Help! CPU stuck to Heatsink!

[Wabbit]

Oh, crap! I tested out my new mobo and AMD processor with the stock fan, then decided to go with the Ninja mini, which finally arrived today. So I tried to take the heat sink off, unclipped it, and found that for some reason, it wasn't coming off. So I applied a little pressure and it popped off.

Imagine my shock and surprise to see the CPU still attached! I checked the pins and they don't look bent or otherwise damaged, but the heatsink appears to be solidly stuck to the CPU! How do I get the bleedin' thing off?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[derekva]

Well, provided you didn't do something foolish like use epoxy as thermal interface material, you can try gently rotating the processor on the heatsink to break the suction. Works for me every time.

-D

[porkchop]

hahaha... this has happened to me ever since i started using arctic alumina- the stuff is so sticky that the cpu comes right off with the heatsink

from what i can see though, the cpu is held in by friction so the pins should be fine- i know my cpu worked without problems afterwards.

i got mine off by twisting/turning/spinning the cpu from the heatsink- if that doesn't work, using something flat to leverage it off should be fine too.

[tehfire]

Haha yeah, I had this problem so many times when I used Socket 478. If the paste is so stubborn that it doesn't seem to twist off, you can try heating the whole thing with a hairdryer. This should loosen up the paste, and then you can try to twist it off.

Don't worry, I had this happen to my old Northwood 3 times, and it was fine every time.

[AuraAllan]

Gently sliding a scalpel in between the CPU and HS has worked for me a few times.

[Bluefront]

AS5 does this every time for me, if allowed to set up (socket 478). Cheap Radio Shack paste never does it. Go figure.

Most times the pins come out ok....sometimes one pulls right out of the CPU.

[DanceMan]

If using physical force scares you, you can drip some alcohol or lacquer thinner between the heatsink and cpu and wait a few minutes, then twist. Be careful with lacquer thinner (or the closely related acetone or nail polish remover). It will remove all paints and craze plastics.

[kittle]

Id grab some of the AS5 cleaner they sell. drip that between the cpu and HSF.. it should dissolve things enough where you can get them apart.

in the future, id loosen the cpu first -- that way you dont risk turning your socket 939 cpu into a socket 938 or socket 930

[Lawrence Lee]

It's common with thicker thermal compounds like AS5. You have to employ a twisting motion when you take the heatsink off or the CPU will be ripped out of the socket half of the time.

[Wabbit]

Ok, I will give those ideas a shot in the morning, thanks for the advice. I will see if best buy carries that AS5 cleaner, or use alcohol and a blow dryer.

I didn't use any extra thermal compound, just the stuff that comes already on the stock heatsink. As for pulling it off, I never expected that, because I've built a dozen or so systems over time and never had this happen.

Luckily, it looks like the pins are all ok. There are four gaps in the pins in the processor (it is an AM2 slot), but it really looks like they came that way. I don't recall paying that much attention when I put it in.

BTW, is Dynex silver thermal compound ok? Does it have a shelf life if kept sealed in the tube?

Thanks!

[Wabbit]

Ok, tried again this morning and with not too much effort, the cpu twisted off of the heatsink. After putting it all back together, boots up to BIOS (haven't installed the OS yet), so all seems ok!

Thanks for the help!

[AuraAllan]

so all seems ok!

Good to hear

[NyteOwl]

In reference to an above post - acetone is fine, just be careful around plastics - but be careful if you decide to use nail polish remover. Many contain oils and additives as well as acetone.