Removing Corsair H100 (CHCH100) Cooling

[JamesCRocks]

Hi,

I am new here and, although I occasionally use Corsair kit for my desktop tower, I am asking the following in respect of supporting a friend.

I have said friend’s computer which was not powering up. The computer, based around an ASUS Sabertooth X79 motherboard (I’m guessing it’s around ten years old) with an i7 3930K, is water-cooled using a Corsair H100 unit. My friend never consulted anyone when purchasing the unit and it is clearly an older gaming system, completely inappropriate for someone of his age (now 80 or so) and computer usage (just standard stuff). I assume he just believed the advertising blurb and though “good computer” or some such.

The computer was powering up then switching off quickly which, knowing his home as I do, I put down to dust i.e. an overheating issue. Messages in the BIOS confirmed the system’s CPU was overheating and, since I know nothing about water-cooled PC maintenance, my solution was to buy a fan to that would cool it in line with his usage (he simply doesn’t need a PC, even one this old, of that spec). I bought a fan from Amazon which is where my problems started.

I can’t remove the CPU cooler; it appears to be stuck solid. I’ve removed the screws for it but the construction of the fan support is such that I can’t do what was suggested on YouTube i.e. heat the paste up on the CPU by running the machine, then effectively gently wiggling the thing until the paste (now hotter) allows it to come free.

So now I am after advice … how do I remove the CPU cooler so I can replace it with a fan unit?

Thanks 🙂

James

[LeDoyen]

I don't know what kind of toothpaste they used, that it would soften when hot..

When thermal paste is caked in, it's solid like plaster. The only way i know of removing it is twisting the cooler until it pops free. it's a bit scary but the socket is screwed to the motherboard so it shouldn't affect anything. just don't pull when twisting.

When it's free, using Q-tips with alcohol will disolve the dried paste and make it easy to remove without need to scratch the CPU.

 

If someone has a method to remove a stuck cooler with less force, i'm also interested ^^

[JamesCRocks]

12 minutes ago, LeDoyen said:

I don't know what kind of toothpaste they used, that it would soften when hot..

When thermal paste is caked in, it's solid like plaster. The only way i know of removing it is twisting the cooler until it pops free. it's a bit scary but the socket is screwed to the motherboard so it shouldn't affect anything. just don't pull when twisting.

When it's free, using Q-tips with alcohol will disolve the dried paste and make it easy to remove without need to scratch the CPU.

 

If someone has a method to remove a stuck cooler with less force, i'm also interested ^^

Twisting isn't an option because the CPU socket appears to have four posts built in around it. The cooler has four brackets that go over the posts meaning that, unlike a normal fan, it isn't possible to twist the cooler. I'm beginning to get the impression that my friend's is basically out of luck. If I try to force the thing Off, I'm likely to damage the system board, CPU or socket. 

[JamesCRocks]

One idea does occur to me. 

If I release the clamps holding the CPU and gently pull up on the CPU fan housing bit, am I not correct in saying it should all come away easily and cleanly leaving me to separate the CPU housing from CPU separately from the motherboard?

James

[LeDoyen]

those 4 screws have to go yes.

Contrary to aircoolers, the watercoolers are directly secured to the CPU backplate. 

There's no bracket that you first screw in, then screw the cooler on top 🙂

if you remove these, the cooler should pop free with a gentle twist to break free from the old paste

[JamesCRocks]

51 minutes ago, LeDoyen said:

those 4 screws have to go yes.

Contrary to aircoolers, the watercoolers are directly secured to the CPU backplate. 

There's no bracket that you first screw in, then screw the cooler on top 🙂

if you remove these, the cooler should pop free with a gentle twist to break free from the old paste

Yes, I removed the screws (they're kind of hand tightened nuts really), the problem is that the support thing (that the "nuts" go on to) still go up and through some brackets attached to the cooler which prevents me from twisting said cooler until I have pulled it free of the motherboard. 

I realise my other idea won't work because the clamps I considered loosening don't hold the CPU down, they hold a plate down which in turn holds the CPU down so I'm back at square one on that one. 

James

[JamesCRocks]

UPDATE: I've freed it. 

SOLUTION: Pull harder! 

James

[Corsair Fer]

Just now, JamesCRocks said:

UPDATE: I've freed it. 

SOLUTION: Pull harder! 

James

Glad you got it!