Northbridge chipset headsink on the A7A

[nim]

I may sound like a true idiot, but I cannot figure out how the hell to get the heatsink off the Northbridge. I just ordered a heatsink and fan since it will supposely cool down the overall temp. Anyway, I just can't figure out how to get the heatsink off.....help!!!

[tenax]

twist it ..don't pull it..some people suggest putting vid cards in an airtight bag in the freezer then twisting it off.don't know if that's ok to do with mobo , though..

[Tigsman]

Originally posted by tenax
twist it ..don't pull it..some people suggest putting vid cards in an airtight bag in the freezer then twisting it off.don't know if that's ok to do with mobo , though..

of course it is Tenax!


just kiddin'

[tenax]

that's it! i forgot the the specific solution is a bottle of nicely chilled polar ice vodka snuggled up to it..duhhh!

[nim]

what do you mean twist it?? the screws dont twist......hmmm i dont think they do......hmmmm ill look at it.

[tenax]

uhmmm..take the screws off first?

[nim]

thats the problem i cant get the screw off. they are wierd they got springs and no place to put a screw driver in so they are hard to turn.

[tenax]

ahhhhh..i think i know what kind you are talking about..do they look more like a pin with a spring? if so, only 2 ways to get off..remove mobo from case and on the other side, use needle nose pliers carefully to squeeze the end and push back through the board (the best way) ..or carefully with scissors actually cut the pins from on top..if there is enough room between mobo and floor of case behind it, you can push them out of the way and the new ones should have pushpins as well..there is the chance though that if there isn't enough room, you can't push them out..you know what..unless your fan is failed, or too noisy, i would leave it..it's not nearly as critical as a cpu fan and most boards still only have an heatsink, never mind a fan on top..i'd leave it, at least until you ahve a reason to take hte mobo out.

[nim]

all there is is a heatsink, but I ordered a new heatsink and fan for it. so i have to take it off. damn I guess ill have to take it apart.

[tenax]

sorry..now i get you..so ya, if it is those pins..and it sounds like it,, try one of the methods i recommended..you can always try cutting them and if they won't get out of the way, take out the board..no harm done..just do it carefully so you don't scratch the board..and use some artic silver underneath it if you're going to this trouble.

[nim]

i dont got any thermal compound. wanna send me some free artic silver

[tenax]

lolol..it;s like gold..you'll have to buy some yourself..

[nim]

yeah but people have found that the thermal compund radio shack sells works just as well as artic silver.

[tenax]

some have..as2 is still the most popular if you took a vote..anyway..get yourself one or the other!

[Swampy]

Be careful taking off that heatsink!

I had come close to breaking my board taking mine off. I actually had the board warping pulling the pins out.

I tried the needlenose pliers from the bottom of the board, but I could not get a hold of the little nubs. The pliers slid off a couple of times and I was very lucky not to ruin the board.

I also tried using a pair of sidecutters on the pegs but they kept sliding off also.

I had damaged one of the pegs after all of this and the heatsink was loose, so I had to take it off regardless.

The way I got it off was pulling on the peg from the top and pushing on the nib from the bottom at the same time.

I was very lucky to get it off without ruining the board.

I wouldn't advise it.

For what it's worth I wouldn't do it again. (Without a good set of sidecutters. Something with a bit of a hook that wouldn't slide off the plastic pegs)

I now have a Blue Orb on the Northbridge with Arctic Silver.