Prerequisites

Before you buy, you need to know a few things. First, you must be comfortable opening up a computer. I suggest opening up your case and closing it a few times so you are not confused with a case when quickly opening and closing. Next, get compressed air. Compressed air blows away dust and debris from your computer. Dust can cause heat that builds up and blocks airflow. You also need to figure out what kind of processor you have. Go here to find which socket your processor is. Once you know your socket, you can go online to see which Heatsink/Fan (HSF) you want. Before you buy, you must look at the retaining module. This piece is at the base of the HSF. It is usually black. Also, before touching ANYTHING inside a computer, you must be grounded. That means that you should touch the computer case before working or get a grounding strap. This prevents Electrostatic Discharge (ESD). ESD is the same thing as walking across a carpet and getting shocked when touching the door handle. The shock is actually thousands of volts of electricity. Even though you might not feel any shock, you might still be sending thousands of volts of electricity into a computer. That is why you must take great care when going inside a computer.

Ordering a HSF

The HSF is very important in keeping a computer running. Processors can get very hot, and without proper cooling, can be destroyed. Not only can it be destroyed, but it can also damage the motherboard, the case and components inside it, or, worse, create a fire. What you will want is a HSF that matches your socket (e.g. If your processor is a Socket 478, you must get a Socket 478 HSF). You will also want to look at the noise. The noise is measured in dBA. The lower is quieter. Remember that a difference of 3dBA is only detectable, while a difference of 10dBA is perceived as twice as loud. Anything that peaks at 30dBA is fine. Approximately 20dBA is silent. Next, you will want to look at the CFM. CFM measures airflow, or how fast hot air is expelled. The bigger the number, the better it is. RPM is pretty much useless to look at, because some high-RPM fans have less airflow than lower-RPM fans.

To simplify things, most manufactures tell you what speed your processor should be at to use it. If they say something like 3.0Ghz, and you have a 2.4Ghz one, you should be fine (in fact, the faster it can handle, the better your processor will be). The next thing you need to look at is the thermal compound. This is either Thermal Grease or a Thermal Pad. If none is specified, you need to get some Thermal Grease. Most stores where you buy the HSF sells this, so you should ask about it or search for it. DO NOT buy no-name Thermal Grease. Those may not transfer heat properly and cause more problems. Arctic-Silver is the best Thermal Compound there is. Zalman and Antec are also big names in cooling, and you should be safe with them. If the HSF comes with a thermal pad, buy Thermal Grease anyways. Thermal Pads are less effective than thermal grease and are a pain to remove later. This guide will help you remove a Thermal Pad (UPDATE: The link now points to an archive of the page. I will post the link to the original once it is back up).

Removing the old HSF

This part can be very tricky and dangerous. If it is not done properly, you risk pulling your processor out and bending pins. If you know that you have thermal grease between your processor and the HSF, you may skip this part and continue to Cleaning. IF YOU ARE NOT SURE, CONTINUE READING! If you are still reading, you may have a thermal pad. Thermal pads melt when they become hot. This allows one to remove it easily. Leave your computer on for ten minutes (case closed is better), then quickly shut it down, unplug the power cord(s), and pull the HSF out. CAUTION: IT MAY BE EXTREMELY HOT! Use gloves to attempt to remove. Also, remove or unclip any restraints before pulling. You should see the processor still on the board. If not, you messed up. Click here to read about removing the processor from the HSF (if you messed up). Next, remove the processor from the board by pushing the little handle out and up. This allows for you to easily remove and insert the processor with Zero Insertion Force (ZIF). DO NOT FORCE THE PROCESSOR! Note that if your processor is a slot processor, you may pull it out with force (slot processors are big and upright. See your manufacture's website or manual if you are uncertain).

Cleaning

Place the processor on a pad or something with the pins in the air. DO NOT PLACE THE PROCESSOR WITH THE PINS DOWN! That can bend the pins and ruin your day (or life). Get some rubbing (not drinking) alcohol and some cotton to clean the processor (and you may use Goo-Off™ to clean the old HSF). Rub off all the old thermal compound on both the processor and the old HSF (you can resell or donate the old HSF. Hey, it still works!).

Installing the new HSF

The first step to installing the new HSF is to put in the processor. Push the ZIF handle out and up and then PLACE the processor in the holes. It should fall in. If it doesn't, try rotating it and make sure the ZIF is open all the way. Once it is in, close the ZIF. Now you can apply the Thermal Grease. You can't put too much or too little. Arctic-Silver's guide seems to be the best one out there. I also suggest practicing on a piece of paper before applying it on the processor. Once the Thermal Compound is on, place the HSF on top of the processor. I suggest that the computer be flat (motherboard flat instead of standing). Follow the instructions in the link previously mentioned. Also, follow the guide that came with your HSF. If one did not come, search online for it. READ ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY BEFORE STARTING! The guide should give detailed instructions. If you cannot find it, broaden your search to a less specific product. There are many different types of Heatsink and Fans, and it would be impossible to cover them all here.

Checking the Installation

Once you have connected the fan to the motherboard for power and everything, plug in the keyboard, the mouse, the monitor, and the power. You can plug in the rest, but I do not recommend doing so because you may have to go back to the drawing board. Power on your computer and look at the monitor. If it works, go into BIOS. If your BIOS has it, look at the temperatures. If not, go into Windows (I'll try to find one for Linux!) and download MotherBoard Monitor from http://mbm.livewiredev.com/. Once it is set up, check the temperatures. They should not go into the 70 degrees Celsius (158 degrees Fahrenheit) zone. Although this may be allowed by Intel or AMD's standards, it is not normal. That means you probably applied the thermal compound wrong or didn't properly plug in the fan. Unplug everything and check that those have been done correctly. If you see and hear nothing, then first check that the power is plugged in. Then check that the cables are all connected. If still nothing, then something could be wrong with your processor. Ask in the forums for help if you have this problem.

If you...

Removed the HSF and the processor is stuck onto it.

If you are reading this, then you pulled the HSF and found the processor still attached to it. This thread (asked by me) has some possible ways on removing the HSF from the processor. The technique I used was putting it in a ziploc bag and then putting it in the freezer for 30 minutes and finally using a razor blade to carefully separate the two.

Bent pins on the processor

If you bent pins, you can try bending it back (if you know how to) or seeing if someone will fix it for you. If you can't get it fixed, the only other option is to buy a new one.

Have the wrong retention module/clip

The retention module is what supports the HSF. If your HSF didn't come with the right one, you will need to go to a local computer shop or repair center. Look in your phone book for locations. I can tell you already that CompUSA, Circuit City, and those big chains do NOT sell them. Once you have one, you need to remove the old one by removing the four screws at the corners of the module. If you see or hear something fall in the back, this is normal. That piece is what allows you to screw in the module's screws. To install the new one, you need to push up the mounting plate (the piece on the back for the screws) against the motherboard. One easy way is to remove the power supply and have a small hand or something push it up. If you cannot do that, then you will be forced to remove the motherboard. This is a tedious process, and I recommend searching online for any possible ways or asking in the forums. Screw in the screws, and you are done installing the retention module!

Conclusion

This concludes the tutorial on how to Replace a CPU's Heatsink and Fan. All external links are copyright to their rightful owner. This tutorial was written by myself and is not allowed to be copied without my permission. You may print this for reference (but check back to see if it has been updated!), but you may NOT sell it. For more information, questions, or comments, post a topic on the forums (http://forums.jsyte.com) or contact me by email.

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