Do all CPU socket pins matter?

GammaLazer

Member
Apr 16, 2015
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Hey.
My configuration is
i5 3570k
Asus P8Z77-M Pro Motherboard LGA1155

About two weeks ago my motherboard stopped giving any audio output and I submitted it for RMA. But some douchebags at Asus broke one CPU pin somehow (image attached) and repaired the issue with the audio card. They sent the MoBo back to my home with a letter that this broken pin is their mistake and it won't hamper the functioning of the system esp CPU in any way. A lot emails were exchanged and I told them that I will test it.

Now when read over internet and found that if the pin is VCC then it could hamper the overclocking capabilities and could also fry the cpu.

I want to know if this broken pin is really important and should I proceed for legal Complainant against asus?

Today while overclocking I noticed that at 4.4 GHz it becomes only stable if the applied voltage is 1.315 v (tested only for 20 minutes with prime95 as voltages were high)
Even 4.3 GHz at 1.290 v was giving WHEA errors within few minutes.
Is this related to that broken pin?
Using Asus Utility I tweaked for extreme performance and it gave me
Multiplier 43
BCLK Freq 104.8
V Core 1.315 V

Is this voltage requirement too high?
Thanks


 

LoveMachine

Senior member
May 8, 2012
491
3
81
I won't dare comment on the pin functionality or VCC (I don't dabble much with OCing), but I have a similar board and the same CPU. I usually run 4.2GHz and 1.16V with good stability, but haven't really tried to push it much more. Of course, in the Great Chip Lottery, all CPUs are not the same. But your voltages seem quite high.

As a frame of reference, though, did you OC before the RMA issue? If so, what voltages did you need to get to the same speeds before the "event"?

As an aside, I had an RMA issue with my Asus motherboard, and dealt with similar douchebaggery.
 

GammaLazer

Member
Apr 16, 2015
121
0
76
I won't dare comment on the pin functionality or VCC (I don't dabble much with OCing), but I have a similar board and the same CPU. I usually run 4.2GHz and 1.16V with good stability, but haven't really tried to push it much more. Of course, in the Great Chip Lottery, all CPUs are not the same. But your voltages seem quite high.

As a frame of reference, though, did you OC before the RMA issue? If so, what voltages did you need to get to the same speeds before the "event"?

As an aside, I had an RMA issue with my Asus motherboard, and dealt with similar douchebaggery.

Okay so I played with a few settings in BIOS and now I am running Prime95 from last 2 hours at 4.2 Ghz.
Here's a screenshot:

image.png
 

Actaeon

Diamond Member
Dec 28, 2000
8,657
20
76
Sounds like you already have, but I'd push on them to replace it. Going to suck trying to resell it with a broken pin on it.
 

nurturedhate

Golden Member
Aug 27, 2011
1,767
773
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There is no way I would be using that board. I would not settle for anything less than a brand new board from them since they are the ones who damaged it.
 

GammaLazer

Member
Apr 16, 2015
121
0
76
Looking at the pin map for the socket its likely a VTT pin.

pin layout

Yeah even I had seen that diagram. But it seems that I have broke VCC. But I don't know the orientation of the diagram. How are you able to figure that out?

Sounds like you already have, but I'd push on them to replace it. Going to suck trying to resell it with a broken pin on it.
There is no way I would be using that board. I would not settle for anything less than a brand new board from them since they are the ones who damaged it.

I have been trying hard to get the board replaced asap. They are trying their as* of to not to give the board by giving reasons like its end of life board and replacements are not available!

I'm surprised they said that they did it and didn't try to blame you for it.

They tried everything to blame me. 8 days after submitting the board I received an email with image that the PIN on CPU socket is broken and is fault of customer so no warranty will be given. But it was me who kept the stand that I didn't broke it. Also I was just lucky that I had submitted the board by hand and had received the RMA slip which itself was enough to prove that it was in perfect condition when submitted.

I want to share the emails those douchebags sent me but don't know if it would be legal, as they add shitty privacy clause at the end.

So coming to point, after three hours of testing on prime95, worker 3 gave an error

image.png
 
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Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,181
4,869
136
I would suggest that you contact asus customer service and elevate your issue as far a necessary to get a new replacement mb with all of the lga pins intact.
 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,570
10,200
126
So coming to point, after three hours of testing on prime95, worker 3 gave an error
Certain fairly-recent versions of Prime95 will give rounding errors, even when the CPU is stable, due to a software bug. Make sure that you are using the absolutely-newest Prime95. (Downloaded from their forums.)
 

lakedude

Platinum Member
Mar 14, 2009
2,772
524
126
I doubt the pin matters all that much.

