Apollo 1240 Heatsink Removal and CPU Cleaning

[EvilCensor]

I have an Apollo 1240 that has never given me any trouble, but a recent investigation revealed that one of two heatsinks upon the CPU had come loose.



The heatsinks seems to have been held in place with some blue toned superglue substance - needless to say I'd like to clean this off but have had little luck in doing so.. also I'd like to remove the other heatsink which is stuck quite firmly in place.

I've tried an acetone based nail polish remover but have had no luck.

Any suggestions?

[Anemos]

perhaps is epoxy glue,any way, for cleaning this try with paint stripper remover (gel).
for other heatsink piece use hot air ~ 60 80C for 1 min and try to move it.

[StevenJGore]

My Apollo 1240 was in a similar state when I got it.

I used a stanley knife blade (removed from the knife) to "slice" the worst of it off, and then used a can of isopropyl alcohol to wipe off the remainder.

Steve.

[EvilCensor]

Okay I was more persistant with the acetone np remover and soaked the areas for longer periods - this softened it more and I'm gently scraping the substance off.. gonna take a few applications.

Not sure how to remove that other heatsink - any ideas?

Also does anyone have suggestions as to a better way of holding these heatsinks (if they are adequate) in place.. the fan connected atm is 2 cm2 (DC12v 1.1W).

As said before I've never had any issue with this card - even with on of the (as it turned out) loose heatsinks, but was this just good fortune?

(thanks for the advice so far - much appreciated)

[Fingerlickin_B]

Maybe try prying/wedging it off with a razor blade from one corner (very carefully & holding the '040 in place with your fingers at the same time)?

PZ.

[Rabbit80]

Try this?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Loctite-Glue.../dp/B0001P0DKG

[StevenJGore]

I used Arctic Silver (the version that is also an adhesive, not just the thermal grease version) to stick my new heatsink on. Only problem is, it's almost impossible to get off. Perhaps Arctic Silver thermal grease with a small dot of super glue in each corner might be better.

Steve.

[EvilCensor]

Thanks

Another problem is going to be the fan, there's no way the keyboard will seat correctly - it's a nice card - just poorly designed

[StevenJGore]

You could use an ultra-low profile (7mm thick) 40mm fan and no heatsink? This arrangement doesn't clash with the A1200's keyboard.

A heatsink AND a fan on an Apollo 1240 or 1260 is very difficult, almost impossible. There is no room over the heatsink for the fan because of the keyboard, and if you move the fan towards the back, most of it misses the heatsink! On my Apollo 1240, I've mounted two 30mm fans vertically behind the CPU, which blow air over the heatsink.

Thankfully, my Apollo 1260 doesn't need a fan so I'm just using a copper heatsink from a 1U server (fits perfectly if you file the fins down at the front to enable the keyboard to fit).

Steve.

[EvilCensor]

Do you think that a 40mm fan without heatsink would be sufficent?

[Zetr0]

@EvilCensor,

Hello there welcome to the EAB , theres plenty of retr0licious mischief going on round here its almost hard to keep up

okay.. lets look at this problem a slightly different way. now the Apollo 040 needs 5 volts at 2.5 amps this means its thermal output will be in the area of (5*2.5) Watts.. thats about 15 watts.. so ANY solution that can disspate arround 20 watts of heat should be good...

( I AM NOT GOING INTO THE BASIS OF HEAT CO-EFFCIENTS!! .... i am looking at you alexh! ... just keeping it uber basic)

Now there are some fantastic work done by some members here using heat pipe technology and convection cooling but that might be a little to complicated to start out. (although that was awesome Amenos!)

Now there existing cooling solution is 15 years behind the times, both in components and effcientcy... so lets think upside the box

so where can we get some kind of cooling solution~?, well... they do make them in abundance...

Chips set coolers have become a thing a much necsessity, and can easly disspate 20 watts of heat...

so now we need to make sure it stays where we put it....

