When removing a CPU fan / heatsink...

Computer Forum CPU, Motherboards and Memory
1

… do you find that the processor comes out with the fan, almost as if it’s glued on? This happened twice to me yesterday, with 2 different computers. I was swapping their processors, and despite both of them being clamped down, the thermal paste had dried up and glued the CPU to the heatsink!

Is there any way to avoid this?

Thanks, Thomas

2

thermal paste can be removed with some isopropol alcohol on cotton wool buds, you buy it from some chemists or some computer shops, but don’t be surprised if they ask you to sign the poisons book, just tell them you want it to remove some thermal paste from a CPU/heatsink

BTW: when applying thermal paste only apply a paper thin amount