My first CPU Delidding attempts (fail)

[suchamoneypit]

I tried delidding 2 CPUs today. Same issue both times, the TIM around the edges came off easy, while it was like concrete on the actual CPU, causing the actual CPUs to rip off with the heat spreader. The Q6600 kinda ripped in half, with silicon particles falling out and pretty severe damage to the CPU, but it made for cool microscope pictures.

 

Any suggestions of how to not have this problem happen? I still have an old Xeon laying around, although it has a lot of modules on top of the PCB I will have to work around.

 

http://imgur.com/a/Tf8G1

 

is there any way of posting an imgur album link here?

 

EDIT: someone mentioned it could have been because it was Soldered on, which I have heard about but didnt even consider. Is this the case?

[EarthboundHero]

What technique did you use?

[-rascal-]

Of course the the Silicon die will shatter to pieces.

The older CPUs are are SOLDERED to the IHS... *heart crushed from all the CPU's that you murdered*

 

'Ivy Bridge' and onwards is where the interface between the CPU and IHS used thermal paste.

[danrey84]

Don't know if this may help but I'm sure Linus did a 6700K delidding the other day on his channel. I almost cried when he did it. I would have quite easily given that 6700k a good home haha. don't think my 6600k would have been to impressed being chucked out and into the spares cabinet lol only after a month lol

[suchamoneypit]

Just now, EarthboundHero said:

What technique did you use?

[Beeeyeee]

sometimes the CPU is soldered to the heat spreader.

[EarthboundHero]

1 minute ago, suchamoneypit said:

-snip-

 

Try this next time.

 

 

[suchamoneypit]

Just now, EarthboundHero said:

 

Try this next time.

 

 

yeah Ive seen that method, just didnt have the tools. the problem was the CPUs are soldered so I dont think this would have had any better results.

[suchamoneypit]

3 minutes ago, -rascal- said:

Of course the the Silicon die will shatter to pieces.

The older CPUs are are SOLDERED to the IHS...

Yeah I figured this was the case, but it doesnt really matter that I shattered them. These CPUs are ancient and I did this purely as an experiment.

[EarthboundHero]

Just now, suchamoneypit said:

yeah Ive seen that method, just didnt have the tools. the problem was the CPUs are soldered so I dont think this would have had any better results.

Yeah, when they're soldered afaik you can't delid without killing the CPU. Maybe with a heat gun?

[Tech_Dreamer]

NOt sure if this will help , some of the really old ones are i believe soldered in to the ihs , but iso prop can lightly loose the tim if it's in too tight in other cases , you might need a few rince cycles to get it of & virtually unclog it,

[suchamoneypit]

Just now, ScootsMcgoots said:

At least you got some cool pictures though. 

yeah i did this as an experiment and I was very pleased to see the result. It was cool seeing the actual silicon myself through a microscope.

[terrytek]

poor q6600s that makes me so sad seeing a perfectly good cpu destroyed.

[suchamoneypit]

1 minute ago, terrytek said:

poor q6600s that makes me so sad seeing a perfectly good cpu destroyed.

dont make me go try and delid another

[DunePilot]

If its soldered then follow my guide. @suchamoneypit

 

 

[suchamoneypit]

14 minutes ago, DunePilot said:

If its soldered then follow my guide. @suchamoneypit

 

 

I actually remember watching that when you first posted it. Ill have to give that a go and follow it and see my results.

 

This is the old Xeon I have laying around I could try delidding but as you see there is a lot going on on the PCB. 

 

I find it interesting because its like a Pentium 4's PCB sitting on top of a much large PCB.

[Schoolofmonkey]

Is it just me or do others thing delidding a SOLDERED cpu is pointless.

You're then replacing metal solder with TIM when you put the heat spreader back on for mounting, that's counter productive.

Even if you're mounting cooling directly to the CPU die there will be a thin layer of solder on it with imperfections in it from the reheating process, there's a reason it explodes so violently, you're creating air bubbles in the solder by boiling it.

 

But hey whatever floats your boat 

[suchamoneypit]

Just now, Schoolofmonkey said:

Is it just me or do others thing delidding a SOLDERED cpu is pointless.

You're then replacing metal solder with TIM when you put the heat spreader back on for mounting, that's counter productive.

