CPU lodged in cooler unit
CPU lodged in cooler unit
The factory TIM is like old bubble gum, you can use acetone to help dissolve it and that will soften it so you can work with it. You can start by adding a few drops of it to one side and slightly tilt the cooler so it tends to go toward the chip. I'd try that a few times and then try the floss trick. Big thing is to get it started and once it does it will go alot easier from that point. Do beware of getting any acetone onto the CPU fan, acetone dissolves plastic so that is why I didn't say just pour it on the chip and cooler. If nothing else works you could for the sake of it remove any and all plastic pieces from the cooler itself such as the fan, fill a small pan/bowl and then place the cpu and cooler with the chip facing down into this, making sure you have enough acetone in to cover the cpu completely but not much more than that in the bowl/pan. Let it sit for about 5-10 minutes and then try to remove it. If it's going to work that will do it. After that, let the acetone evaporate, fix the pins, reassemble the cooler and so on.