Bent Pins on CPU, able to straigten it, is the chip damaged?

[leesiulung]

So I upgraded my CPU with an AMD X2 6000+ CPU and in the process removed the X2 3800+ to be inserted into another rig. Well, the 3800+ was basically welded onto the heatsink and when I yank it out, the chip and heatsink came out of my motherboard (NF590) togheter without the lever being released.

I was concerned and stuck the 6000+ chip in and it seems to work fine. However, removing the 3800+ from the heatsink proved difficult and I had to heat up the heatsink lightly with a hairdryer and pull them apart as careful as I could. In short, I accidentally drop the chip and a few pins were slightly bent. I was able to straighten them and install it in my other rig.

1. Does bending the pin, potentially damage the chip? I.e. it is no longer in good contact with the motherboard even if it goes in? I don't want random errors or freezes....

2. Can lightly heating up the chip with a hair dryer damage the chip? The chip was barely warm to the touch.

Darn AMD stock thermal grease or should I say cement!

 

[evilbix]

I remember doing this with an old p4 2.26ghz back in the day. I dropped the chip from around 4 feet high onto a cement floor with tiles over it. About half the pins were bent, and it was before I even had the chance to install the chip. Anyways, long story short the chip ran at 2.66ghz since then without a hitch. As long as you don't break the pins it will be ok.

The heating up should not damage it. No way to give you a 100% definitive answer, but everything should be ok for you.

 

[OCNewbie]

Should be fine if all the pins are straight and going into the wholes they are supposed to. I've bent pins on CPU's before and not had any problems once they were straightened. Shouldn't be a problem with the hair dryer either. I don't think it'll even boot (correct me if I'm wrong) if even a single pin is missing, unless it just happens to be very specific pin(s) for BSEL mods, etc.

 

[leesiulung]

Originally posted by: OCNewbie
Should be fine if all the pins are straight and going into the wholes they are supposed to. I've bent pins on CPU's before and not had any problems once they were straightened. Shouldn't be a problem with the hair dryer either. I don't think it'll even boot (correct me if I'm wrong) if even a single pin is missing, unless it just happens to be very specific pin(s) for BSEL mods, etc.

There were only 3 pins or so bent, and I straigthen them as much as I could. The CPU went into the socket without a hitch, but wasn't 100% straight.... Is it still ok?

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: leesiulung

Originally posted by: OCNewbie
Should be fine if all the pins are straight and going into the wholes they are supposed to. I've bent pins on CPU's before and not had any problems once they were straightened. Shouldn't be a problem with the hair dryer either. I don't think it'll even boot (correct me if I'm wrong) if even a single pin is missing, unless it just happens to be very specific pin(s) for BSEL mods, etc.

There were only 3 pins or so bent, and I straigthen them as much as I could. The CPU went into the socket without a hitch, but wasn't 100% straight.... Is it still ok?

The important thing is that it is making contact. If that is happening then you will be fine. Either way, just fire up the machine, if it works, your good, if not, well, no good. There isn't much damage that you can do that would have been preventable. (It shouldn't cause any excess damage)

 

[GundamF91]

I've bent them too, and you're fine as long as the pins don't break. It's just metal contacts, and bending won't cause any problem until the bent pins crack off.

As for making sure they stay straight, here's a tip: use credit card to line up your row of pins so they stay straight together. It's really easy to do.

 

[OCNewbie]

Originally posted by: GundamF91
here's a tip: use credit card to line up your row of pins so they stay straight together. It's really easy to do.

Good tip... hopefully I won't need to use it =)

 

[Gillbot]

I use a mechanical pencil to straighten bent pins.

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: leesiulung

Originally posted by: OCNewbie
Should be fine if all the pins are straight and going into the wholes they are supposed to. I've bent pins on CPU's before and not had any problems once they were straightened. Shouldn't be a problem with the hair dryer either. I don't think it'll even boot (correct me if I'm wrong) if even a single pin is missing, unless it just happens to be very specific pin(s) for BSEL mods, etc.

There were only 3 pins or so bent, and I straigthen them as much as I could. The CPU went into the socket without a hitch, but wasn't 100% straight.... Is it still ok?

should probably be ok. as long as they go into the socket correct, the little metal bits in the socket can touch the pin and all will be well.


a lot of cpus dont even need all their pins as a lot are redundant ground or power.... so occasionally you can even break a pin off if its a redundant one...

 

[leesiulung]

Thanks everyone!

I ran into a different http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2259670&enterthread=y]problem[/url] before I even know if there is a problem with the cpu.

 

[drum]

Originally posted by: OCNewbie

Originally posted by: GundamF91
here's a tip: use credit card to line up your row of pins so they stay straight together. It's really easy to do.

Good tip... hopefully I won't need to use it =)

and if that doesn't work you can use the credit card to buy a new cpu :laugh:
I've successfully used an empty mechanical pencil too.