Hi all! Today I’ll tell you how to solve the problem when the radiator was removed from the processor. When repairing personal computers, laptops and servers, it is often necessary to carry out preventive dust cleaning with the replacement of thermal paste.
As is known, dried thermal paste can hold the processor to the heatsink quite strongly. This problem is especially acute for old computers on Socket 478 and other pin connectors. It turns out, when you want to remove the heatsink to replace the thermal paste, the heatsink is removed with the processor.
What to do if the heatsink is removed from the processor
Of course, the most reasonable way to separate the radiator is gently rotate it along the plane motherboard while the processor is still in the socket.
However, such a trick does not work with cooling, in which the radiator mounting system has a bounding box or capacitors are close to the socket - here it will not work to crank the radiator.
Removing the heatsink from the processor is easiest if pull the heatsink up along with the processor. It turns out such a picture.
How to apply new thermal paste
We install the processor in place in the socket. In my case, cleaning the insides of the server was required, so the photo shows a two-processor system. With the second processor, I did the same as with the first - everything went well.
The computer suddenly stopped turning on, an autopsy showed the presence of a swollen electrolytic capacitor in the +5 V power circuit on the motherboard. I had to replace the capacitor.
When I removed the motherboard, I was extremely surprised by its strong deflection in the processor installation area. I attached a ruler and realized that if you do not take urgent measures, you will soon have to buy a new one. system unit.
Why does the motherboard flex
I already knew cases of motherboard failure due to deflection. Since the conductive tracks on the motherboard are very narrow and thin, they stretch and microcracks form in them. From temperature drops due to the linear expansion of materials, microcracks gradually turn into cracks. The track is broken and the board stops working. At first, the computer starts to freeze occasionally, then more and more often, and there comes a moment when it stops working forever.
Such a motherboard cannot be repaired, as it has up to seven layers, and it is almost impossible to find a broken track. You have to replace it with a new one, and additional costs arise, since most likely the processor, memory modules and other cards installed on the old motherboard will not be installed on the new motherboard, since there are no longer the necessary connectors. In practice, you have to buy a new system unit, although the old one was quite suitable for your tasks.
When studying the device for pressing the radiator to the processor, it became clear that the deformation of the motherboard is due to its illiterate (or deliberate) design. The heatsink is pressed against the processor, and the engagement holes for applying force to press the heatsink against the processor are also on printed circuit board far from where the processor is installed. Thus, the processor presses on the board in one direction, and the heatsink engagement points in the opposite direction. This leads to deformation of the motherboard.
To avoid deformation, it is necessary that the acting and opposing forces that are applied to the motherboard from different sides are on the same axis, this requirement was Starting point modernization of the design of the clamping device of the radiator, which does not deform the motherboard.
As you can see, the plastic clips have been replaced by spring-loaded screws, but that's not the only difference. The design used a metal plate and a dielectric thrust bearing. Screws are screwed into the plate, and the plate rests with a thrust bearing instead of installing the processor. Thus, the conditions for deformation of the motherboard are excluded.
Processor heatsink mounting system upgrade
In the photo you see the modernized clamping device assembled. Its design is so simple that almost anyone with minimal material processing skills can repeat it.
First, a metal plate is made of steel or aluminum alloy with a size of 85×85 mm and a thickness of 3 mm. The thickness of the plate is determined by the required mechanical strength. The dimensions are valid for the clamping device of the motherboard GIGABYTE boards GA81915P-G. Four holes with a diameter of 3.5 mm are drilled symmetrically at the corners of the plate at a distance of 72 mm along the perimeter from each other and an M4 thread is cut into them.
Next, a square dielectric plate with a size of 50 × 50 mm and a thickness of 1.5 mm is made. The thickness of the plate is determined by the gap that must be provided to prevent the soldering on the motherboard from touching the metal plate. I cut out of foil fiberglass with metal scissors.
It remains to glue the plates together with any suitable glue or double-sided tape and the design is ready. Before gluing, it is necessary to attach the processor to the place of soldering and see if the solder protrusions or soldered radio elements will interfere. If they interfere, then in the insulating plate you need to make a sample or drill holes in the places where they touch. The plate should lie on the board with the entire plane. After gluing, it is necessary to attach the resulting combined plate again and check whether the metal part will touch the soldering points of the electrolytic capacitors. There are usually a lot of them around the processor. All protruding legs must be cut with side cutters. It remains to pick up the screws, springs and washers.
