YOU WILL NEED THE FOLLOWING TOOLS:
#2 phillips screwdriver, #2 flathead, thermal grease remover spray/ electronics cleaner, can of compressed air, mechanics fingers tool, anti-static strap, anti-static mat, artic silver thermal grease OR a CPU thermal tape (grease is better)
1) make sure you are GROUNDED at all times. Buy a $5 anti-static strap at radio shack.
2) UNPLUG your computer. (This may sound stupid - but I have heard of people frying themselves and the computer by leaving it connected.)
3) use the proper size tools #2 phillips and #2 flathead, mechanics fingers for dropped screws, etc....
4) Remember the slots your PCI / AGP / and PCI-E cards are plugged into. Write the order down if need be.
5) unscrew/ unpop your access panel
6) remove your cards, place on an anti static plastic if possible (what they were packed in when you bought them). No need to remove RAM. Handle cards by the edges.
7) unplugg all power cables, data cables, remember the order and how they were connected. unplug data cables gingerly and pull at the connector - not the cable.
8) unscrew the power supply and remove
9) NOW - there should be a about 6 to 9 screws attaching your motherboard to the case. There could be more or less screws depending on your model. unscrew. If your screws have cardboard washers, remove those and keep them. You will put them back later.
10) GENTLY lift your motherboard out of the case and set on a piece of cardboard or anti-static mat.
11) looking at your motherboard CPU fan, gently remove the power cable attaching it to MB. Be careful not to break the pins on the MB.
12) Using your #2 flathead screw driver, on one side of the CPU you will see a bracket where you can place the flat tip of your screw driver in. Do it GENTLY and WITH LITTLE PRESSURE AS POSSIBLE to pop it off the plastic retainer. The other side should
slide off, you may have to wiggle it a little. BE CAREFUL NOT TO BEND OR BREAK ANY CAPACITORS NEAR THE CPU. Not only will it destroy your MB, the fluid in capacitors is toxic and some capacitors may hold a high enough charge to shock you.
13) now that the fan is off. Remove the CPU by lifting on the zero-force lever. the CPU should unseat. You will notice some gunk on top of the CPU. This is thermal grease. If there is no grease, remove the thermal tape.
14) handling the CPU BY the edges, spray the top off with electronics cleaner/degreaser. This is available at electronics/ computer stores. LET IT DRY completely. You can use compressed air held AT A DISTANCE (do not FREEZE your CPU)
15. Once CPU is clean, replace CPU onto motherboard. take your thermal grease and put a SMALL dap in the exact center of the CPU DIE. If there is no DIE and it is a solid surface, spread a very thin layer of grease over the top. LEAVE about 2 centimeters free from grease around the edges. you don't want grease to squeeze out onto your motherboard. (silver is conductive!)
16. VERY GENTLY seat your new fan SQUARELY onto your CPU and place the loose end of the clip onto the bracket. take your screwdriver and EXTREMELY GENTLY apply pressure to the the other side and pop it on its respective bracket. You don't want to crack your CPU with too much pressure. plug in fan onto motherboard. it should only go one way on most motherboards.
17. put your motherboard back into the case (align the holes and handle it by the edges)
18. replace any screws washers. hook your data cables. hook your power cables., replace and attach power supply.
19) PUT YOUR VIDEO CARD IN, DO NOT PUT IN YOUR OTHER CARDS YET.
20. POWER ON COMPUTER and see if it comes up it will do a POST (power-on self test)
if, ok, power off and put in other cards where they were. if not, reseat your cards and check your connections. Repower and check.
Make sure all your cables and fans and power cables are attached!
21. You're done!
