It depends on what you want to do with it. I'm assuming this is about overclocking?
In that case it would probably be a good idea to know how hot your CPUs run currently to see if it might
give you any benefit in that regard as there's always a risk in doing so.

Here another overclocker has delidded his Tualatin even with pictures showing the process:
https://forums.overclockers.com.au/threads/pe … -delid.1136735/

Is there any point in delidding a tualatin? They don't really generate much heat... As for overclocking, as far as I can understand max clocks are limited by the manufacturing process and architecture, not by thermals or power. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

To be fair, temperature *can* limit your overclocking capacities if the CPU either gets damaged, unstable or - as more modern CPUs do - starts throttling to prevent damage.
Then again, I wouldn't overclock older systems because that puts extra stress on components with very limited supply and modern systems are very effective
at handling their own clock rates. But each to their own and if the OP loves overclocking, so be it 😀.

As for overclocking, as far as I can understand max clocks are limited by the manufacturing process and architecture, not by thermals or power.

Quality of VRM, voltage and cooling improve overclocking. Cooling below zero Celsius can drastically improve overclocking potential.

Then again, I wouldn't overclock older systems because that puts extra stress on components

Overclocking without voltage increase rarely puts any significant stress on hardware.

Socket3 wrote on 2020-08-08, 11:29:

Is there any point in delidding a tualatin?

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows-what.

Take it from the masters:
Re: Delidding an SL7CH CPU? (socket 478 P4 EE)

dr_st wrote on 2020-08-08, 19:22:

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows- […]
Show full quote

Socket3 wrote on 2020-08-08, 11:29:

Is there any point in delidding a tualatin?

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows-what.

Take it from the masters:
Re: Delidding an SL7CH CPU? (socket 478 P4 EE)

I can't believe he delidded a Gallatin. And worse, it was soldered so now it's dead. I'd give my left nut for a working P4 EE, either socket 478 or LGA775. P4 EE are pretty much unicorns in my neck of the woods, and both price and shipping prohibit me from purchasing one... It pains me when I see someone destroy one of these babies.

Socket3 wrote on 2020-08-10, 15:03:

dr_st wrote on 2020-08-08, 19:22:

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows- […]
Show full quote

Socket3 wrote on 2020-08-08, 11:29:

Is there any point in delidding a tualatin?

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows-what.

Take it from the masters:
Re: Delidding an SL7CH CPU? (socket 478 P4 EE)

I can't believe he delidded a Gallatin. And worse, it was soldered so now it's dead. I'd give my left nut for a working P4 EE, either socket 478 or LGA775. P4 EE are pretty much unicorns in my neck of the woods, and both price and shipping prohibit me from purchasing one... It pains me when I see someone destroy one of these babies.

I got my Gallatin EE CPUs for a really good price. Just have to wait and watch until they pop up for a good price. It doesn't happen very often. The normal prices I see them going for on eBay is just insane.

cyclone3d wrote on 2020-08-10, 15:17:

Socket3 wrote on 2020-08-10, 15:03:

dr_st wrote on 2020-08-08, 19:22:

Like everything, the point is to destroy working hardware (the rarer - the better) for the purposes of "testing" only-God-knows-what.

Take it from the masters:
Re: Delidding an SL7CH CPU? (socket 478 P4 EE)

I can't believe he delidded a Gallatin. And worse, it was soldered so now it's dead. I'd give my left nut for a working P4 EE, either socket 478 or LGA775. P4 EE are pretty much unicorns in my neck of the woods, and both price and shipping prohibit me from purchasing one... It pains me when I see someone destroy one of these babies.

I got my Gallatin EE CPUs for a really good price. Just have to wait and watch until they pop up for a good price. It doesn't happen very often. The normal prices I see them going for on eBay is just insane.

They do come up once in a while, but all I've come across so far have been from the US, witch means insane shipping costs.

I accidentally delidded my Northwood Celeron when I tried to remove the cooler form a Socket 478 laptop. There was no room to wiggle the cooler, so I was forced to pry it out. The CPU stayed in the socket, while the IHS was stuck on the cooler. Thankfully, it used thermal paste under the IHS instead of solder.

As for the topic itself, delidding any CPU is a really stupid idea IMHO. If you really want to overclock those old CPUs, you're better off using watercooling (or even LN). The benefits of replacing the thermal interface under the IHS are simply not worth it over the risk of permanently damaging the CPU.

You can't damage Tualatin by simple delidding and changing thermal interface between IHS and crystal after 20 years also won't hurt...

What tool shall i use?

Basic razors should suffice. Just carefully and slowly cut glue between CPU PCB and IHS. You probably would want to add silicon pads similar to Athlon CPUs after that.

Example: Re: Socket 939 FX-60/Opteron 185 cooler recommendation for 110W TDP

The thermal interface between the die and the heatspreader is usually less efficient than toothpaste in this 20 years old CPUs. That may affect their longevity, even at stock speeds.

I usually delid the CPUs i care the most, replace the old paste with the higher quality interface i consider suitable (Liquid Metal or traditional high performance paste), and then reasemble the CPU just like it was before, using same color adhesive and stuff.

I try and overclock them just for fun and see how far they go, but i use the stock clocks for daily use. There is no point in use an overclocked PIII when you can build a more powerful machine for peanuts if you need it.

An advice to anybody who want to remove a heatspreader, use a VERY sharp and thin razor blade, knifes and cutters are not as sharp as i would consider suitable. the sharper and thinner the easier the work, the easier the work = less probability to damage the CPU.

There is no point in use an overclocked PIII

PIII platform is easiest choice to assemble a powerful retromachine with ISA slot and overclocking won't hurt for highres DOS gaming.

I have delidded Tualatins. It allows them to use any CuMine heatsink without bending any bracket.
P3-s 1400 may be uncommon, but Tualatin as a family is definitely NOT rare.

I recently delidded a broken Tualatin Celeron 1300 I have, and if it weren't for the fact the pins were broken underneath before, I definitely would of destroyed it from how harshly I "scraped" the IHS glue off. 😅

Regardless, it's definitely worth it for both temps and cooler compatibility as it allows massive AMD Socket 462 coolers to fit on them as well. 😉

So to anyone else who wants to do this, just be REALLY CAREFUL while doing so, otherwise you may cut into the substrate/traces as it's pretty thin.

Also you technically could do this to Socket 423 Pentium 4's, but given their "hybrid designs" (Basically a mix between a Socket 370 Pentium and a later Socket 478 Pentium 4 mounted on top of that), I doubt anyone would even try let alone do it successfully.

Anybody remember when you could get 15-20c load temp drops by de-lidding a Socket 939 Athlon 64 or Opteron series CPU? I do. I still have my Opti 175 that I de-lidded soon after I bought it new.

Before that I de-lidded some K6-2 CPUs.

The trick is to not cut the glue by sliding the razor back and forth, but to just sit the razer where you want it and push it through . You also don't have to cut the glue the whole way around. After enough of it is cut, the heatspreader will be able to be gently pulled off. Way less risk of damaging the CPU by doing it that way.

Delid?

Yes, just once and It was not on purpose... just and accident! 😁

VooDooMan wrote on 2021-09-25, 17:13:

...and accident! 😁

Congrats! Now you can overclock 😀

I've already done some overclocking without delidding 😁 Re: Overclocking Pentium III / Celeron: Coppermine and Tualatin cores - Socket 370