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Delidding a Xeon X5690 with only a Vice (video)

SolidCake

SolidCake

macrumors regular
Original poster
May 20, 2016
109
41
Hey guys,

I made a video about delidding a Xeon X5690 using only a vice! The results where perfect! After cleaning up and successfully testing the first one I went on to the second. Both turned out great and my Mac Pro 4,1 is quite and blazingly fast.


The reason why I chose this method is that I did not want to tamper with the Mac itself. I did not like the idea of blades coming near the capacitors and applying heat to the chip so I opted for this method. Not to mention I found this method rather cost-effective.

I hope this video helps you guys out with upgrading your Mac Pro 4,1!
 
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^^^^
lol - totally missed that
559191-397f6350d0d67854407bd63b973edea1.jpg


Lou
 
AidenShaw said:
Maybe to show that it wasn't a typo the first time - she can't spell "vise"? ;)
Click to expand...

Depends on if you use proper English or "American". Personally, I prefer proper English. Vise is an Americanism, like "Aluminum", which isn't actually a word.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vise

Treat this spelling/grammar police lesson as an elongated version of my favourite saying... "Don't be a dick to people"
 
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SolidCake said:
Hey guys,

I made a video about delidding a Xeon X5690 using only a vice! The results where perfect! After cleaning up and successfully testing the first one I went on to the second. Both turned out great and my Mac Pro 4,1 is quite and blazingly fast.


The reason why I chose this method is that I did not want to tamper with the Mac itself. I did not like the idea of blades coming near the capacitors and applying heat to the chip so I opted for this method. Not to mention I found this method rather cost-effective.

I hope this video helps you guys out with upgrading your Mac Pro 4,1!
Click to expand...

Gives me motivation to make a video as well . . .
 
I don't live in the US so I chose to go with "the rest of the world" spelling for the clamping tool ;)

box185 said:
Gives me motivation to make a video as well . . .
Click to expand...
Thanks! Would love to see the video!
 
that's a pretty cool video. Sure beats heating the hell out of the solder to loosen the heatsink then have all that solder to clean up off the die.
 
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Yeah I'd be petrified of breaking the cou , you have to be very precise , I'm amazed the plastic takes such force without cracking
 
I am amazed that the PCB held up and it was the solder that broke. This adjusts my apparently incorrect perception of how strong solder is.

Now that I've seen it work, twice, it does seem better than the razor method. The razor method seems way too risky and has definitely damaged many processors--so many that there's actually an Ebay repair service for replacing the damaged components for shaved processors.
 
Great vid, that seems less risky to me than heating up the head spreader with a torch/heat gun, then putting razer blades under the lid to pop it off. When I finally get ahold of a dual cpu tray for my single CPU 4.1, I'll probably use the vise method (with cheap cpus for practice of course).
 
Any other success or failure stories from using the vice method? I have two x5690's on the way and I'm waffling on whether I will delid them or not. Right now the vice method is at the top of my list though.
 
Just delidded two 5675 last night using this video as my guide. Took my time and everything went well. I am typing to you on my 2009 cMP with those same X5675's installed right now :)
 
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natjonesart said:
Just delidded two 5675 last night using this video as my guide. Took my time and everything went well. I am typing to you on my 2009 cMP with those same X5675's installed right now :)
Click to expand...

Thanks, I've decided that I will try this method. I have two x5690s coming next week to delid. I have a spare w3630 to do a practice delidding with.
 
Worked for me x 5. I tested 2.66GHz quad chip first, which worked. Then delidded my 2010's pair of 2.66GHz 6-cores to move to an 8-core 2.26. Then delidded a pair of 3.46 hex-cores to go into a 2009 machine build-up for a client. All chips worked fine. Just be very methodical and careful. The 2010 machine of mine also got 3.46s, but they obviously didn't need to be delidded.
 
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All I can say is that I have experienced zero issues so far. Please let us know what method you decided on and how it went!
 
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SolidCake said:
Please let us know what method you decided on and how it went!
Click to expand...

I did a practice run with an old w3630 from my 2010 MP (worth about $5 on Ebay). I have to say that it came off quite easily. In the video it appears that you had to use a heck of a lot of pressure but in my case it took hardly any and it popped right off.

What do you do about the solder remaining on the CPU? Nobody seems to talk about this. I happened to have a razor window scraper that was perfect for the job and left a very smooth surface, but I wonder what others have tried.
 
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ActionableMango said:
What do you do about the solder remaining on the CPU? Nobody seems to talk about this. I happened to have a razor window scraper that was perfect for the job and left a very smooth surface, but I wonder what others have tried.
Click to expand...

I scrapped it off with a cut up credit card. But I protected the rest of the processor with tape first because I don't want to slip and pop a resistor off. I just scrape until I reach the hard metal surface.
 
ActionableMango said:
I did a practice run with an old w3630 from my 2010 MP (worth about $5 on Ebay). I have to say that it came off quite easily. In the video it appears that you had to use a heck of a lot of pressure but in my case it took hardly any and it popped right off.

What do you do about the solder remaining on the CPU? Nobody seems to talk about this. I happened to have a razor window scraper that was perfect for the job and left a very smooth surface, but I wonder what others have tried.
Click to expand...


I used a standard single-edged razor blade. I worked slowly and was very careful, paying special attention to not damage the capacitors. A clean work area and light are a good idea, I used a magnifying lamp.
 
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