The following procedure describes the steps for replacing a CPU and heatsink in a Sun Blade X8450 Server Module.
Both the CPU and heatsink are considered field-replaceable units (FRUs) that should only be replaced by a qualified Sun service technician.
Follow these steps to replace the CPU and, if applicable, heatsink on an X8450 Server Module:
To power off the blade, remove it from the chassis and remove the blade cover, follow these steps:
Prepare the blade for removal
Remove the blade from the chassis.
See Replace Blade.
Remove the blade cover.
To prevent static damage to internal blade components, attach the provided antistatic wrist strap. Ground the other end of the antistatic strap to the system chassis (sheet metal). For additional information, see the instructions that are shipped with the strap.
Locate the heatsink CPU components on the motherboard that you want to replace.
The illustration below identifies the order of the the heatskink / CPUs on the X8450 Server Module
To remove the heatsink from the motherboard follow these steps:
Use a 9/64 Allen (Hex-head) wrench to loosen the four spring-loaded mounting screws that secure the heatsink to the motherboard.
Hold down the top of the heatsink to prevent it from tipping unevenly while you alternately loosen the mounting screws.
Twist the heatsink slightly to reduce the adhesive and surface tension properties between the heatsink and CPU.
Lift the heatsink off of the board and turn the heatsink upside down to allow the four washers in each of the four mounting holes to fall out into your hand.
Set the heatsink upside down on a clean, antistatic, flat surface to prevent the thermal grease from contaminating other components.
To remove the CPU chip from the socket, follow these steps:
Pull the CPU socket locking lever into the Open position and lift the CPU out of the socket.
Leave the CPU socket lever in the Open position.
To install the replacement CPU into the CPU socket, do the following:
Unpack the new CPU and heatsink (if a new heatsink was ordered).
Ensure that the CPU socket lever is in the Open position.
Orient the CPU chip with the socket so that the processor cut-outs on the bottom side of the chip match the socket notches.
When the CPU is fully seated in the socket, push the CPU socket locking lever down to the Close position. (picture)
Perform one the following, sepending on if you are reinstalling an existing heatsink or installing a new heatsink.
Reinstalling existing heatsink. Perform these steps:
Remove any heavy amounts of thermal grease with a tissue. Then use an alcohol pad to clean all old thermal grease from the component surfaces
Use one syringe of thermal grease (1 ml) to carefully apply grease to the top of the CPU in two lines that make an X pattern and a third line placed horizontally across the mid section of the X.
Installing new heatsink. Perform these steps:
Remove the heatsink plastic cover protecting the thermal grease that was preapplied at the factory.
Do NOT apply additional thermal greese to a new heatskink.
To install the heatsink on the motherboard, do the following:
. If a protective film covers the underside of the heatsink, remove the protective film cover.
Lower the heatsink over the CPU socket, aligning the 4 captive screws with the holes on the motherboard
Tighten the 4 captive screws using a 9/64 Allen (Hex-head) wrench, finger-tighten each captive screw diagonally according to the numbers shown in the figure above.
To fully secure the heatskink on the motherboard, re-tighten each captive screw in the same order as Step 8b.
Reinstall the blade cover and insert the blade into the chassis. For additional information, see the installation instructions in: