cooler on it.  The other is a Pentium MMX chip I have, it's still stuck together because I can't physically remove the heatsink, even with a knife blade - it won't budge.
Every other chip I've had though has been fine, as Kurtis mentioned it can help to slightly twist the heatsink, and warming it up can help too.

[patio]

Calum with that MMX you can lay it on it's side on a clean cloth.
Then using a QTip and very small amounts of rubbing alcohol dab small drops of alcohol at the top leading edge and let it sit for 20 minutes or so...
Repeat this a few times and then see if it will budge.

[ChrisXPPro]

Thx guys - seems a pre warm is certainly a useful move and a slight twist - yeah that too sounds logical tho I recall one of my cooling units was so constrained within the securing pillars the only way it could move was up!

In other words, the x and y axes were almost totally limited, leaving just a z axis option.

Heat paste does tho over time seem to have great potential for bonding.

[patio]

Thermal paste is immature super glue...

[BC_Programmer]

just don't use toothpaste...

[patio]

I've heard the Blue type is the best though...

[BC_Programmer]

as far as toothpaste goes, yes. If your stuck in the middle of nowhere on a tropical island with the basic components of the PC and a tube of toothpaste, and had a choice of which toothpaste you would have, you would be best off choosing the blue kind. This actually has a double effect, since not only can you then install the CPU and have a mediocre (but usable) heat transfer, you don't get pestered by those wild bulls like you would with the red gel, or accidentally brush your teeth with seagull droppings because you couldn't tell them from your white mint toothpaste (at least not for a second...).

unfortunately, the main problem would be finding an AC power connector. Worst comes to worst, build a generator. Simple.

[Calum]

Calum with that MMX you can lay it on it's side on a clean cloth.
Then using a QTip and very small amounts of rubbing alcohol dab small drops of alcohol at the top leading edge and let it sit for 20 minutes or so...
Repeat this a few times and then see if it will budge.

Thanks for the tip, will try that when I have some time.
I tried that (with thermal paste cleaner, not rubbing alcohol exactly) on that graphics card, which was when I discovered it was actually glue or something similar, as it made no difference.  Using a hair dryer to warm it up also didn't help whatsoever.

[patio]

Chris,
   If all else fails getting those heatsinks cleaned out here's another method that's worked for me in the past...

                      

Note how tanned i was....middle of Golf Season.

patio.