LauRoman Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 So i have a secondary, almost 9 year old system, that is still very powerful. It is a 775 system, based around a q9550s, so still, very efficient, relatively speaking. I have been starting to clean it, mostly as a meditation excercise. The "current" motherboard is 2 years newer than the system, because the first time i cleaned the first iteration of that system, i ruined a p45 board's lga socket pins :D. I have learned my lesson and never done anything of that magnitude since The "newer" motherboard, a Foxconn X38a has been part of it since early 2010. Maybe as some kind of superstition i have been very careful while cleaning it. I wanted to replace the thermal paste from the PCH after i cleaned the rest of it but the it seems it is stuck. I have removed heatsinks from motherboards before so it is not that i don't know how to do it. I have loosened the pegs holding it but it is one of those long heatsinks that connects the vrm to the northbridge and southbridge through heatpipes so twisting it is not really a problem if i want not to ruin one of the bridge. The part covering the vrms had no problems because there is no tim there, but the Nortbridge and Southbridge feel like they fused to the heatsink. Does anyone have any idea on how i can "gently" remove that heatsink? Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xahid Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 I suggest not to remove the heatsink of the chipsets, if you try to remove it using heat blows it might damage nearby components. goretsky 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597985726 Share on other sites More sharing options...
jnelsoninjax Posted August 5, 2017 Share Posted August 5, 2017 Exactly what @Xahid said, I would never remove chipset heatsinks, the act of removing alone can cause damage to the chips under them. CPU heatsink is fine to work with, if you can get it off using rubbing alcohol to clean the surface of the heatsink and the cpu then reapply the thermal compound. goretsky 1 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597985734 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted August 10, 2017 Administrators Share Posted August 10, 2017 If you can't easily remove the chipset heatsink, that would indicate there's a great contact with the chip, so why even bother? As others have said, you could damage the chip (or nearby components) or even shorten the life of the motherboard.. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597991264 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mando Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 13 minutes ago, Steven P. said: If you can't easily remove the chipset heatsink, that would indicate there's a great contact with the chip, so why even bother? As others have said, you could damage the chip (or nearby components) or even shorten the life of the motherboard.. exactly, its probably using thermal compound adhesive, as its a non-serviceable part. Quite common. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597991280 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Montage Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 Stick it in the oven for a few minutes Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597991306 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted August 10, 2017 Administrators Share Posted August 10, 2017 1 minute ago, Nefarious Trigger said: Stick it in the oven for a few minutes For added flavour, add honey and wrap in aluminum foil, bake for 40mins at 180C. Mindovermaster and Dick Montage 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597991310 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick Montage Posted August 10, 2017 Share Posted August 10, 2017 2 minutes ago, Steven P. said: For added flavour, add honey and wrap in aluminum foil, bake for 40mins at 180C. Plus, it's going to be gluten free, lactose free and vegan! Steven P. and Mindovermaster 2 Share Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597991314 Share on other sites More sharing options...
LauRoman Posted August 11, 2017 Author Share Posted August 11, 2017 19 hours ago, Steven P. said: If you can't easily remove the chipset heatsink, that would indicate there's a great contact with the chip, so why even bother? As others have said, you could damage the chip (or nearby components) or even shorten the life of the motherboard.. Not sure how much that matters since the PCHs do not have an on-die heatsink and are made of plastic (or whatever the external part of that chip is made). 18 hours ago, Mando said: exactly, its probably using thermal compound adhesive, as its a non-serviceable part. Quite common. I probably can count on a hand or two the number of motherboards i owned and cleaned or just helped clean and non of them had adhesive, at least not on the PCHs. They only had thermal for some components and a more metal based (just a guess, considering their glittery-ness) TIM on the PCHs. Link to comment https://www.neowin.net/forum/topic/1338644-removing-the-heatsink-from-an-old-motherboard/#findComment-597992398 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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