Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

6

Time Required

                          30 minutes

Sections

1

  • CPU Cooler
  • 6 steps

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Introduction

What you need

Step 1

              Remove side panel of desktop
  • Unplug the computer and any connecting cables before starting.
  • Remove the screws holding the side panel from the back side of the computer case.

Unplug the computer and any connecting cables before starting.

Remove the screws holding the side panel from the back side of the computer case.

1024

Step 2

              Unscrew the cooler
  • There is a cable connected to the cooler unplug it from the motherboard.
  • Unscrew the screws holding the cooler at the corners of the CPU.
  • Take out the cooler and place it at a reasonable location, underside up.
  • Remember the location of where the cable connected to the cooler is.

There is a cable connected to the cooler unplug it from the motherboard.

Unscrew the screws holding the cooler at the corners of the CPU.

Take out the cooler and place it at a reasonable location, underside up.

Remember the location of where the cable connected to the cooler is.

Step 3

              Removing the radiator
  • Find the location of the radiator and locate the screws holding it.
  • Remove the screws and being to hold both the radiator and fan as the last screw is coming off.
  • Remove the radiator and fan.

Find the location of the radiator and locate the screws holding it.

Remove the screws and being to hold both the radiator and fan as the last screw is coming off.

Remove the radiator and fan.

Step 4

              Cleaning the CPU and cooler
  • Put a little bit of isopropyl alcohol on the microfiber.
  • Clean all of the thermal paste residue from the CPU.
  • The new cooler usually comes with its own thermal paste, but if it doesn’t or you want to add better thermal paste, clean the cooler the same way as the CPU.
  • Add a small amount of thermal paste at the center of the cooler.
  • Make sure that the surface of the CPU and cooler is dry before applying the thermal paste.

Put a little bit of isopropyl alcohol on the microfiber.

Clean all of the thermal paste residue from the CPU.

The new cooler usually comes with its own thermal paste, but if it doesn’t or you want to add better thermal paste, clean the cooler the same way as the CPU.

Add a small amount of thermal paste at the center of the cooler.

Make sure that the surface of the CPU and cooler is dry before applying the thermal paste.

Step 5

              Placing new cooler
  • Place the new cooler over the cpu and align it with the four corners where the previous cooler was attached to.
  • Screw in the cooler, start at a corner and then move on to the corner diagonal from it, making an “X” shape as you screw them in.
  • Dose not have to be tight, just as long as the cooler does not move, and both cooler and CPU are touching.
  • Plug in the power of the cooler in the same location of the previous cooler.

Place the new cooler over the cpu and align it with the four corners where the previous cooler was attached to.

Screw in the cooler, start at a corner and then move on to the corner diagonal from it, making an “X” shape as you screw them in.

Dose not have to be tight, just as long as the cooler does not move, and both cooler and CPU are touching.

Plug in the power of the cooler in the same location of the previous cooler.

Step 6

              Place radiator at a suitable location
  • Locate a suitable location for the new radiator(May not be the same location as the original one).
  • Fans should be facing out.
  • Screw the fans and radiator to the location together.
  • Put the side panel back in place.
  • Once the computer is on, listen for the fan to make sure it is working or place hand over the location of where the fan is to feel for the wind from the fans.

Locate a suitable location for the new radiator(May not be the same location as the original one).

Fans should be facing out.

Screw the fans and radiator to the location together.

Put the side panel back in place.

Once the computer is on, listen for the fan to make sure it is working or place hand over the location of where the fan is to feel for the wind from the fans.

By replacing the CPU cooler the lifespan of the computer will be lengthen with the small upgrade. By replacing certain parts within a computer it would no longer be necessary to buy a new computer and increase e-waste. By lowering the amount of e-waste it would help the environment.

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                    Jonathan Nunez

Member since: 10/31/2018

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