Can't get CPU out...

[Mike]

First off, let me totally apologize if I'm off base here. The computer
I'm working on is a Compaq, but I can't find a Compaq-specific
newsgroup, and everything seems identical to an HP machine I've got.
I'm guessing that they're the same thing with a different company
name, but if I'm wrong, please forgive me and feel free to point me to
the right NG.

Anyway, I'm working on what I think is a CM0204 (this is the closest
thing to a model number I could find). The mobo seems to be made by
Gigabyte. The CPU has a black heat sink, and even though I've removed
the retaining clip, the heat sink simply isn't coming off! On my HP,
once I removed the clip the heat sink just fell right off.

The CPU is surrounded on all sides by capacitors except for one, and
I've tried sliding it that way with no result. I've also tried pulling
on it pretty firmly, also with no result. I'm hesitant to pry on it
with anything, of course, but I can't see anything holding the darn
thing in!

Any thoughts?

TIA,

Mike

PS, although I've always thought it rare for a CPU to go bad, I have
two friends with similar machines that seem to have had their CPU go
out at the same time. One is an HP XT983, the other is this Compaq I'm
talking about. Was there an epidemic of bad CPU's in this machines or
something?

[Guy]

It sounds like the thermal paste is holding it on, when cool it tends to act
like a glue. Try turning the pc on until the heatsink warms up, this will
soften up the thermal paste and allow you to remove the heatsink.

Guy
"Mike" <csdude@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:46cdc619.0404040030.25e8834@posting.google.com... First off, let me totally apologize if I'm off base here. The computer I'm working on is a Compaq, but I can't find a Compaq-specific newsgroup, and everything seems identical to an HP machine I've got. I'm guessing that they're the same thing with a different company name, but if I'm wrong, please forgive me and feel free to point me to the right NG. Anyway, I'm working on what I think is a CM0204 (this is the closest thing to a model number I could find). The mobo seems to be made by Gigabyte. The CPU has a black heat sink, and even though I've removed the retaining clip, the heat sink simply isn't coming off! On my HP, once I removed the clip the heat sink just fell right off. The CPU is surrounded on all sides by capacitors except for one, and I've tried sliding it that way with no result. I've also tried pulling on it pretty firmly, also with no result. I'm hesitant to pry on it with anything, of course, but I can't see anything holding the darn thing in! Any thoughts? TIA, Mike PS, although I've always thought it rare for a CPU to go bad, I have two friends with similar machines that seem to have had their CPU go out at the same time. One is an HP XT983, the other is this Compaq I'm talking about. Was there an epidemic of bad CPU's in this machines or something?

[Quaoar]

Mike wrote: First off, let me totally apologize if I'm off base here. The computer I'm working on is a Compaq, but I can't find a Compaq-specific newsgroup, and everything seems identical to an HP machine I've got. I'm guessing that they're the same thing with a different company name, but if I'm wrong, please forgive me and feel free to point me to the right NG. Anyway, I'm working on what I think is a CM0204 (this is the closest thing to a model number I could find). The mobo seems to be made by Gigabyte. The CPU has a black heat sink, and even though I've removed the retaining clip, the heat sink simply isn't coming off! On my HP, once I removed the clip the heat sink just fell right off. The CPU is surrounded on all sides by capacitors except for one, and I've tried sliding it that way with no result. I've also tried pulling on it pretty firmly, also with no result. I'm hesitant to pry on it with anything, of course, but I can't see anything holding the darn thing in! Any thoughts? TIA, Mike PS, although I've always thought it rare for a CPU to go bad, I have two friends with similar machines that seem to have had their CPU go out at the same time. One is an HP XT983, the other is this Compaq I'm talking about. Was there an epidemic of bad CPU's in this machines or something?

I don't know what the date of manufacture is for this computer, but if
in 2000/2001 period, check that there is no mainboard capacitor leakage
or case bulging, etc. A very large number of mainboards were made with
off-specification capacitors which began failing about a year later.
These capacitors were used by many OEM mainboard contractors. The
failure could be mainboard and not CPU.

Q