Please Help!! I think my brand new CPU is toast.

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
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Okay, here is what happened.
I have an A64 3000+ (stock HSF) on a MSI neo 2 Platinum MB. (Bought pre-installed as a combo). I just built the system yesterday and it was up and running fine last night, but it was running hot. The temp was 60C when gaming, and didn't go below 52 after that while I was just surfing around for about an hour.
So this morning I decided I should try some Artic Silver 3 I already had. When I wen to remove the HS, the CPU came with it. It was still attached to the HS. Problem is that the locking bar for the CPU was still down and locked. When inspecting the CPU, I noticed some pins were bent. I laid it in ithe MB slot and it did not fall in. I did NOT try to push it in at all. I removed the CPU, and proceded to attempt to straighten the pins. After a little work with a credit card and my finger nail, I finally got the pins straight enough to allow it to fall in the socket. Added the AS, installed the HSF, and started it up.
Nothing!! The MB lights tell me that it "hangs here if the processor is damaged or not installed properly".
I took it apart again and reinstalled fresh AS, and nothing. Tried a third time and nothing.
Questions:
Anyone ever have this problem and find a fix?
If the CPU pins are ever bent, is it gone at that point?
Is it possible that the MB socket is now screwed and the entire MB needs replacing?
Please tell me what to do next, because this is very upsetting and I might noe be thinking rationally right now.
 

w00t

Diamond Member
Nov 5, 2004
5,545
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so were the pins bent before or did u bend them?
do you know how to install a processor?
hopefully you just did somthing wrong and didnt damage the actually processor.
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
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I have installed processors many times before. I think they bent when it was pulled from the socket with out the release bar being raised.
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
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If anything is broken, its your CPU, i doubt the motherboard will be damaged by your bad luck....

Are u sure no pin has broken off the processor? and may be still in the motherboard?

On second thought > edit: u did say the lever was still down right? that cant be good also.....
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
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All pins are there and basically straight. I just don't understand it. It's like its not making contact somewhere, which makes me nervous that somehow the MB was damaged.
Maybe the pins that are still slightly bent are not contacting the bottom of the socket. Is the connection on the bottom tip if the pins?
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
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hmm...dont know really, but i dont think the connectors are way down in the mobo, the pins just slide between two contacts like all connectors i would imagine...
Although this sucks, it is kinda interesting....I've noticed some heatsinks sitting very very tight on the processor,like glued or something...

Sounds stupid maybe, but maybe take it out again and plug it in again? It could well be one or more pins dont make contact, or just too barely <(resistance too high)

maybe try to clean the pins with some "" contact spray"" ? greasy fingers might increase resistance as well?
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
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Originally posted by: gamerj
hmm...dont know really, but i dont think the connectors are way down in the mobo, the pins just slide between two contacts like all connectors i would imagine...
Although this sucks, it is kinda interesting....I've noticed some heatsinks sitting very very tight on the processor,like glued or something...

Sounds stupid maybe, but maybe take it out again and plug it in again? It could well be one or more pins dont make contact, or just too barely <(resistance too high)

maybe try to clean the pins with some "" contact spray"" ? greasy fingers might increase resistance as well?

Good point. I guess its possible I dirtied the pins when straighting them. I might try to clean them, anyone have a suggestion on excatly how I shoud try this?

 
Jun 14, 2003
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if the lever was still down, that cant be good. but still the way i see it the mobo should be ok, maybes only the latching mechanism of the socket maybe broke but thats it nothing electrical

if the pins bent and you straightened them, yes there is a chance of dirt...but the cpu should still work. maybes its just not getting a good contact in the socket as the pins arent totally straight
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
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hmm...lol, kinda tricky ...with some regular "contact cleaner" in a spray can (not wd40 or something, but genuine contact-cleaner for electronics only)...spray it on the connectors and maybe stroke the pins softly with a new soft toothbrush or something like that?

Or maybe make a little puddle of contact cleaner in a dish or something, (not too deep hehe), and set the pins in the puddle for a while?

good luck man, maybe maybe it helps maybe....Iff not put everything back together, and try to RMA the stuff? you never know, try to act stunned like so: huh? what the ufck?!....seriously, this sucks, i hope its not broken, but it is beginning to look like it...But it doesnt hurt to try cleaning the pins,, and fitting the processor back in the mobo a few times, (without the fan and heatsink, just to see if she'll boot)


>>> good luck, try fitting it a couple of times,

 

villageidiot111

Platinum Member
Jul 19, 2004
2,168
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Well, if the cpu was severely stuck to the motherboard, I would assume whoever assembled it would be responsible, and thus you could send it back.
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
2
76
I guess I'll just call Monarch in the morning and see what they say. I really, really, really do not want to have to pull the MB back out, but since it was a combo, I'm thinking they might require both for an RMA.
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
2
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Originally posted by: villageidiot111
Well, if the cpu was severely stuck to the motherboard, I would assume whoever assembled it would be responsible, and thus you could send it back.

