liquid cooling Liquid cooling block stuck to cpu, please help!

[LANmine]

So, I've had some issues and errors recently in regards to my cpu temperature. I've had random shut offs and a single error message (cpu heat error), so I decided to open up the comp and check it out. 

 

I have a corsair h60 closed loop liquid cooler. I tried removing the cooler from the cpu, but I ended up accidentally yanking the cpu put of its socket, since it's stuck to the cooler from super hardened thermal paste! (I've had the same cpu and cooling configuration since about 2012, qnd never replaced the thermal paste, so that can explain why this happened.) 

 

I've attached a pic of the cpu/cooling block, if that helps. 

 

I don't know how to separate the cpu and the cooling block safely. Pls help! 

[shadowbyte]

try putting a sharp thin knife in between the IHS and water block and cutting through the thermal paste.

 

[Degu_]

doesnt look like you have cleaned the pc in  a while, but i would try taking a plastic pry bar thingy , and try and pry it apart. ive never had this problem

[DarkRuskov]

how the hell did you manage to take the cpu out of the metal frame? x)

[Degu_]

2 minutes ago, DarkRuskov said:

how the hell did you manage to take the cpu out of the metal frame? x)

well yea, that too

 

[LANmine]

9 minutes ago, DarkRuskov said:

how the hell did you manage to take the cpu out of the metal frame? x)

I honestly thought the cooling block would just come off the cpu, I didn't expect the whole cpu to come out with it!

 

15 minutes ago, Degu_ said:

doesnt look like you have cleaned the pc in  a while, but i would try taking a plastic pry bar thingy , and try and pry it apart. ive never had this problem

I've got a spudger that you get from those small electronics repair kits, and a flathead screw driver. I think the screw driver is my best bet here, although there's literally zero space between the cpu and the cooling block. I'll try (CAREFULLY!) to use that and gently scrape away at the hardened thermal paste around the cpu.

 

17 minutes ago, shadowbyte said:

try putting a sharp thin knife in between the IHS and water block and cutting through the thermal paste.

 

I'll try that, if I can find a knife thin enough. I have a couple multi tools laying around that could have a knife that would do the trick.

[DarkRuskov]

1 minute ago, LANmine said:

I honestly thought the cooling block would just come off the cpu, I didn't expect the whole cpu to come out with it!

yeah but that means your pc went somehow through the frame, that's what i'm not understanding x)

[LANmine]

5 minutes ago, DarkRuskov said:

yeah but that means your pc went somehow through the frame, that's what i'm not understanding x)

oh you mean the frame on the cpu mounting point that holds it to the motherboard? I think when this desktop was built they removed that part to accommodate for the liquid cooling block. This is what it looks like without the cpu/cooling block on it:

[DarkRuskov]

oh ok i see now^^

[LANmine]

I've tried the knife suggestion, but with no luck so far. I'm just scraping metal off the cpu at this point lol. I'll look for a thinner knife or something. I also thought about just going to the store and getting a blow dryer to see if I can heat up the edges around the cpu to (hopefully) make the thermal paste more malleable.

 

Edit: sorry for the double post

[Jer45]

34 minutes ago, LANmine said:

So, I've had some issues and errors recently in regards to my cpu temperature. I've had random shut offs and a single error message (cpu heat error), so I decided to open up the comp and check it out. 

 

I have a corsair h60 closed loop liquid cooler. I tried removing the cooler from the cpu, but I ended up accidentally yanking the cpu put of its socket, since it's stuck to the cooler from super hardened thermal paste! (I've had the same cpu and cooling configuration since about 2012, qnd never replaced the thermal paste, so that can explain why this happened.) 

 

I've attached a pic of the cpu/cooling block, if that helps. 

 

I don't know how to separate the cpu and the cooling block safely. Pls help! 

Pry it off CAREFULLY! if you pry too hard the IHS will come off the cpu

dump a little alchohol on it to soften the paste

[LANmine]

1 minute ago, Jer45 said:

Pry it off CAREFULLY! if you pry too hard the IHS will come off the cpu

dump a little alchohol on it to soften the paste

Gotcha. I'll try prying it off as gently as possible. I have some 70% isopropyl alcohol right next to me, although I know 91 or 99% are probably more effective for that. The gap between the cpu and cooler is zero from what I see, but I'll try the alcohol anyways. Wish me luck D:

[Jer45]

3 minutes ago, LANmine said:

Gotcha. I'll try prying it off as gently as possible. I have some 70% isopropyl alcohol right next to me, although I know 91 or 99% are probably more effective for that. The gap between the cpu and cooler is zero from what I see, but I'll try the alcohol anyways. Wish me luck D:

 

[LANmine]

8 minutes ago, Jer45 said:

 

Thanks for the video! I'm applying the alcohol gently and then using the dental floss to try and get under one of the corners of the cpu, which is slowly making a little gap where the floss can get into eventually. I'll keep trying, this is the most promising method I've seen so far.

[Jer45]

6 minutes ago, LANmine said:

Thanks for the video! I'm applying the alcohol gently and then using the dental floss to try and get under one of the corners of the cpu, which is slowly making a little gap where the floss can get into eventually. I'll keep trying, this is the most promising method I've seen so far.

Haha just saw this on facebook from coolermaster

 

[LANmine]

5 minutes ago, Jer45 said:

Haha just saw this on facebook from coolermaster

 

Oh god lol. I feel their pain ;_;

 

No luck yet, but I think the alcohol is seeping under the cpu (I *hope*.) I'll keep trying!

[Wdax09]

try using a card under there. thin cards. 

[Jer45]

13 hours ago, LANmine said:

Oh god lol. I feel their pain ;_;

 

No luck yet, but I think the alcohol is seeping under the cpu (I *hope*.) I'll keep trying!

just wondering have you got it off yet?

[Guest]

I'd use a hairdryer and heat it up, I had that issue on my old amds numerous times, u should turn the pc on and heat the cpu up before shutting it down to remove cooling device

[NoobCase]

Why not just soak it in isopropyl for a couple of hours? 

[Skiiwee29]

Lovely AMD for you, I use to have that happen as well years ago on AMD builds. As others have stated, try using like a flat head screw driver and gently work the edges to try and free it. You can also try using your fingers and working it left to right and eventually it will loosen up. As others have stated, you really need to clean your PC and likely have an issue with that Thermal Paste on your block causing the temps issues. Try putting a good paste, like IC Diamond on there and see what happens. 

[LANmine]

I got it off! I think all the isopropyl alcohol I used last night seeped in between the CPU and the cooling block, and it was a lot easier to take off. I'll see if I can get some good thermal paste, although I'd rather just use some paste I already have. Keeping my case dust free and clean is probably the best way to prevent this from happening again. Although I will mention that the paste that caused this problem was the pre-applied paste that came with the cooler, so I guess that explains a few things.

 

Thanks everyone for your help!

 

Edit: I also took an inflatable mattress's inflation fan to the inside, outside and fan ports on my PC case. No more dust anywhere (y)

[airdeano]

the TIM used is a high quality paste from Shin-Etsu.

although inconvenient that your CPU stuck to the cold plate of the H60, it is kinda what is supposed to happen to create the best seal/thermal transfer.

makers of the arctic cooling mx4 or noctua nt-h1 have a non-hardening and non conductive paste with no cure time needed.