Ready-made compression springs of the required diameter and stiffness could not be found and the most suitable tension spring had to be modified. Of course, you can do without springs by putting plastic washers, but then it is difficult to get a perfect fit of the heatsink to the surface of the processor. I made springs from one spring from stretching the ground wire of the kinescope of the monitor. Such springs are used in any kinescope TV. The inner diameter of such a spring has 5 mm, the wire diameter is about 0.5 mm.
In order to stretch the spring, you need to thread two screwdrivers into its rings at the ends or take it with two pliers and, applying a little effort, very slowly pull to the sides until you feel that the metal has “succumbed”. Release the spring and see what happens. The step of winding the spring should be about 1 mm, if less, repeat the operation. In case of a miss, there are usually four springs in the kinescope, so there is something to practice on. The stretched spring is cut with wire cutters into segments eight turns long.
It remains to pick up four screws with an M4 thread 20 mm long.
I used beautiful screws that tighten the clamps for fastening the deflecting system to the neck of the kinescopes. But any will do, you just have to put standard washers on each side of the spring.
A fastener kit for upgrading the processor heatsink clamp has been prepared. Everything is ready to install a new mounting device, but first you need to dismantle the old one.
How to remove the processor heatsink attached to the clips
Installing the prepared new processor heatsink clamp requires the heatsink to be removed. The radiator is fixed to the eyelets with four plastic clips. To release them, you need to insert a screwdriver with a flat sting into the slot of each clip, and turn its moving part counterclockwise by 90 °.
Then with your hand pressing the radiator from above, pull the moving parts of the clips up one by one. The fixing pins will come out of the gap between the tabs of the latches, and the heatsink will easily pop up.
On the left in the photo, the pin pushed the latches apart, and they are securely fixed in the board. In the center, the movable black part of the clip is raised up. On the right, the pin has released the latches, they no longer catch on the board, and the heatsink can be easily removed. Next, the latches are removed from the radiator mounting lugs, they are no longer needed.
How to remove the cooler from the processor heatsink
Coolers on processor heatsinks are usually attached in two ways: - using latches and screws.
How to remove the cooler from the processor
fastened with latches
After the radiator is removed, it is necessary to unfasten the cooler from it and clean the radiator fins from dust. The cooler also needs to be cleaned of dust and, if necessary, lubricated bearings with graphite grease.
To remove the cooler from the radiator, you need to wring out two rather tight latches diametrically opposite with a flat-blade screwdriver.
How to remove the cooler from the processor
fixed with screws
On some modern motherboards, the processor heatsink is secured with four long screws, in the manner described above in the bracket upgrade.
The board does not deform, but if you need to lubricate the noisy cooler, you have to remove the heatsink as well, since the cooler is attached to the heatsink with common screws.
For the convenience of installing the cooler and radiator, the screws have grooves in which curly lock washers are fixed, and in order to remove the cooler for lubrication, you must first remove them.
To do this, you need to place a radiator with a cooler on the edge of the table so that the wine can move freely along the axis without resting on the table surface. Next, you need to put a wooden block or plywood on the screw so as not to spoil the thread, and apply a few blows with a hammer.
When removing the washers, you must be careful so that the springs do not fly away, otherwise you will have to look for them for a long time. The cooler is removed and you can start cleaning it from dust and lubrication.
Installing the cooler on the radiator is done in the reverse order. Springs are put on the screws, they are threaded through the mounting holes of the cooler and radiator. Next, lock washers are put on the screws and put in their original place.
To put the locking washer on the screw, you need to pick up a piece of tube or a nut that fits freely over the entire length of the screw.
Next, the vise must be adjusted so that between their jaws there is a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the screw. Hammer blows on the head of the screw are hammered into the lock washer until it sits in the groove.
If there is no vice at hand, then you can take a tube or a few nuts. The length of the tube or the total thickness of the nuts should be slightly greater than the length of the screw from the beginning of the thread to the groove.
It is possible not to put fixing washers on the screws, but in this case it will be very inconvenient to install a heatsink with a cooler on the processor.
The processor heatsink and cooler are assembled and it remains only to install them on the motherboard processor, not forgetting to evenly smear the old thermal paste on the surface of the processor and heatsink (if it is not dried) or apply fresh.
How to apply thermal paste
The old thermal paste from the processor and the contact surface of the heatsink must be completely removed, as it thickens over time, and if you install a heatsink without replacing the paste, the efficiency of heat removal by the heatsink from the processor will be lower.
It is better not to remove the processor from the crib, but if necessary, it is enough to take the lever aside and lift it up, then open the clamping frame and remove the processor.
The thermally conductive paste is silicone-based and can be easily removed with a cotton cloth. It is enough to press the fabric to the surface to rub it well.