CPU wasn't stuck to the MB, it was stuck to the Heat sink.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
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Make sure you put the cpu in facing the right direction, 90° or 180° in the wrong direction will cause the system to fail and CPU to become permenantly damaged. Also check you power connecton and sources, It does not matter what brand (i dont need to hear how good you think it is) of power supply you have, try using a known good unit and recheck all of the connecitons make sure they are in properly.

If the pins are bent you can kiss the cpu good bye!

Also were you doing any kind of over clocking?
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
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It was absolutely in the correct way and laid flat with no force except for gravity.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Ike0069
It was absolutely in the correct way and laid flat with no force except for gravity.



Tell me how you can tell if the cpu is aligned properly.

Thanks.
:)
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
169
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Be carefull what u say when calling them...You have to make a choice: Tell what happened or
say computer wont boot, never touched it...

If u tell them U touched it , they may say : U touched it, warrenty just voided...

If u dont, they might (or probably) will find out u touched it....and that would suck even more...

Hmm,,, what to do...Any thoughts anyone?

I suggest telling the truth,.....Giving your temps were pretty high (installement flaw?)
And the CPU just shouldnt come out of its socket, when removing sink, period. > installement flaw)?

Yes, just tell them what happened, and be sure to say you did try "wiggeling/rotating" the heatsink when getting it off the CPU.....




 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
169
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wow googer, u sound a little, ehm, patronizing* lol,

U mean the little arrows right?













* spelling may vary from correct spelling
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
2
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It only lays flat one way. 2 corners are squared, 2 are angled. Match them up, and it lays flat.

I will tell them the truth, as I didn't really do anything I shouldn't be doing. I just wanted to add some thermal paste. They may tell me I'm screwed, but I bet they'll work with me. Monarch is a pretty stand-up company.
If not, I'll probably just cry some more and buy new parts. I should have gotten a 3200+ anyways, so that will be my excuse. LOL Now if I have to replace the MB also, then I'm gonna be really upset.
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
169
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Ok man, i wish u good luck, and that excuse ive made for myself a few times as well, (fried video card or something lol) < it sucked anyway i tell myself haha

gl
 

Patrick Wolf

Platinum Member
Jan 5, 2005
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I feel your pain Ike0069, I bought a Neo2 Platinum and an A64 3500+ 90nm from Monarch as a combo. At first everything worked fine, than a few devices in the PCI slots started failing and not working properly. I turned my PC off, came back, and saw that the power supply was hot and omiting some kind of odor.

I tried to turn it on, it didn't work. So than I e-mailed Monarch told them what's up, they said my 340W PSU was inadequate and they recommended at least 450W. So I got a 500W X-Connect, put it in and everything powered up and seemed to be working again. Than I turned it off, left, and came back after awhile to find that the PSU was hot and omiting that smell again. Than I tried to turn on my PC, it didn't work, again.

I e-mailed MSI and asked them what to do. They said to test the MB outside the case to see if it may have been ground, so I did that, and it worked! The MB powered up. So than after looking for all the possible problems, I finally found out that I had left 1 too many standoffs in the case, 1 of them was touching the MB causing it problems, so than I removed it, put the MB back in, and it powered up, I was so happy!

Than I overclocked it very, very slightly, couldn't possibly have damaged anything it was so little. My overclock didn't work, I turned off my PC. Tried to turn it on again, nothing, it was dead again, I reset the CMOS jumber on the MB, tried to turn it on again, nothing. This was it, the MB / CPU was dead.

I got an RMA and now it should be here this week, hopefully. And I didn't tell Monarch about my error of the extra standoff. ;)
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
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Thanks. Ii know these thing are gonna happen with computers some times, but I just really wanted to play HL2 with my new 6800 GT. :disgust:
 

gamerj

Member
Dec 18, 2004
169
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..........Half Life...........(eyes watering)...fantastic game....
again good luck...post the outcome please, im curious what happens
 

Ike0069

Diamond Member
Apr 28, 2003
4,276
2
76
Originally posted by: gamerj
..........Half Life...........(eyes watering)...fantastic game....
again good luck...post the outcome please, im curious what happens

Haven't even got to play it yet. I was going to load it this morning after I tried to help cool the CPU.
 

Googer

Lifer
Nov 11, 2004
12,576
7
81
Originally posted by: Ike0069
It only lays flat one way. 2 corners are squared, 2 are angled. Match them up, and it lays flat.

I will tell them the truth, as I didn't really do anything I shouldn't be doing. I just wanted to add some thermal paste. They may tell me I'm screwed, but I bet they'll work with me. Monarch is a pretty stand-up company.
If not, I'll probably just cry some more and buy new parts. I should have gotten a 3200+ anyways, so that will be my excuse. LOL Now if I have to replace the MB also, then I'm gonna be really upset.

No force should be necessary, it should just drop into place.

The motherboard is ususaly the chaper part of the system, I don't get why you would get upset over it, but not the cpu that costs more?