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Mac Pro 4,1 heatsink screw stuck

MentalVizion

MentalVizion

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 30, 2013
144
3
Austria
Hey,

Finally went around and wanted to do my CPU upgrade today. I successfully delidded 2 X5675's etc., only to get f*cked by a freaking stuck spring loaded screw on heat sink B. What can I do?

Wanted to test the 1st CPU, but not being able to remove CPU B because of that one F*CKING screw, sadly makes this impossible. There were absolutely no problems on the other 7 screws. Used a 3mm Hex Allen wrench thingie.

It is the screw on the bottom left of the CPU B heatsink.
 
How is it stuck? Don't want to move at all, hex head ruined/stripped so no friction left or stuck in some other way?
 
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owbp said:
How is it stuck? Don't want to move at all, hex head ruined (too wide) so no friction left or stuck in some other way?
Click to expand...

If I look at it from the side, through the openings on the heatsink - the spring loaded screw won't move at all.

Also, the screws have never been loosened before, so I don't see how they could be stripped.
 
Ok, so you didn't move that screw at all and hex key isn't wiggly in it. Good news!

I've changed CPUs on three 4,1s (one mine and two of my friends) and they can feel kind of stuck. Especially my friends, that i applied so much force unscrewing one of the screws i thought something will break. Once it started going, all was a breeze. But the firs movement of that screw felt like something broke.
So, if the key fits like it should, feel free to apply some more force to it. But be cautious because i don't know what can go wrong.
 
owbp said:
Ok, so you didn't move that screw at all and hex key isn't wiggly in it. Good news!

I've changed CPUs on three 4,1s (one mine and two of my friends) and they can feel kind of stuck. Especially my friends, that i applied so much force unscrewing one of the screws i thought something will break. Once it started going, all was a breeze. But the firs movement of that screw felt like something broke.
So, if the key fits like it should, feel free to apply some more force to it. But be cautious because i don't know what can go wrong.
Click to expand...

I can't "apply some force". The hex key is just wiggling around in there. It has no "bite". I know this hints at a worn out screw, but I really don't think it is. I know what you mean though, I had this on another screw. It felt like I was actually tightening it, even though I was loosening it.
 
So the hex key IS wiggling.
The only thing that comes to mind is to put some rubber band on top of your hex key and try to unscrew it like that.
If it feels like the worn out screw it most probably is...
 
Got it up and running now. Apparently the last freaking screw was a TORX (quite a big one too), instead of a HEX (like all the others were)...

BUT: My fans are loud as hell, and my geekbench score is a little suspect
I did a PRAM reset. Both CPU's and RAM is displayed. Could the fans turn up because I didn't properly scrape off the remaining solder of the CPU? I mean I did my best, but this was quite tricky, and I didn't wanna damage the processor.

As of the geekbench score - WTF?! I had a higher score BEFORE this update!
 

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What's the CPU's temperature. If your heatsink is not install properly (including improper thermal paste application). The CPU can be thermal throttled (low performance) and the fan's speed going crazy.

Anyway, for fans' issue, you should try SMC reset. Also, what's your score before the upgrade?
 
h9826790 said:
What's the CPU's temperature. If your heatsink is not install properly (including improper thermal paste application). The CPU can be thermal throttled (low performance) and the fan's speed going crazy.

Anyway, for fans' issue, you should try SMC reset. Also, what's your score before the upgrade?
Click to expand...

Here you go: Hope this helps.

I don't think I messed up at the thermal paste, rather with scraping off the remaining solder, thus not allowing the heat sink ti properly cool the CPU.

Isn't a SMC reset automatically done when hooking up the mac again after an upgrade? Since it was off the power etc.

My score before the update was around 16k as well.
 

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I used 99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint free cloth to remove my original thermal paste. I would think having any remaining residue on the processor could impact thermals negatively.
 
When I did my 5.1 CPU upgrade, all the fans initially ran full blast. I noticed that the fan connector attached to the inside of the heatsink didn't look fully seated, so I carefully poked a small screwdriver through the heatsink and finished seating the connector which solved the fan issue. It apparently wasn't getting a fan speed signal, so it turned on all fans on max.
 
I took out the CPUs again and scraped off the remaining solder. Note: Credit card works WAY better then box cutter.
Applied new thermal paste (used the "blob" in the middle technique), and still the same problem. I actually reached 9k geekbench score now once :D
[doublepost=1489092236][/doublepost]
hfg said:
When I did my 5.1 CPU upgrade, all the fans initially ran full blast. I noticed that the fan connector attached to the inside of the heatsink didn't look fully seated, so I carefully poked a small screwdriver through the heatsink and finished seating the connector which solved the fan issue. It apparently wasn't getting a fan speed signal, so it turned on all fans on max.
Click to expand...

