Epoxyed processor and HSF!!

Well the family computer(an alienware ) started crashing and getting abnormally high temps. I took it apart and while I was at it, I decided to reseat the heatsink with some Arctic Silver 5. Well the computer was REALLY dusty, that was the cause in the high temps. I tryed getting the heatsink off and after a few minutes of trying to the clips off, it finnally came lose...With the processor(P4 3.00). I tryed pulling and twisting, it won't budge. I tryed scraping the extra goop(probably epoxy) off and it still won't move.
So...Is there any way to get epoxy off?

Yeah, I know, long story. Probably alot of typos too.

its probably the stock thermal pad - yeah, my friends 2.4C was stuck to his dell HSF when we went to put AS5 on it & move it to his new comp, i had to get a damn pipe wrench w/ duct tape wrapped around the jaws & literally twist the processor off of the HSF (being careful not to damage the pins)

it was a scary ordeal, but atleast we got the CPU off of the HSF

I was hopeing something along the lines of rubbing alcohol, arcticlean, or some other cleaner would work. Will that much force on the IHS hurt the processor?

I don't think so. As long as you don'tbend the pins, like he said.but if it DIDN'T have a metal cap, or whatever they call that metal cover over the core, then you would be in for some real trouble.
I don't think that rubbing alchohol or arcticlean would take of the epoxy. Usually things that are epoxyed together are married for life. which scares me

I highly doubt they would expoy the cpu on. You said you were able to scrap away some of the thermal compound? If it were epoxy, you would literally have to chip it away. It's probably just suctioned on there.

you can maybe heat the cpu heatsink with a hair dryer and then maybe "pry" the cpu off with a flat head screwdriver.

Wow, thanks for the fast responses. It probably is some kind of thrmal pad, I'm using some articlean on it and its coming out the other side with grey stuff(like arctic silver) in it. I'll try the heating next.

keep trying that articlean, just try to kinda pour it into it so it seeps in and kinda kills away what evers there so it removes easily and safely.

Well, I finnally got it, it came right off with a heat gun. Thanks for the help.
The arcticlean was taking too long because the gap was so small inbetween the processor and the heatsink. I think it might of been AS 5, It has the exact same color as it and I though most pads were white colored.

For future reference..........

Ziploc bag and a freezer works too.

btw, it wasnt actual epoxy, it was the stock waxed-based thermal pad

the heatgun prolly re-melted the wax pad slightly, allowing it to break free

squirtle632 said:

For future reference..........

Ziploc bag and a freezer works too.

Click to expand...

that works the best i have done that a few times

actually the pads get burned up and black after prolonged use. thats what happened to our p4. i just ripped the hs away from the cpu and it was burned black. now the thing has good ol' AS5 in it and is running sweet.

Yea. Didn't think it was epoxy. Good thing eh?
Now... what is that disgusting thermal paste that resambles dryed up bubble gum.. fouond some of that nasty stuff in between my gpu core and hs.

squirtle632 said:

For future reference..........

Ziploc bag and a freezer works too.

Click to expand...

If its EPOXY, which this was NOT. putting the HSF/processor in the freezer would have done nothing. And, are you insane ziplock baggy= ESD! ESD! ESD! If you put it in the freezer just clear a space and set it so the proc has no forces on it(so no bent pins) I've never had to deal with epoxy but I know my ESD. If you reallly want to wrap it in something, use Al foil.

I think that arcticlean has done some job too...
Remember kids - thermal pads are bad.

I have never had a problem with taking a HSF off a CPU.

I run prime for about half an hour, then i shut the machine down quickly and pull the heatsink off. it comes off real easy since the pad/paste/whatever was heated up and becomes alot easier to take apart.

or the same thing applies with a hair dryer. grab your wifes/girlfriends/sisters/mothers hair dryer and blow hot at on the heatsink for about 5 min. pull off with great ease.

thats my 2 cents.

I don't even think that was a thermal pad... I'm guessing some really low quality thermal paste. When I got my computer, I remember i got REALLY low temps with stock cooling and crappy wiring straight from ibuypower(from Asus Probe, around 27°C idle)... around a year later, I started getting crappy temps. I eventually worked up the courage to remove the sink (which was an absolute biznatch, btw). Once I assured all the clips were removed, I tried twisting and pulling, and eventually, My sink gave way. It was giving much resistance, and then it just RIPPED out. Then I saw some pins sticking out of the sink. Then I actually 'looked' and I saw my P4 sticking out of the heatsink! I was scared to death that I broke something. I was bamboozled on how to remove the processor... It looked buried into the TIM (which was along the WHOLE base of the 3.0c stock heatsink)... It was like a compresed powder. I tried chipping the powder away, and then I noticed it was weak. Took some of the TIM away from one side of the processor, stuck a small flathead under the PCB of the processor (the processor was buried in TIM up to the PCB) and then gave a small pry. All the TIM cracked, and the processor was free. the TIM was gray, and was around 1.5cm off the base of the heatsink (with a small indent where the processor was)...

Replaced with AS5, and all was done.

Heres my ghetto method. install the cpu in its socket but dont put on the rentetion clips to the heatsink. Then boot up the pc, let it run for a few minutes. Then shut it off and pull GENTLY on the heatsink. The heat from the cpu will loosen the pad and the heatsink will un-stick from the cpu.

I know you already got it. I just posted this for anyone else that has the same problem

shellshock said:

Heres my ghetto method. install the cpu in its socket but dont put on the rentetion clips to the heatsink. Then boot up the pc, let it run for a few minutes. Then shut it off and pull GENTLY on the heatsink. The heat from the cpu will loosen the pad and the heatsink will un-stick from the cpu.

I know you already got it. I just posted this for anyone else that has the same problem

Click to expand...

which does have the same affect of pulling the HSF along with the cpu. i.e. using heat to seperate them. lol. which ever works best without damaging the cpu works best always!