Hey everyone! I recently upgraded my setup and installed a Ryzen 7 5700X3D on my old motherboard (Biostar B450MHP) with a Deepcool AG200 cooler. Last week, I removed the cooler, and thankfully, the CPU didn't stick. But now, I'm transferring the CPU to a new motherboard (MSI B550M Pro-VDH WiFi) with a new cooler (Deepcool AK400) and I'm pretty nervous about it sticking this time since I just applied fresh thermal paste. I've seen some videos online that warn about CPUs sticking to coolers and damaging the pins. What advice do you have to ensure this doesn't happen? Can I just unscrew the mounting screws and pull it off? I'm more concerned about the CPU than the old components.
1 Answer
One effective way to prevent the CPU from sticking is to heat it up a bit before removing the cooler. Running your PC for a while will help loosen up the thermal paste. You can also gently twist the cooler as you pull it off to break the seal. Just be careful not to burn yourself! Also, using something thin like a playing card may help slide between the CPU and the cooler.
How long should I stress test the CPU to warm it up? And how long should I wait before removing the cooler afterwards?