Bent Pins On Socket 754 A64 3200+

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
Hi all,

I had posted a while ago with some problems about my PC not posting after I did some ugprades (in particular replacing the stock AMD HSF with an XP-90 and Panaflo LB1X.

Anyway, when I had originally removed the stock AMD HSF, the CPU came out when I removed it. At the time I didn't notice any problems, and I put it back in.

However, I have taken my PC apart again and removed the XP-90, and this time I was able to look at the CPU, and I saw that the last row of pins on the edge were bent. They are all bent about the same, but definitely bent (I'd say bent about 30 degrees towards the edge of the CPU.

Anyway, I'm guessing this almost certainly explains why my PC wasn't POSTing.

My question is, is there any way for me to fix the bent pins, or is it a lost cause? I figure if there's anything at all possible worth trying I might as well try it, so if anyone does have any advice I'd love to hear it.

If not, could anyone tell me how big a deal it would be if I replaced my old processor (which is a socket 754 Athlon 64 3200+ with 1MB cache) with the cheapest socket 754 processor (an Athlon 64 2800+ with 512k cache). At this point, I'd rather not invest a ton of money into socket 754.

I'm also wondering if anyone has any thoughts on just going ahead and buying a socket 939 MB and CPU (if my current processor is unsalvageable).

Thanks,

Zadillo
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
Use a good-quality needlenose plier and lots of patience, and bend the pins back. Take a break or two if needed. Good luck! :)
 

compso

Senior member
May 25, 2003
222
0
0
I would take the smallest hemostat, tweezer or needle nose pliers you can find and bend them back 1 by 1 carefully. I have done this many times with success. If one breaks off you are in trouble.
 

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
2
76
I've seen people use a mechanical pencil to bend pins. Just remove the lead from the pencil, then use the hollow tip of the mechanical pencil to slide over the bent pin and then GENTLY straighten the pin.
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
Originally posted by: D1gger
I've seen people use a mechanical pencil to bend pins. Just remove the lead from the pencil, then use the hollow tip of the mechanical pencil to slide over the bent pin and then GENTLY straighten the pin.
Oooo, good suggestion! :cool:

 

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
Cool, thanks for the tips guys. I'll give it a shot. Certainly worth trying to salvage it before I have to buy a new CPU....:)

-Zadillo
 

D1gger

Diamond Member
Oct 3, 2004
5,411
2
76
Originally posted by: mechBgon
Originally posted by: D1gger
I've seen people use a mechanical pencil to bend pins. Just remove the lead from the pencil, then use the hollow tip of the mechanical pencil to slide over the bent pin and then GENTLY straighten the pin.
Oooo, good suggestion! :cool:

Thanks Mech! High praise indeed coming from the Zen Master of this board.:D
 

mechBgon

Super Moderator<br>Elite Member
Oct 31, 1999
30,699
1
0
LOL, master of nothing, dabbler in everything, that's me :D I learn as I go, and now I've learned a great use for mechanical pencils :D
 

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
Well, I finally got around to putting the CPU back in my motherboard and putting my PC together (I got held up with stuff this week so didn't have much time to do it).

The tip with the mechanical pencil helped a lot, made it a lot easier to bend the pins back.

I also got my PC put back together with the Antec NeoPower 480w PSU, so the old Antec 350w PSU I was running with shouldn't be an issue.

Unfortunately, my PC still isn't posting, with the same error "Early Chipset Initialization" according to the diagnostic LED's.

Is it safe to assume at this point that the CPU must be irreparably damaged, or could there still be other issues keeping the CPU from posting?

I'm kind of reluctant to buy another Socket 754 CPU, so I'm really thinking of going ahead and getting a new motherboard and Socket 939 A64 CPU...... I figure I could try and sell the MSI K8T Neo MB (although I guess I'd want to figure out a way to make sure the MB itself is fine......... )

-Zadillo
 

Rhin0

Senior member
Nov 15, 2004
967
0
0
Sorry to hear that it isn't working... I'd just keep trying a few more times before I give up.

The mechanical pencil is the best thing ever. I've been using that trick since I got my first comp back in the day. Work GREAT on monitor pins!
 

Paperlantern

Platinum Member
Apr 26, 2003
2,239
6
81
Originally posted by: D1gger
I've seen people use a mechanical pencil to bend pins. Just remove the lead from the pencil, then use the hollow tip of the mechanical pencil to slide over the bent pin and then GENTLY straighten the pin.


That is extremely funny you said that, because 3 weeks ago I was nominated at work to go help a guy at a school that had a dual 3.4 Xeon server that had 1 bent pin on one of the processors, he was freaking out because that is a really expensive processor, and he didnt know if HE did it or if it was shipping... and thats exctly what i ended up using, the tip of my "Quicker Clicker" pencil that i always have in my bag... wierd

worked like a charm tho, only difference was his was bent right over flat and i had to use a razorblade to start it because nothing else was thin enough to get underneath it...
 

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
I'm confused, what did you mean when you said to keep trying? Is there something more I should try? I got the pins bent back into position enough that it fits properly into the socket now, and it locks in properly.
 
Nov 29, 2004
156
0
0
Early Chipset Initialization
I was a recieving that same type of error and it turned out to be memory related. I had the dimms in the wrong memory bank so the machine wouldn't post. With your pins being bent who knows.
 

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
Yeah, I don't think it would be memory related........... I don't think anything unusual happened with the memory, and I have them in the same slots (the 1st and 2nd slots closest to the CPU on the MB) as I had them in before when everything was working properly.

Is there anything I can do with this processor at this point short of just throwing it away? I mean, is it something that AMD might be able to fix, or at least confirm whether the CPU is bad or not (like if I sent it to them)?
 

BlindBartimaeus

Golden Member
Jun 8, 2002
1,601
0
76
1-408-749-3060

That is a number for AMD and CALMLY explain what happened and most of the time they are good about troubleshooting on site/ replacing.

Be nice when you call
 

Zadillo

Member
Aug 23, 2004
173
0
0
Cool, thanks, I'll give it a shot.

Maybe since the original damage I think happened when I was removing the original stock HSF (and the CPU seemed to be pulled out by the HSF), that might count for something.