can't get the lever down... resolved, thanks for the help

[polypterus]

Installing a Socket A Tbird on an 8kta3 and I can't get the stupid lever to go down after putting the chip in. As posted earlier some of the pins on the CPU were bent, I adjusted them and the chip fits fine, but the lever won't go down. I don't want to break it, how much force is supposed to be used? Help! Before I snap this stupid thing off

dc

 

[p0tempkin]

It shouldn't take any pressure at all. Are you sure the CPU is completely into the socket?

Also, how far down will the lever go? Is it stuck straight up (90 degrees), or somewhere in-between?

 

[MCS]

Not much force is needed really. You say you bent some of the pins? You need to get them absolutely spot on straight, but be careful!!

 

[bigbootydaddy]

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[p0tempkin]

bigbooty, I've noticed this issue with a lot of newbies too.

 

[polypterus]

Sorry for starting a new thread

It goes down about 1/4 of the way, I guess the pins aren't lined up perfectly... what should I do? Send it back?

dc

 

[p0tempkin]

It's up to you; I always bend them back straight to avoid the return hassle.

 

[polypterus]

I am trying to do that. If seems to fall into the socket okay but the lever won't go down... any tricks to lining up the pins better? They look okay... can't figure it out.

dc

 

[Soccerman]

how far down does the lever go?

did you try putting the lever down without the CPU to be sure something's not somehow blocking it?

 

[polypterus]

The lever goes down about 1/4 of the way, it goes down fine without the CPU in place. Also, the CPU "wobbles" a little when it's in the socket, like a table with one short leg. But it does fall into place okay, it just doesn't seem to go all the way down or something. Any chance it could be the socket itself? What to do?

dc

 

[WildeBeast]

The socket is supposed to be no resistance when dropping in the chip. It should not wobble at all. The grey plate thing should be resting in every place flatly against the socket. Soudns like a bent pin, but usually it won't go in at all. straighten the pins, drop it in casually, then slowly move the lever down. There has to be some resistance here, because you are pushing the pins into their brackets to form electrical connections. sometimes the lever needs to go around a safety strip that keeps it from coming back up....

 

[drewski]

Wildebeast is right. If it's wobbling then it's not seated properly. You should be able to tell from the axis of the wobble where it's not getting into the socket right.

You can also try looking at the rows of pins on the bottom at 90 degree angles to make sure everything is lined up. It can be tricky rebending the pins. They need to line up from all directions. I had this issue once where the pins appeared lined up in one direction, but still needed to be straighted in another.

Did that make any sense?

 

[polypterus]

The chip will fall into the socket without force, but it's still not level. I've stared down the rows of pins and they are as straight as I can get them. At first I could tell that a couple of them were bent, but they all look straight now. I can literally "drop" the chip into the socket and it goes right in, but it still wobbles and the lever won't go down... Arg...:|

dc

 

[Soccerman]

sounds like perhaps something is in one of the holes?

you don't have a broken pin do you? check to make sure!

 

[bjc112]

yea.. i am with him, if you can drop it in, and it falls right in but wobbles...something must be in one of the holes then.....

 

[Kazi]

straight as you can get them aint good enough! You have to be absolute with the pins, One broken pin means one faulty TBird Chip...

 

[polypterus]

I have spent the last five hours messing with these damn pins. They are all perfect. They're straight, they're all there, there's nothing broken off of any of them. It's quite beautiful actually...

But it still won't go in. If there was something in the holes would it close without the chip in, because it does. Could there be something wrong with the socket itself?

dc

 

[spaceman]

Wow,i know this may sound dumb but when u drop the cpu in are u making sure the lever is all the way up?

 

[polypterus]

Yes it's all the way up. The chip seems to fall in fine, it just won't let me put the lever down.

dc

 

[spaceman]

u have me stumped then is it possibl the socket is defective?
have u used the mobo before?

 

[polypterus]

No, new mobo. I don't even know what to RMA at this point

dc

 

[polypterus]

Alright well I just RMA'd the stupid thing, if the new one doesn't work I'll RMA the mobo, if that doesn't work I'll become a minimalist and send everything back

dc

 

[polypterus]

First thanks for everyone who tried to help me last week...

I got a new CPU today. No bent pins or anything, fell right into the socket, went to push the lever down... didn't move :|

What is going on here? The socket on the motherboard is the problem? Without the CPU in the lever goes up and down with no problem, the CPU falls into the socket with no problem, but the stupid thing won't go down with the CPU installed.

Is there anything at all I can do other than RMA'ing the board? Maybe something's in one of the holes in the socket? Can I clean it anyhow? Compressed air? Please give me some ideas! Someone here has had to have had a similar experience?

dc

 

[gunf1ghter]

It could be the socket itself, not your cpu that has the problem... you should try it on another motherboard if possible.

on my Asus A7V133 I had some trouble getting the lever down (and I've installed dozens of cpu's). I ended up just kind of jiggling the cpu on the socket and all of a sudden it dropped in correctly and the lever locked down.

 

[MichaelD]

There has to be some resistance as you near the end of the lever's travel, because you are pushing the pins into their respective little sockets inside the CPU socket. It's not a "smooth glide all the way to the bottom." As you near about 3/4 of the way down, it's supposed to give some reistance.

As long as the CPU sits COMPLETELY flush with the CPU socket (you should be able to hear "clink" when you let it go and it falls in) you are fine. Push the lever down and when it feels like it won't go anymore, push down until the lever goes around and under the little plastic tab that sticks out of the side of the socket. That locks the lever down. Push! Push! Push!