Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

[notshy]

Hi guys,

I need some help and you've been so helpful in the past and have many years experience that I thought I'd post here to see if someone can help.

A friend of mine was having problems with his music production software cutting out so I asked him to run Memtest and then OCCT. Memtest passed for a couple of hours and then he ran OCCT and it lasted 30 seconds before cutting out saying the CPU was too hot.

I got him to bring his machine over and it is idling at 45-50C (via Gigabyte BIOS) and at around 55C idle in Windows.

I've now come opened up the case to find that he's got a Gigabyte EP35-DS4 board and it's got the intel stock cooler on the board. I did some searching around to find out how to remove the clips (flat head screw driver, turn 90 degress, and pull til it clicks) however I've the cooler seems welded onto the motherboard.

I've tried twisting and also tried pulling and no joy. I've removed tried removing the motherboard from the case to check the back and the plastic pins aren't still in the board so it must be the thermal compound.

Can anyone give me any anecdotal advice on how to get a cooler off that is welded on. I'm not sure if because he's been running his CPU hot that it's fried the thermal compound or what.

What's the best way to get a cooler off? Should I take the board out of the case or leave it in so that it is at least secured at 9 points and is less likely to crack?

Any info would be greatly received as I'm currently a bit stuck !!!

Sorry - I know this isn't tweaking but after this I will be putting a "proper" heat sink and cooler on there and probably start some mild-overclocking of his machine but I want to get this stupid cooler off there first.

P.S I've also tried under-clocking the chip but it's already on it's lowest CPU multiplier.

[wazza300]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

leave it in place but try and run it as hot as you can but not too hot to damage the cpu,hopefully the heat will soften the thermal paste and help you remove it,try and remove the heatsink when its still hot

[notshy]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

Thanks for the quick reply - so use something like Prime 95 to run it at 70 then hard-power off and try and pull it off then?

If I try to remove it whilst running Windows then I guess I run a big chance of frying the chip?

What about removing the fan from the heat sink to start off with?

[wazza300]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

i wouldnt risk it without the fan 70c should be hot enough to soften the paste,when you turned the intel pins did they pop up? or did you pull them up? you have to pull them up after turning for it to release

[profJim]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

My P35-DS3L mobo user manual has some nice pictures of the stock cooler's mounting pins on page 15 in the Installing the CPU Cooler section.

With the heasink mounting pins in the removed position, you normally will be able to rotate the heatsink left and right a samll amount, about 1/8 inch in each direction.

If you can't rotate the heatsink, you might have better luck if you first power on the system, enter the bios, and leave the system on for several minutes. Then you should exit the bios, power off the system, and unplug the power cable from the back of the psu or the electrical outlet. Then press and hold the front panel on/off switch for 10 seconds to fully discharge the motherboard. Now try to rotate the heatsink left and right several times.

Your best chance to damage the system is to try forcing the heatsink off by trying to pull the heatsink straight up, off of the cpu.

Good luck, hope this helps.

[notshy]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

So I've managed to unlock the pins by rotating the heads 90 degrees then pulling and they click. When I took the board out of the case to check the back of the board then the pins were 95% out of the back and I could see a clear difference between having the pins clicked in and pulled right out. So I'm happy that I've got the mounting pins out.

I'll go for getting the system warm first then powering off and trying to twist it.

@profJim - Why should I clear the CMOS of the board first?

[profJim]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

Why should I clear the CMOS of the board first?

The idea is to remove any stored electrical charge in the system, just in case the heatsink pops free and possibly could cause an electrical short.

I didn't think about the clear CMOS side effect (me bad), but this is a non issue if the current bios settings are saved as one of the bios profiles.

**edit** I follow this procedure any time I remove or install hardware in my systems. I don't recall having to reload my saved bios profile after following the procedure.
**edit#2** It just occurred to me that holding down the on/off switch for 10 seconds won't clear the cmos, even though discharging the system's stored electrical charge is part of the normal clear CMOS procedure.

[notshy]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

: )

[notshy]

[wazza300]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

personally i use petrol(yes i know) i have motorcycle an dip a rag in petrol only a very tiny amount,then squeeze it almost dry then wipe off any thermal paste and wait for it to totally evapourate then apply new paste

take care when messing with petrol and i strongly advise to keep a windows open for ventilation and dont smoke hehe

its up to you but i find it a cheap and easy way to remove cpu paste

[kick]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

Methylated spirits is almost pure alcohol and is good for clearing off gunk.
the trouble is its poisonous.
Some wood alcohol is added to prevent people making their own moonshine.
Best thing ive found is medical/surgical wipes ;).
They are like the wipes nurses use on your skin to claen it before giving an injection.

They are 80-90% alchohol and the rest is water which evaporates rapidly.
They are freely available in drugstores/chemists because even the most desperate alco isnt going to resort to sucking "wipes".

The rubbing alcohol.may have oils etc in it.

[notshy]

Re: Need help removing an intel stock cooler from a EP35 board (SLIGHTLY OFF TOPIC)

Cheers guys, I live in central london so I don't have a car or any petrol - I may go with the alcohol wipes first and give the CPU a good clean.

: )