Processors

[BlackCastle]

I bought an AMD Ryzen 7 3700X in 2020.  A few months ago, I bought a Ryzen 7 5700X. I didn't try to replace my old CPU immediately because I had seen a lot of cases where people had their CPU come off with the cooler. So, naturally, I had to remove the previous CPU.

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Since buying 3700X in 2020, I haven't changed the thermal paste for 3 years. It had the default paste that comes with the Wraith Prism Cooler. So, when I tried to remove the CPU a few weeks ago, it came off attached to the cooler. I had run 6 hours of stress test before trying to remove the cooler so that the paste would melt a little and be a bit easy to remove, but it didn't work. 

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I reside in the Asia region. Since, I am not an expert, I went to the official distributor of my region and asked them to detach the cooler from the CPU. Note: They used to be the official distributor of AMD CPU when I bought my 1st Ryzen CPU which was Ryzen 7 3700X. Currently, they are no longer the official distributor. All CPUs of AMD are imported via third party channel.

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After a week or two, they called me and told me that the cooler wasn't coming off from the CPU. If it were attached to the paste only, then applying some force would make it come off, but they suspect that the CPU body has been fused with the heat pipes or of the cooler or melted a little and got stuck really hard because of high heat. If they try to apply more force, it might damage the top body of the CPU, and there is a risk of rendering the CPU dead or not working properly after the procedure. They asked me for my permission to try. I told them I would let them know.

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Is there any way you would recommend that would detach the cooler without damaging the CPU? I don’t care about the wraith prism cooler. If they have to cut pipes in order to free it, I am cool with that too. But would it work? That is the question. Or would any method work? What do you recommend? Please let me know.

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I am attaching a link to a few pictures. In those, you'll see some bent pins. It happened during the removal process. They told me that bent pins wouldn't be an issue and that they would be able to fix those. The main problem is detaching the cooler from the CPU.

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Pictures: AMD CPU Stuck 

[Farcuen]

Well this is a sadly story, in most of the case is common that thermal paste are attached to the cooling, and sometimes when you try to take it off the cooler is took away with the CPU.

First and foremost it is possibile you should have already damaged the CPU, that's mean usually when that's happen if the CPU has the pins on it, when you try to remove the cooler forcing it is possible that some one of them will be damaged.

To answer to your question this is a video on how remove a stuck CPU attached on the cooler solution:

Be carful to do this, because you can cut your finger, or you can use this to way:

Let me know,

Kind regards

Farcuen

[BlackCastle]

Unfortunately, none of these would work. The CPU is not attached to the paste anymore as they said. It has be fused with the cooler's heat pipe or stuck very hard.

[elstaci]

I seriously doubt that the Copper tubing melting or became fused to the CPU Copper or plated lid.

Copper's melting point is 1984F or 1085C at that temperature the CPU lid would have melted your PC would have gone up in flames.

If the Processor's LID is composed of Aluminum then the melting point would be 1221F again the same scenario as the copper melting.

So most likely the Thermal paste has become more like an epoxy glue and become very hard. I would try soaking the processor lid and heatsink with 90% or stronger Isopropyl Alcohol by constantly wetting the Processor's lid with a cotton swab or using eye dropper to drop alcohol directly on the lid and heatsink. I would continue doing this until the paste become soft enough to remove. It might take hours of soaking though.

Or open a AMD SUPPORT Ticket to find out if they have a special solvent to remove their dried out thermal paste from here: https://www.amd.com/en/forms/contact-us/support.html

[BlackCastle]

I did what you suggested and this was AMD's reply. Like by what logic did they ask me to follow this article? How does this article answer my question? The article is about installing and uninstalling the cooler. Not how to detach a stuck CPU from the heatsink. Did they not understand the problem I described?

[goodplay]

Forget it, that cpu is toasted (looking at pics), you could try a warranty claim & and see what amd come up with (if they accept it).

[Farcuen]

Hi, @BlackCastle.

They suggest to you a full article where there is some points referred to your case.

Thats some part of the article where explain the way to remove a CPU cooler stuck with the prism

1. "If your system has been powered off for some time, the existing thermal grease may be in a hardened state which could make removing the CPU cooler difficult and potentially damage the CPU in the process. If feasible, power on the system for a few minutes to soften the existing thermal grease."
2. "Lightly twist the CPU cooler clockwise and counterclockwise to loosen the seal between the heatsink and the lid of the CPU."
3. "Carefully lift the CPU cooler from the CPU. When done correctly the CPU should remain seated in the socket."

In short, I think you still receive this kind of response from everyone that's because:

• It is impossible that your CPU it is fused with the Cooler do you want know why?
  The copper part of the cooler if not reach the melting temperature it is not possibile that the copper is fused with the heat skin where the cooper melting temperature is 1.085 °C, while the aluminum heats kin fuse temperature is: 660,3 °C

So, essentially from what you said the customer support said to you this:

• "they called me and told me that the cooler wasn't coming off from the CPU. If it were attached to the paste only, then applying some force would make it come off, but they suspect that the CPU body has been fused with the heat pipes or of the cooler or melted a little and got stuck really hard because of high heat. If they try to apply more force, it might damage the top body of the CPU, and there is a risk of rendering the CPU dead or not working properly after the procedure. They asked me for my permission to try. I told them I would let them know."

That mean only one think they can try to remove detach the cooler and the CPU but because this is a particular procedure, they do not want take any responsibility in case of damage, also because the product is out of warranty, so if they damage the CPU they have to give to you a refund for the damage made like a new CPU or money.

But if you give them the permission to try they free from responsibility.

One thing, a melted CPU with a cooler which look like a fantasy story, that mean your CPU is already dead so instead of waste time, buy a new one.

I hope I cleared your doubt.

I waiting for your reply.

Kind regards

Farcuen

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[BlackCastle]

yeah, that seemed a bit far-fetched to me as well. The heatsink is there to withstand heat, not to melt, and based on the melting point, my PC would catch fire. What I really wanted was a specific procedure that would apply to my case only. Like any special method to free the CPU stuck hard to the heatsink. Because wiggling won't work here. I had performed 6 hours of stress test and that didn't soften the paste. So, in this case, is there any sort of chemical solution or anything that would melt the super-hardened paste, because I checked, and it felt like hardened cement.

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Applying brute force would, of course, damage the body, the pins might look like they are all bent out of shape from the picture angle. But, in reality, only two columns are affected. The 1st column is a bit more bent than the 2nd.

[Farcuen · Accepted solution]

Hi, @BlackCastle 

As suggested by @elstaci you can use Isopropyl Alcohol to soften the thermal paste, but be carefully Isopropyl Alcohol can be fire Easly, so you have to avoid to use Isopropyl Alcohol and after put quickly some heat on that, usually I suggest to wait it evaporation.

You can use The Floss method:

1. Refrain from prying the processor off or using any metal objects on it. The processor should easily come off the heat sink. Using a razor blade or prying tool, or placing force on it, may damage the processor.
2. Twist the processor gently. Be careful and try not to bend the pins. Do not apply too much force.
3. Soak the processor and heat sink in isopropyl alcohol (at least 91%) for five minutes. This option will not damage the processor.
4. Use a long string of dental floss. Gently floss the area between the processor and the heat sink, starting at any corner where the floss is able to penetrate.
5. If the floss is flat, hold it flat against the heatsink and slowly work it down between the CPU and heatsink. Having the heatsink facing you will give you the best leverage.
6. Work the floss down. As you go along the processor, go back and forth while gently applying force in the direction away from the corner where you started. It may be difficult at times, but it will go through.

You have to use Isopropyl Alcohol to soft the thermal paste, do not worry to use that because is not electrical conductive, also the other benefit is that has a high volatility.

The video show you the use of the floss: https://youtu.be/kDRgahrnOC8

Let me know,

Kind regards

Farcuen

[avalokiteshvara]

That's one of the reasons I don't like it AMD socket. I've had the CPU come out with the cooler a few times and usually the pins are bent or broken. If the thermal paste is dry, the probability of having a non-working processor is huge. I would say that AMD are disposable processors.