Even if you're mounting cooling directly to the CPU die there will be a thin layer of solder on it with imperfections in it from the reheating process, there's a reason it explodes so violently, you're creating air bubbles in the solder by boiling it.

 

But hey whatever floats your boat 

its a Pentium 4, im not looking for performance gains or lower temps. Its just a fun little project. The CPUs wont be used in an actual PC.

[DunePilot]

2 minutes ago, Schoolofmonkey said:

Is it just me or do others thing delidding a SOLDERED cpu is pointless.

You're then replacing metal solder with TIM when you put the heat spreader back on for mounting, that's counter productive.

Even if you're mounting cooling directly to the CPU die there will be a thin layer of solder on it with imperfections in it from the reheating process, there's a reason it explodes so violently, you're creating air bubbles in the solder by boiling it.

 

But hey whatever floats your boat 

Only reason to do it is either curiosity, Mac Pro upgrades, or direct die. Either of the last two you are using liquid metal and not thermal paste.

[Schoolofmonkey]

No argument from me, hence the "whatever floats your boat" comment.

 

Liquid metal is fine, but remember you've created micro bubbles in the existing solder, so unless you can get the die mirror shine clean of the old solder you've actually made the problem worse in the long run.

 

Hey just throwing it out there, been working with metal solders for 25+ years, if you reheat large amounts of solder it's never completely stable, sort of like melting chocolate, there's always microbubbles when it cools.. 

 

So as a everyday temp lowering thing, it's pointless (two sides of the coin so to speak) 

 

[Nena Trinity]

8 hours ago, -rascal- said:

Of course the the Silicon die will shatter to pieces.

The older CPUs are are SOLDERED to the IHS... *heart crushed from all the CPU's that you murdered*

 

'Ivy Bridge' and onwards is where the interface between the CPU and IHS used thermal paste.

That is nice to know!

[Coaxialgamer]

10 hours ago, suchamoneypit said:

Yeah I figured this was the case, but it doesnt really matter that I shattered them. These CPUs are ancient and I did this purely as an experiment.

You could try using a heat gun to melt the solder on the edges,  but that might kill your cpu. 

[DocSwag]

17 hours ago, suchamoneypit said:

yeah i did this as an experiment and I was very pleased to see the result. It was cool seeing the actual silicon myself through a microscope.

One day I will buy some 20 yr old CPU for 20 bucks on eBay that has the die soldered on and get some really powerful microscope and see what I can see.

Thanks for the idea  (and yes I'm serious I do want to do that one day)

[suchamoneypit]

On 3/12/2016 at 4:33 PM, DocSwag said:

One day I will buy some 20 yr old CPU for 20 bucks on eBay that has the die soldered on and get some really powerful microscope and see what I can see.

Thanks for the idea  (and yes I'm serious I do want to do that one day)

You can probably just go to a scrapyard where you can take stuff. Old PCs will be plentiful. I had about 3-4 high end workstations (from 2002) and got 3 CPUs from them. I already just gave delidding on a non-soldered CPU 5 minutes ago, and it came out perfect. Was very easy. You can find old parts all over the place. Those CPUs I destroyed combined were probably worth $20 at most, mostly because of the Q6600.

[suchamoneypit]

On 3/12/2016 at 10:30 PM, DunePilot said:

Only reason to do it is either curiosity, Mac Pro upgrades, or direct die. Either of the last two you are using liquid metal and not thermal paste.

Delidded the Xeon, was extremely easy and I felt very confident the entire time. It was not soldered though, I was kinda hoping it was so I could practice but I looking at getting some more old CPUs that are soldered to practice on.

How do I properly clean this? Im nervous about damaging the silicon. How soft is it? will rubbing alcohol damage it if it stays on? Can I use a paper towel and rubbing alcohol or will the fibers be bad? What about the black adhesive? On the other CPUs I tried getting it off with rubbing alcohol and even went at it with a razorblade but it proved to be difficult and extremely time consuming, and the likelyhood of me scratching up the PCB was extremely high.

 

EDIT: regarding the black adhesive it came off super easy on the Xeon I just did, the other two not so much.

 

Also, another separate question, If its soldered, I see you scrape it off with a razorblade. I practiced this on the Q6600 because I only destroyed 1 of the silicon modules, the other ripped off but was intact with the solder still on it, But I felt I was damaging the silicon and cutting into it, and felt that even the slightly wrong angle would dig right into the silicon and damage it. Would that happen?