burned CPU?

[Gravija]

i just got a new athlon 1700+ t-bred from excaliber Pc and after i installed the HSF and booted it up, i smelled burning, so i shut it down. I didn't think to check until today (two days after receiving the CPU). there is a blackened, apparently charred part around the metal part of the CPU
is this dead?
and what kind of warranty do i have on an OEM, non-overclocked CPU?
and what could have been a cause of the thing burning?

thanks

 

[Jeff7]

Improper heatsink installation is likely. What heatsink was it? Did it have a square patch on the bottom covered with a plastic film? If so, did you remove the plastic film first?

 

[Gravija]

it was an AX-7 with a vantec stealth fan mounted on it (i had a similar heatsink in another rig, worked fine)
it did have a patch w/plastic film, and i did remove that first
last time i did that, the computer would still boot and go up to windows then reboot

do i have grounds for gettign a replacement?

 

[Jeff7]

And the other usual question I see asked: Are you sure it wasn't on backwards?
And are you sure that it was clipped down on both sides? I had a Chrome Orb once and I thought it was clipped down firmly; turned on the PC, smelled burning, hit the power button on the back. The one clip came off, and the Tbird 900 had killed itself.
If you want to be absolutely sure that the heatsink will never come off, get a bolt-through one, like the Alpha 8045 or SLK-900U. Of course, it is a hassle to change processors and motherboards, but assuming you don't do this daily, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. Just always make sure that a new motherboard you'll buy will support the bolt-through design.

 

[Corporate Thug]

contact excaliber immediately

 

[AkumaX]

my sk-6 fell off and BBQ'ed my 2400+ to a crisp

 

[pspada]

I've built hundreds of machines, and never once have I used a bolt down hsf instead of a standard clip type one. Never had one fall off, or otherwise roast a chip, worst is that the fan failed and had to be replaced. Have I just been luckly, or perhaps just a bit more competent than some?