Processor attached to heat sink
Processor attached to heat sink
Successfully freed it up. Used the hairdryer for about twenty minutes, then applied a flathead screwdriver to crack it open. Knew it wasn’t safe, but options were limited. Almost reassembled everything now and am counting on your help to make sure it still functions. Thanks for the advice!
Verify the pins remain intact after removing them from the socket.
The process of removing the CPU from its socket shouldn't cause any damage, as I've experienced this before. After verifying the pins, there were no issues.
Turned the PC on. No beep, no startup. It looks like everything was getting power, even the CPU light stayed on because it kept lighting up ^^ Deciding to sleep now (3am in Europe). Trying a different CPU tomorrow—maybe I had an old one left and we’ll find out if I messed up.