Removing stock P4 HSF (nub)

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infiniti029

Guest
I'm trying to install a Zalman 7000A-AlCu, and can't figure out how to get off the stock Intel hsf. What do you do after you move the two latches? I can move the HSF around a bit up/down, but I don't see what else I can do to get this thing off.
 
You still need to unsnap the 4 legs off the mount. It shouldn't take too much force. Just pull out on each leg until it passes over the ridges.
 
There are four 'hooks' one in each corner of the fan housing that clip over four plastic arms attached to a base on the motherboard.

You can gently pry these hooks outward away from the CPU and the hooks will release from the arms. Do this four times and the fanm will be free and you can lift up the fan and heatsink.
 
...what relic said.

One small point - in addition to prying out, you need to push down (toward the MoBo) just a little. The hooks sort of catch in the bracket on the board, and if they are fully up at the top of the cutouts in the bracket, you won't be able to pry them out.

Take your time and don't use a ton of force - it's not required.

Good luck - :cool:

B.B.S.
 
BlindedByScience said:
...what relic said.

One small point - in addition to prying out, you need to push down (toward the MoBo) just a little. The hooks sort of catch in the bracket on the board, and if they are fully up at the top of the cutouts in the bracket, you won't be able to pry them out.

Take your time and don't use a ton of force - it's not required.

Good luck - :cool:

B.B.S.
Click to expand...


excellent point
 
Be very very careful not to use force to avoid bent pins. U can use a flathead screw driver to separate the hook from the hsf. Sometimes the TIC aka the gooey stuff gets stuck onto the cpu. Intel suggests u use a blow dryer to heat it up gradually and remove it. Absolutely do not twist back and forth. This is assuming u removed the fan cradle already, but you're still having trouble removing the heatsink.
 
You need to use a screwdriver. That's the easiest way to pry it off. Just wedge it out by putting the fulcrum of the driver against the black plastic. That's how they do it at Fry's, and it's the easiest way.
 
I did exactly that today with my Intel rig. I've just replaced the stock Intel HSF with that same Zalman CNPS7000A-AlCu HSF. Also, I've applied Arctic Silver 5 on the CPU. For some reason AS5 is stickier than previous versions of Arctic Silver and the stock TIM on Intel's HSFs. I didn't bother to connect the variable-speed fan control; from what I've read that control box isn't of much use.

And my experience is so far so good. It isn't any noisier than the stock Intel fan, while it cooled a little better. (Specifically, right now my CPU temp is staying below 40°C at idle, and just goes over 50°C under load - whereas my CPU cooled by the stock Intel HSF constantly goes over 60°C under load.) But I will let my system break in the AS5 some more before I can get a valid temperature reading.

EDIT - When I removed my stock Intel HSF, I found that the center of the CPU's heat spreader barely touched the TIC, while the corners of the heat spreader made good contact with the TIC. No wonder why my temps rose so much under load, and my system became flaky.
 
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