The cooler is designed to cool the computer processor during its operation. It usually consists of a massive metal radiator and a plastic fan mounted on it. This whole structure is attached to the processor mount installed in the motherboard. In this case, the flat surface of the heatsink fits snugly against the processor case, and the fan is connected to the corresponding connector on the system board, through which the supply voltage is supplied to it.
Instructions
Step 1
Shut down the operating system and turn off the power using the rocker switch located on the rear side of the system unit near the power cord socket. If your system unit does not have such a switch, then simply unplug the power cord from the outlet.
Step 2
Place the system unit on the right (when viewed from the front panel) side surface. Since you will have to make some effort, the body must have a stable position. If, in order to conveniently position it, you need to disconnect all the wires on the back surface - do it.
Step 3
Remove the left side panel. It is usually attached with two screws to the back of the case and removed by sliding it back.
Step 4
Disconnect the power wiring connecting the cooler fan to the system board.
Step 5
Determine the type of mounting the cooler to the motherboard - there are quite a few of them. In the vast majority of cases, the heatsink of the cooler is pressed against the processor by an elastic metal rocker, which has cutouts on both sides and clings to the plastic protrusions on both sides of the processor mount. It is necessary to sequentially release first the upper edge of this rocker arm, then the lower one. Some of the cooler models have a large plastic lever on the upper rocker mount - in this case, it will be enough to turn it to release the upper end. If there is no such lever, then slightly press this side of the spring rocker against the board (for example, with a screwdriver) and pull it out of the tab on the processor mount. It will be easy to release the bottom edge, since in the absence of tension it will dangle freely in its groove.
Step 6
Grasp the metal heatsink of the cooler and carefully remove it from the processor. The place where the heatsink meets the processor is covered with thermal paste, which has a rather viscous consistency and, moreover, was constantly under pressure created by a spring rocker. Therefore, even without mechanical fastening, the thermal grease can independently hold the heatsink on the processor case. Do not pull off the cooler with great force, it is better to slide it horizontally as far as possible to reduce the adhesion area of the two surfaces covered with thermal grease, and then remove.