But since apps like iStat and stuff actually display a fan speed for the heatsinks, this can't be the problem, can it?
 
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MentalVizion said:
But since apps like iStat and stuff actually display a fan speed for the heatsinks, this can't be the problem, can it?
Click to expand...

My maximum fans included the PCI channel fans, and the fans started immediately on login, no delay while things heated up. I would think if you are getting readings in iStat on your heatsink fans and they are running, then all the contacts in the connector were working. What are your iStat temps showing?

It probably wouldn't hurt to do a SMC and PRAM reset ... seems to fix a lot of strange issues, and is the first thing Apple Support usually has you do.
 
hfg said:
My maximum fans included the PCI channel fans, and the fans started immediately on login, no delay while things heated up. I would think if you are getting readings in iStat on your heatsink fans and they are running, then all the contacts in the connector were working. What are your iStat temps showing?

It probably wouldn't hurt to do a SMC and PRAM reset ... seems to fix a lot of strange issues, and is the first thing Apple Support usually has you do.
Click to expand...

See post #11 for the iStat temps.
I've done plenty of SMC and PRAM resets already.
[doublepost=1489094324][/doublepost]I also just noticed a red light flashing irregularly between heat sink A and the first 4 RAM banks. I'm not to sure, but I think I remember this flashing before the upgrade as well, so I reckon it is normal?

EDIT: Apparently, this indicates a CPU problem, as seen here on page 33: http://tim.id.au/laptops/apple/macpro/macpro_early2009.pdf

Since my mac boots fine and stuff, this HAS to be a temperature issue. But I don't see how. Everything in place, there is thermal paste, heatsinks are properly installed - I don't get it.
 
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I'm confused, your computer is showing as a mid-2012? You shouldn't delid for a 5,1.

I also vaguely worried that your computer has a wrong-sized torx screw for one of the heat sinks. It sounds like someone in the past removed the heat sink, messed up one of the screws and so had to replace it. Did you buy this computer brand new?

What CPUs did you have in before?
 
ActionableMango said:
I'm confused, your computer is showing as a mid-2012? You shouldn't delid for a 5,1.

I also vaguely worried that your computer has a wrong-sized torx screw for one of the heat sinks. It sounds like someone in the past removed the heat sink, messed up one of the screws and so had to replace it. Did you buy this computer brand new?

What CPUs did you have in before?
Click to expand...

It's a 4,1 upgraded to a 5,1. I am the 2nd owner, an I'm very positive, that the first owner never opened it before. So I guess this one's up to Apple - why ***** ever.


I had the 2.26ghz ones i before - think they are called E5520 or so.
 
The red CPU LED is a sign that either the CPU is bad, the socket is bad, or the fit of the CPU to the socket is bad.

I know it's a hassle and you probably don't want to do this, but I think it is important to know what happens when you put your old processors back in. For example, does your GB score go back up and the fans calm down.

Also, in between swapping the old processors back in, check the socket very carefully for bent pins.

While the new delidded processors are out, use a magnifying glass to see if you damaged any of the capacitors. Other people have reported accidental damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
 
ActionableMango said:
I know it's a hassle and you probably don't want to do this, but I think it is important to know what happens when you put your old processors back in. For example, does your GB score go back up and the fans calm down.

By the way, the red CPU LED is a sign that either the CPU is bad, the socket is bad, or the fit of the CPU to the socket is bad.

So in between swapping the old processors back in, check the socket very carefully for bent pins.

While the new delidded processors are out, use a magnifying glass to see if you damaged any of the capacitors. Other people have reported accidental damage that cannot be seen with the naked eye.
Click to expand...

Yea, I thought that would be the next best step as well. Gonna pop them back in tomorrow and see. Now me needs some sleep though. Wasted way to much time on that crap anyways today - mostly because of that ONE SCREW...

Should they work flawlessly, what's to expect of the X5675's then? Can they be faulty even though the mac boots just fine with them?
 
I've booted with a bent pin. In my case, it just affected one of the sticks of RAM. It took a magnifying glass to spot it and I just used a tweezer to bend it back in place.
 
pastrychef said:
I've booted with a bent pin. In my case, it just affected one of the sticks of RAM. It took a magnifying glass to spot it and I just used a tweezer to bend it back in place.
Click to expand...

CPU B is fine now. No red lights and my geekbench score has increased to around 25k. However, CPU A is still flashing red. It used to flash red when starting up the Mac, at the login screen, but since tightening the heatsink screws a tiiiny bit more, this has vanished as well. However, when running geekbench, it still flashes red, probably pointing to an overheating issue still. Right now I am tightening the heatsink screws the tiniest amount possible, hoping to finally fix this.
 
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