Before applying a new thermally conductive paste, you need to check the device for fixing the radiator, install the radiator and tighten it with screws. If everything has risen well, you can proceed to the final installation of the heatsink on the processor. Since the contact surfaces of the processor and heatsink have good flatness, it is enough to apply a thin layer of thermally conductive paste on them. There are no requirements for the uniformity of application, since the paste has a soft consistency and spreads well when pressed.
I apply with a screwdriver blade. Thermal conductive paste can be purchased at any store that sells computer technology. Sold in tubes or syringes. One milliliter will be enough for application.
Installing a heatsink on the processor
Now you can start installing the radiator. Put the heatsink on the processor, orienting it so that you have access to the cooler latches, then if you need to lubricate or replace it, you will be able to remove the cooler without removing the heatsink. The holes in the mounting tabs of the heatsink must be directly above the holes in the motherboard.
It remains to tighten the four screws, and the radiator will be installed in its place. To ensure uniform pressure, it is necessary that the ends of all screws protrude from the metal plate by the same length. The springs must be compressed by at least half of their length in order to create the necessary force for pressing the heatsink against the surface of the processor.
After installing the cooler on the radiator and connecting it to the motherboard, the modernization of the radiator clamping device to the processor on the motherboard can be considered complete.
If the computer system unit does not provide for processor cooling by supplying air from the environment, then I recommend working a little more by finalizing the processor cooling system as described in the site article
What is a computer processor? Many PC users, and especially beginners, call the entire system unit a processor. And this is not true at all. The processor is a small part (slightly smaller than a matchbox) of a computer, which is located in the system unit and is fixed on the motherboard. Its main task is information processing. How more powerful processor, the faster the computer works ("thinks").
Many of us are constantly arguing over one important question: what is the most important part in a computer? Some claimed that it is the keeper of all information - HDD, others talked about RAM, without the presence of which we would not be able to manage the files that are located on the hard drive. But the answer to this question lies on the surface and is very simple. The most important, integral part of the computer is the processor. Thanks to the operation of this block, we can synchronize each installed device in the computer, and their stable and correct operation depends entirely on the performance of the processor. But in the end, the processor, like any other element of the computer, becomes obsolete. set time, and it's time to replace it with a more advanced one.
Processor Removal Instructions
In order to learn how to remove the processor, you must carefully read this mini-instruction:
1. First, disconnect the system unit from the network (in the photo this is an even power cable). But it is better to turn off all connected devices and put the system unit on its side, since in this case it will be more convenient to work.
Do not forget: you just need to unplug the computer from the network by pulling the power cord from the outlet.
2. After that, you need to remove the side cover from the case.
3. Disconnect all wires to the processor and fan. These wires give them power.
4. Remove the fan with a radiator - the cooling system.
5. Now you can remove the processor, but first of all, you need to inspect its design. As a rule, the fastening methods are made in the form of clamping levers located on both sides. When pressed, they begin to move away from each other, thereby freeing the processor from the entire structure. There is also a clamping lever on the processor itself, it should also be removed, after which we remove the processor.
6. Installing the processor is done in reverse order. Please note that with the correct relative position of the processor over the socket (its place), it should get up there without any difficulty. Then secure it with a lever.
7. It should be remembered that before mounting the cooler and radiator, it is necessary to apply thermal paste on the surface of the processor, which will reliably protect it from all kinds of overheating.
The process of removing the fan from the processor
Dust is the main enemy of the computer, fans most often suffer from it. Typically, a computer has three fans. One is on the video card, the second is in the power supply, the third is the fan that cools the processor. If it is heavily clogged with dust, the degree of cooling of the processor will drop significantly, which will affect the performance of the computer.
First you need to understand the type of attachment. There are two types: latches and screws. If it is a latch, pull back the two levers and remove it. When fastening in the form of a screw, you must use a screwdriver, carefully unscrew and remove the fan. As a rule, the processor cooling system consists of a fan and a heatsink and is a single collapsible unit.
The heatsink exists to dissipate the heat generated by the processor. Over time, the radiator loses its properties due to the accumulated dust on it and also needs to be removed and cleaned. Before you remove the heatsink from the processor, you need to determine what type of mounting it is, they are of the following form:
- on latches using a clamping bracket or caps (the most common mount);
- on hot-melt adhesive (mostly found on inexpensive devices).
If the radiator is with a piston mount, then the process of removing it will not be difficult. It is necessary to compress the antennae of the piston on reverse side board and press it, doing a similar operation with all the latches, you will release the radiator. Then we remove it and change it to a new one, or you can simply replace the thermal paste.
If the radiator is pressed with brackets, then you already need a screwdriver. The main task here is to bend the bracket from the fastener hole. This procedure requires the use of physical strength, but you should be extremely careful, as a screwdriver that comes off can damage the device.
