Aw $#%&... Broke a pin off my FX-55

[WAZ]

My PC had been running pretty hot so I went to re-seat the HSF. Unfortunately the HS stuck to the processor, and when I unlatched two of the retention hooks, it sprang upward and pulled the damn processor up with it. :disgust:

A few of the pins were bent (which I was able to fix), but one pin was broken off. It's gone.

So I pieced it back together and decided to give it a shot, only to get 1-second beeps at startup. Figured the chip was screwed but tried piece-by-piece. And what I've found is, the PC will actually boot and seems to run fine -- IF I only have one stick of RAM in. 1x512 in DIMM1 and it's fine... add my second 512 stick and it beeps and won't boot. (I was running 2x512 just fine before this).

Anyway, the pin that broke off is AJ-31 -- MEMDATA [105] -- which can't be good.

Is there anything I can do about this? I guess I should feel lucky the thing works at all, but gimping my PC of all but one DIMM sucks....

 

[swtethan]

new processor



one without pins


e6400

 

[Mr Fox]

Originally posted by: WAZ
My PC had been running pretty hot so I went to re-seat the HSF. Unfortunately the HS stuck to the processor, and when I unlatched two of the retention hooks, it sprang upward and pulled the damn processor up with it. :disgust:

A few of the pins were bent (which I was able to fix), but one pin was broken off. It's gone.

So I pieced it back together and decided to give it a shot, only to get 1-second beeps at startup. Figured the chip was screwed but tried piece-by-piece. And what I've found is, the PC will actually boot and seems to run fine -- IF I only have one stick of RAM in. 1x512 in DIMM1 and it's fine... add my second 512 stick and it beeps and won't boot. (I was running 2x512 just fine before this).

Anyway, the pin that broke off is AJ-31 -- MEMDATA [105] -- which can't be good.

Is there anything I can do about this? I guess I should feel lucky the thing works at all, but gimping my PC of all but one DIMM sucks....

If the processor is still under warranty and is a Retail Box Processor and you are totally honest with AMD how it happened they will RMA is 99.9% of the time...

Call their Tech Support and tell them the story verbatim...

Post back your results....

Thanks

 

[WAZ]

Originally posted by: Mr Fox
If the processor is still under warranty and is a Retail Box Processor

Unfortunately it's a used OEM that I've had for about 2 years so I think I'm on my own on this one... d'oh.

And apparently that one pin happens to control the memory so now that part of my system is just disabled... which I didn't even know could happen.

I've done some searching and heard of people soldering a pin back on, using some wire, or having a jewelry store do it. Anyone had any luck with this? Otherwise sounds like I may be screwed....

 

[Zap]

I've "fixed" pins using a workaround. Get some really fine copper wire and bend it in half. Insert it into the hole in the socket that corresponds to the missing pin, with the bend barely sticking out of and above the socket. Install CPU (and other parts). Cross fingers and test. If it works, great! If not, try again because it isn't making good contact.

Working on this outside the case makes it easier.

 

[Hyperlite]

Originally posted by: Zap
I've "fixed" pins using a workaround. Get some really fine copper wire and bend it in half. Insert it into the hole in the socket that corresponds to the missing pin, with the bend barely sticking out of and above the socket. Install CPU (and other parts). Cross fingers and test. If it works, great! If not, try again because it isn't making good contact.

Working on this outside the case makes it easier.

:thumbsup:

and soldering a new makeshift pin on is pretty much surefire, its just a little tricky to execute. I am confident you will be able to get it working again, there are lots of ways to get around missing pins. best of luck to you! :thumbsup:

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: WAZ
I've done some searching and heard of people soldering a pin back on, using some wire, or having a jewelry store do it. Anyone had any luck with this? Otherwise sounds like I may be screwed....

This place is reliable: link. A few people on this forum (and other forums) say they're reliable, anyway. In all my years, I've never broken a pin yet, so I've never gotten the chance to try them out.

 

[crimson117]

If I were you I'd just get a new one for $139

 

[WAZ]

Unfortunately a new one isn't an option budget-wise, even at $139.

I personally have no soldering skills, but I'm fairly confident I can find someone, try that wire trick, or send it off to Motherboard Repair for $40.... there's at least hope that my system isn't toast now.