Questions on un-lidding a Q6600

Godfather1138 · Feb 14, 2008

I am seriously considering giving this a try, but want to make sure i fully understand what I am getting my self into. Failing to do this I will just lap, but I'd like to go a little hardcore with it if I can do so without fear of losing the chip.

The way i understand it the following are the steps for doing this:

1. Trim the glue along the edges of IHS with a razor blade.

2. Gently pry razors under the IHS at the corners.

3. Rest Razors on solid surface allowing IHS to be exposed hanging upside down. With razors supported so they won't collapse when the IHS does.

4. Heat IHS with torch until solder melts causing IHS to fall away from cores.

Sound about right? Well here are my few questions about the process:

1. What risk is there of damaging the cores with the razors?

2. What risk is there of damaging the cores with the torch?

3. What risk is there of damaging the cores with my Apogee GT? Using the stock domed nuts, or will I need to use open ones to allow a little more room to tighten?

4. What is the TC rule when applying directly to the cores?

5. This is my butane torch, will it be able to get the IHS/solder hot enough?

For precision light soldering, polyfoam cutting and heating, craft and hobby projects, electronic repairs, and small household projects. Refillable, uses butane fuel. Simply twists on or off. Burns for 20 minutes. 3,100 degrees Fahrenheit flame temperature. This Bernzomatic Micro Flame 3-In-1 Butane Torch is one of many top quality items in our Torch Kits department.

Thanks for the help guys. I just want to know what I am getting myself into before I do anything stupid.

hokiealumnus · Feb 14, 2008

Sorry, I am no help at all, but this makes me excited. Take pics! I'd love to see this done.

terran2k · Feb 14, 2008

I'd rather invest in better cooling, than risk damaging such a cpu, espicially with 4 cores.

EmAn · Feb 14, 2008

I believe that the IHS is soldered directly to the cores as well as around the cores so im not sure if this would work

Ben333 · Feb 14, 2008

EmAn said:
I believe that the IHS is ~~soldered directly to the cores~~ attached with thermal epoxy as well as around the cores so im not sure if this would work

Fixed.

And yes you have it about right but it has a high failure rate. Your torch should be fine as I delidded a pentium 4 with only a small lighter.

You delidded your opteron, right? Its kinda like that with the cutting but two cores and a hot flame...

jason4207 · Feb 14, 2008

I've seen the pics where somebody did it, but I'm not about to give any advice on this matter.

Well maybe a little...I know that if you do this you might have to remove the bracket covering the 775 socket b/c the dies (or is it dice?) might be below the level of the bracket. That means the only thing holding the CPU in the socket will be your HS mount. That or you'll have to modify the base of your HS to fit down in the hole.

If you've never mounted directly to an exposed die then you have to be careful. I chipped a gfx card core doing that...it's dead.

jason4207 · Feb 14, 2008

ben333 said:
Fixed.

And yes you have it about right but it has a high failure rate. Your torch should be fine as I delidded a pentium 4 with only a small lighter.

You delidded your opteron, right? Its kinda like that with the cutting but two cores and a hot flame...

I thought it was soldered? I know some of the lower end chips (e4x00, e21x0, etc.) use thermal epoxy or some kind of TIM, but I thought it was shown that the e6xx0/q6xx0 chips were soldered.

Anybody have anymore info on the matter?

BossBorot · Feb 14, 2008

c2d is soldered IIRC (some lower alendales and e4x00 are not soldered) regardless the op posted the correct method for delidding c2d. Just dont do anything stupid and you should be fine. These chips where made in far hotter conditions then that torch can get so there isnt much to worry about even though the torch is 3000 degrees or so. Also you can damage the processor with the razors if you push them in to far so just put them in far enough to cut the glue.

Stanm · Feb 14, 2008

jason4207 said:
I thought it was soldered? I know some of the lower end chips (e4x00, e21x0, etc.) use thermal epoxy or some kind of TIM, but I thought it was shown that the e6xx0/q6xx0 chips were soldered.

Anybody have anymore info on the matter?

The solder claim seems shakey to me...some of the posts say things like:

1) Using heat to melt the solder

2) Later when the IHS has been removed, you wipe away the remaining solder. Umm...it would require more heat...

Godfather1138 · Feb 14, 2008

but it has a high failure rate

ouch, how high? I really don't see that you could cause too many problems if you are careful, and take your time.

I'd rather invest in better cooling

Such as phase? I'm already on a decent loop, I just want to get a few extra deg.

jaymz9350 · Feb 14, 2008

Godfather1138 said:
ouch, how high? I really don't see that you could cause too many problems if you are careful, and take your time.

I don't know the actual failure rate for it but I look at it like this,if it wasn't too hard you would see alot more people on here do it. Look how many people on here unlidded 939 chips vs C2D/Q. since most people around here look for the best performance they can get I would say if it wasn't really risky more would do it.

Ben333 · Feb 14, 2008

I'd like some proof that it is solder. Until then I'm going to stick with it NOT being solder because I have delidded a couple of the "soldered" chips.

Godfather1138 · Feb 14, 2008

I look at it like this,if it wasn't too hard you would see alot more people on here do it.

More like if it wasn't so scary more people would do it. Kinda the same reason everyone doesn't sky dive. There is a small chance of dying if you do something wrong, but it is the fear that keeps most people on the ground.

I'm not saying you are wrong, but you statement is an assumption not based on facts or proof.

jason4207 · Feb 14, 2008

ben333 said:
I'd like some proof that it is solder. Until then I'm going to stick with it NOT being solder because I have delidded a couple of the "soldered" chips.

Which one's? Any e6xx0's or q6xx0's? Those are the only one's I've heard have solder. I don't have any experience, though, that's just what I've read online.

This thread mentions solder a couple times.

Stanm said:
2) Later when the IHS has been removed, you wipe away the remaining solder. Umm...it would require more heat...

I'd think it wouldn't stick very well to the silicon die, and would slide right off...I could be wrong.

Stanm · Feb 14, 2008

jason4207 said:
Which one's? Any e6xx0's or q6xx0's? Those are the only one's I've heard have solder. I don't have any experience, though, that's just what I've read online.

This thread mentions solder a couple times.

I'd think it wouldn't stick very well to the silicon die, and would slide right off...I could be wrong.

That's what I mean...things are not adding up here. Normally you solder metal to metal, generally copper in most applications. Well the IHS is copper. But the die case is not made of copper or similar metal.

If this was solder that somehow works with the copper IHS and die then how come you can wipe it off like grease later on?

Maybe it is just a thermal adhesive that is silverey in appearance due to metallic contact.

Also...are dies water and steam resistant. Could boiling in water help...that way temperatures won't exceed 100C and you could still get the thing off since the critical temperature is lower than that.

Charr · Feb 14, 2008

Someone sold a delidded Q6600 on the classifieds a few months ago. I don't remember who sold it or who got it, but it proves that it can be done.

Automata · Feb 14, 2008

Charr said:
Someone sold a delidded Q6600 on the classifieds a few months ago. I don't remember who sold it or who got it, but it proves that it can be done.

Yes, it is possible. The failure rate seems to be pretty high though.

Godfather1138 · Feb 14, 2008

Ok, i keep hearing that the failure rate is high, but no one has gotten specific. How many people have you heard about actually killing their quad doing this?

Someone sold a delidded Q6600 on the classifieds a few months ago.

I know, I almost bought it but was too slow.

devsain · Feb 15, 2008

My 2 cents: you can never really know unless you try... so really if you got the cash lying around such that in the event of you failing it wouldn't affect you, then by all means go for it, other wise if you really don't want to lose 300 bucks id say stick to lapping.

Godfather1138 · Feb 15, 2008

I think that summed it up pretty well for me. Thanks devsain.

As I must have this computer up and running next saturday I really can't risk killing the chip. If I had started thinking about this a month ago I would probably already have it done, but as I won't have time to get a replacement should something go wrong I am going to hold off on this.

Questions on un-lidding a Q6600

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