Removing the heatsink from the adhesive is a very difficult and dangerous operation, since both the processor and the board can be easily damaged. The only way out is to heat up the hot melt adhesive. But this should be done very carefully, because overheating can be fatal for the chipset.
Now you have learned how to properly remove the processor from the computer motherboard, and the fan with the heatsink.
Disassembling the system unit for the purpose of performing maintenance is sometimes a complicated procedure. Especially when it comes to removing the cooler from the processor. The procedure itself is quite simple, but difficulties can arise in the process, especially with different types fasteners.
Removal procedure
If we discard the possible nuances, which will be discussed later, then the procedure does not seem so complicated. It should only be remembered that all actions should be done carefully. The basic rule of disassembly is always: "do not try to apply force, especially if the hardware resists it." Following this rule will avoid unnecessary mechanical damage. To remove the cooler from the processor you will need:
- Switch off computer.
- Disable network filter and power cables.
Important! It will not be superfluous to give the computer stand 10 minutes before further disassembly. This is due to two factors at once: heating and residual charge in capacitors. The first one is just annoying. The second can cause significant harm to the user and even components, with poor insulation of the power supply.
Note! In general, completely disconnect the wires and remove RAM to remove the cooler from the processor is not necessary, but for the first 10-15 removals it is necessary. So that the hands get used to the operation and cannot harm the surrounding components.
- Take off myself cooling Fan along with the heatsink from the processor. Almost always they are delivered assembled and also removed together.
The procedure for removing the cooler from AMD or Intel processors depends on how it is implemented and may require both minimal effort and huge physical costs. We will consider each of the cases separately.
cooler mount
Fixing determines which algorithm further action should be applied. The cooling fan can be attached in the following ways:
- latches (various types);
- screws;
- grooves;
- hybrid options.
Therefore, we will consider each of the types separately with a mention of the necessary tools.
Latches
Latches are considered a common option for coolers on socket 775 (Intel)
, although they are found in other specifications. Budget fans are attached to the latches. These latches are the main weak point for such cooling systems. 
To remove the cooler from the processor on the latches, you will need turn counterclockwise 4 mechanisms (it is necessary to make a ¼ circle turn). Grabbing the iron part, pull the cooler.
If latches break off(they are very delicate and the effort to open is bordering on the effort to break) it is better to contact service center. Without proper experience, it is almost impossible to remove or install back a cooler with a damaged latch.
screws
To remove such a cooling system you need a screwdriver(cross or corresponding to the type of screw). Or an alternative tool like thin pliers to remove the screw. With prudence and caution, you can handle it with a knife, risking less than when opening the latches with your bare hands. 
Remove 4 bolts(they are not removed from the fan housing), after which the released element can be safely removed.
grooves
Mounting method characteristic of processorsAMD and their cooling systems. The design looks like this and is distinguished by a lever: 
This lever will need to be turned to release the cooling system, after which it can be pulled out.
Combined method
Combined mounting systems are found in the so-called branded computers, where latch matched with bolts(less common all at once). At the same time, the cooling system is made as simple as possible and therefore less susceptible to damage during disassembly. 
The disassembly algorithm then repeats the steps for each of the corresponding types. The order is observed: first screws, then latches. 
Systems liquid cooling removed much more difficult. At the same time, the procedure is unique for each model, so it is not possible to describe the general procedure. 
The cooler is a special fan that sucks in cold air and conducts it through the radiator to the processor, thereby cooling it. Without a cooler, the processor can overheat, so if it breaks, it must be replaced as soon as possible. Also, for any manipulation with the processor, the cooler and radiator will have to be removed for a while.
Today there are several types of coolers that are attached and removed in different ways. Here is their list:
Depending on the type of fastening, you may need a screwdriver with the desired section. Some coolers come soldered together with heatsinks, so you'll have to disconnect the heatsink. Before working with PC components, you must disconnect it from the network, and if you have a laptop, then you additionally need to remove the battery.
Step-by-step instruction
If you are working with regular computer, then it is advisable to put the system unit in a horizontal position in order to avoid accidental “falling out” of components from the motherboard. It is also recommended to clean the computer from dust.
Follow these steps to remove the cooler:
If the cooler is soldered together with the radiator, then do the same, but only with the radiator. If you can't detach it, then there is a risk that the thermal paste on the bottom has dried up. To pull out the radiator you have to warm it up. For these purposes, you can use a regular hair dryer.
As you can see, to dismantle the cooler, you do not need to have any in-depth knowledge of PC design. Be sure to install the cooling system before turning on the computer.
