Hi everyone,

A client returned a computer with a dead motherboard; the southbridge had erupted. So I set about taking it out for warranty return. It's a dual xeon, Tyan motherboard. So i loosen the heatsink screws and go to remove the heatsinks but they seem stuck in there. A bit of firm lifting and the heatsink comes out with the cpu attached!
Whoever built the machine put half a tube of heat paste on the cpus (both are now like this) and it's bonded the cpu to the heatsink.
I have to separate them or I wont be able to put them back into the replacement motherboard.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how to separate them? I thought of freezing, or heating. We have a freezer which would do; or i could put them in a warm oven (80C?) and that _should_ do it.

What do you think?