Removing Cooler Master thermal paste

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

I recently removed a Cooler Master HSF to return MOBO with dead LAN.
After releasing the clip I twisted on the HSF to break the seal created
by the thermal paste. While twisting I encountered excessive resistance
that did not diminish regardless of how many times I repeated this
procedure. Finally I was left with no alternative but to pull directly
upwards on the HSF. To my astonishment and horror the HSF comes off with
the processor stuck to it. My misery is not over yet though because the
thermal paste is so tacky that the processor is still firmly stuck and
refuses to come off by hand. To avoid prying I push the processor
horizontally across the surface of the HSF with a screwdriver until it's
half way off and only then can I remove it. There was an excessive
quantity of paste on the HSF that formed a bead all around the edge of
the processor which I had to laboriously clean off in addition to
straightening a pin. I think the processor is still good but I won't
know for sure until after I install it in the replacement MOBO.

My question is do you think there is anything I could have done
differently to break the seal between the processor and the HSF created
by the thermal paste or is the shite that Cooler Master calls thermal
paste nothing more than a cruel trick on their unsuspecting customers
about which nothing can be done?

In defense of this product I will say that I intend to keep buying HSF
from Cooler Master however I will not install this product until after I
clean off that gray crap applied at the factory and apply a very thin
coating of real thermal paste. Anything would be better than what Cooler
Master uses.

 

[peter]

Seems like you followed the standard procedure....was the machine off for
awhile??
I have done the same on an older Mobo that I wanted to put back into service
and I figure the only reason it was so stubborn is because the paste had
"set"........whereas on a mobo just shut down the paste was still warm and
pliable.
peter

 

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

Seems like you followed the standard procedure....was the machine off
for awhile??
Yes.

I have done the same on an older Mobo that I wanted to put back into
service and I figure the only reason it was so stubborn is because the
paste had "set"........whereas on a mobo just shut down the paste was
still warm and pliable.
peter

Setup is the word. In some places the gray crap (I will not call this
substance thermal paste) was less like a liquid and some what solid.
Like the skin that sometimes forms on top of pudding. Pardon the
description but I can't think of anything else.

I have an identical PC I built in November with the same HSF. If I ever
have to remove the HSF I guess I will do it soon after shutdown and or
use a heat gun to gently warm up it up.

 

[yogi]

I recently removed a Cooler Master HSF to return MOBO with dead LAN.
After releasing the clip I twisted on the HSF to break the seal created
by the thermal paste. While twisting I encountered excessive resistance
that did not diminish regardless of how many times I repeated this
procedure. Finally I was left with no alternative but to pull directly
upwards on the HSF. To my astonishment and horror the HSF comes off with
the processor stuck to it. My misery is not over yet though because the
thermal paste is so tacky that the processor is still firmly stuck and
refuses to come off by hand. To avoid prying I push the processor
horizontally across the surface of the HSF with a screwdriver until it's
half way off and only then can I remove it. There was an excessive
quantity of paste on the HSF that formed a bead all around the edge of
the processor which I had to laboriously clean off in addition to
straightening a pin. I think the processor is still good but I won't
know for sure until after I install it in the replacement MOBO.

My question is do you think there is anything I could have done
differently to break the seal between the processor and the HSF created
by the thermal paste or is the shite that Cooler Master calls thermal
paste nothing more than a cruel trick on their unsuspecting customers
about which nothing can be done?

In defense of this product I will say that I intend to keep buying HSF
from Cooler Master however I will not install this product until after I
clean off that gray crap applied at the factory and apply a very thin
coating of real thermal paste. Anything would be better than what Cooler
Master uses.

I would have to go along with Peter for those occasions when it is
possible to warm up the CPU before removal of the HSF.

I did that the other night, I started the computer and had a last look
around my hard drive to make sure I had backed up all my important
files before the re-fit, then after about 15min I shut down and by the
time I had unplugged the cables and removed the cards, the CPU was at
a safe temp to remove the HSF with minimal effort.

But like you years earlier with a cold setup I have twice removed the
CPU & HSF in one go, yes, it does raise a few beads of sweat wandering
how to get them to part company without doing any more damage.

Cheers
Keith

 

[Matt]

My question is do you think there is anything I could have done
differently

Probably I would just leave the CPU assembled to the HSF.

 

[pcbldrNinetyEight]

Probably I would just leave the CPU assembled to the HSF.

Can I assume you have successfully reinserted such an assembly into a
754 socket and the PC functioned properly?

 

[Matt]

Can I assume you have successfully reinserted such an assembly into a
754 socket and the PC functioned properly?

No, but from my armchair I assume that if they were stuck together as
well as you say and you didn't have evidence of CPU overheating, there
would still be sufficient thermal contact.