Therma grip pads, nothing beat's 'em .... except that artic silver compound StevenJ was on about (thats pretty awesome stuff)

so let me get you some lucsious linkies

ultra low profile chipset cooler £3.25 inc postage

M3 Thermal Grip Pads [enough to do 4 Apollos] £3.00 inc postage

so there you have it, job done! may need a little jiggery pokey, but I am sure you can cope, make sure you take lots of pics!!!!!


Now.... I see you have been struggling with the thermal compound... your not the only one... but you dont have to anymore...

Introducing Silcone Spray for £6 inc delivery ofcourse you could prolly get this a lot cheaper at a carpet store, this stuff disolves the silicon base of the thermal past and it will just wipe away... its not dangerious... but its some what toxic so DONT eat it, or let your pet / child or wife have at it either...

okay.... i think you are now armed for the future... take back the cooling for your apollo that you have been denied!!!!

[Charlie]

Hi EvilCensor,
Like Zetr0 said...

That may well also do for getting the other heatsink off too, though it make take a few goes with said silicone spray alternating with a quick scrape with a craft knife or some such...
...it that's not doing the job for the remaining HSF there's two schools of thought on removing glued-on heat-sinks:

First: Don't try to lever it off - BAD!

Cold: Stick the whole card in the freezer (in a bag) for a couple of hours. Remove & give the heat-sink a damn-good sharp twist - assuming you're not built like Charles Atlass, in which case take it a bit easy. (some say for that a hard whack on the side of the HSF is better - hows your Golf swing? )
Don't forget to make sure it's dry before further use.
Hot: As Anemos suggested, heat the b*gger up with some hot air - a powerful hair-dryer may do the job if you don't have access to a proper hot air gun. Then give it a good twist + pull.

FWIW: When you get round to attaching a new HSF there's yet another way of doing the 'goo'.
Normal thermal goo (Arctic Silver?). Then once the HSF if correctly placed (and firmly squeezed down while giving it a bit of a shimmy) take some super-glue & apply small dots to TWO opposite corners of the HSF where it meets the CPU.
Not between the two - that's what the goo is for.
Keep the pressure on the HSF until the glue has dried.

Best thermal solution (not really required for the low output of an '040)
Easy enough to remove as you didn't use much glue.

[EvilCensor]

Thanks very much, I bow to my betters

I managed to lovingly clear off the chip with the nail polish remover, though I've yet to remove the other heatsink.. I'm over cautious so fear not I shalt not lever.

The advice from you all is as usual very much appreciated and I'll get my precious things running safely asap

[EvilCensor]

Okay managed to remove the other heatsink (19mm x 33mm).

I was determined to get the @$!#*£ off the CPU and was getting pretty frustrated by its stubborness (I confess the rear end of a hatchet did indeed strike a screwdriver with the intent of maybe freeing it up.. of course this did not work)

Time and patience will win through though, so knowing that the acetone based nail polish remover softens the adhesive I tilted the Miggy back a little and placed a piece of dried toilet paper at one end of the heatsink and a smaller piece at the top end soaked in the npr and waited a little.



I occasionally squeezed the soaked pad with the tip of a screwdriver (the dry piece at the other end was getting a little damp - so needed replacing on and off).



Then using a Plackers "micro Mint" TM (well going through several) I teased it under each of the four corners of the heatsink in a sawing motion.

I then went back to the initial steps to moisten the underside of the heatsink some more.. which I had to do several times.. but!



SUCCESS!



Now to clean up the crap



Ah well, too much time on my hands it would seem - again thanks for the advice everyone

..and yes the heatsink does look a tad battered - but I like I hinted - I was getting frustrated.

[Charlie]

Floss the b*gger off - now that's fine butchering old chap!

Welcome to the EAB!

[Zetr0]

@EvilCensor

!!!!!DENTAL STICKS!!!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!FANTASTIC!!!!!!!!!!!

thats soooooOOOooo going in my Book of Hackery!!!

[Fingerlickin_B]

Now that's creativity man!

PZ.

[TheCorfiot]

Now you know why dentists are feared so much

Excellent Job, I'm so glad it worked out for you

TC

[kriz]

Cool, great work

[EvilCensor]

Thanks for the support, I'll add more piccies once I've worked on a suitable solution to cooling