A while back I checked out the pinouts of a modern CPU expecting to find mostly data flow going in and out but much to my surprise I discovered that very many of the pins were for power. After spending some time in a thinking cap I started thinking about all those power pins and about the amount of power a CPU draws, in this case 77 watts TDP. At 120VAC a 77 watt load would draw less than 1 amp, so what is the big deal? Well the CPU does not run at 120V, it runs at 1.15 volts which means your CPU draws about 67 AMPS! It would take a 4 gauge copper wire to handle all those amps safely!!

So assuming the missing pin is just one of many many power pins, losing one pin is not going to matter much.
 

Matthiasa

Diamond Member
May 4, 2009
5,755
23
81
Yeah even I had seen that diagram. But it seems that I have broke VCC. But I don't know the orientation of the diagram. How are you able to figure that out?

I figured that out by looking at the spaces in the out edge of pins as well as the spacing of the rows. There was only part that had an area on the edge with no pins that didn't have a similar area on the other side. (column 8-10 + increased spacing on the top side between 10 and 11)
 

bononos

Diamond Member
Aug 21, 2011
3,921
177
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........
They tried everything to blame me. 8 days after submitting the board I received an email with image that the PIN on CPU socket is broken and is fault of customer so no warranty will be given. But it was me who kept the stand that I didn't broke it. Also I was just lucky that I had submitted the board by hand and had received the RMA slip which itself was enough to prove that it was in perfect condition when submitted.

I want to share the emails those douchebags sent me but don't know if it would be legal, as they add shitty privacy clause at the end.
.......

Since Asus is going that route, then its better than you share your experience on a few other web forums as well as their support forum to put pressure on them.

IANAL but privacy clause or not, I don't see how sharing an email that was addressed to you is going to hurt your standing on getting compensation for something they screwed up.
 

LoveMachine

Senior member
May 8, 2012
491
3
81
It is quite true that the board is end of life, so getting a new replacement is highly unlikely. Best case you would get a refurbished one with uncertain functionality. A compromise might be that you keep the board and they give you a reimbursement or perhaps even credit towards a new Asus purchase. It's not ideal, but it might not be worth the frustration and time to hold out for a brand new board. As I mentioned above, I went through similar douchebaggery with Asus on a Z77 board, and this was when the board was a new model. It was very frustrating and I spent too much time on a simple issue. I'm disappointed Asus hasn't improved their customer service, as they generally make good products. My advice, take some sort of monetary offer and be done with it. With your next system, don't buy Asus (I hope you're listening Asus CS reps).
 

Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,181
4,869
136
This kind of reminds me when I sent my asus xonar d2x in for service when the optical port died. They soldered a new port on but when I received the card back the port didn't function. I'm still using the card but only with analog. It's still the best sound card I've ever used which is why I hang onto it.
 
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flexy

Diamond Member
Sep 28, 2001
8,464
155
106
It is true that certain CPU/socket pins are redundant. VCC is among them. Look up your CPU's specs and you see it has 100s of VCC pins.

I myself have a 4770k that is missing about 4 pins, some of them VCC and two of them other, non critical ones like "test" pins/ports.

It really depends. If you're unfortunate and there is dmg to a pin, your board (or your CPU) is dead. If you're "more fortunate" there can be some pins damaged (or traces cut) and you lose some ability like the second channel of memory.

If you're very fortunate your CPU is 100% functional, say if only one or two VCC pins broke.

In your case, while unfortunate, I wouldn't worry about the one broken VCC. See those like ground pins. If one is missing it won't really matter. I also doubt it will impact overclockaba-iltiy. Doesn't make sense. As said your CPU has more than enough VCC pins.

Nevertheless I think its odd and less than good service that THEY broke it and return it like that, even if everything still works 100%.

Edit: To help you there...I can't find links and sources any longer...but I once read that it is "rather common" that many pins on a CPU might not make perfect contact, some maybe even not make any contact. Said differently: That the one or the other VCC is maybe not making contact can happen. This is WHY there are so many of them.
 
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