WTF happened to these CPU's??

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

The strangest thing happened last night. I have an older computer which sports a generic MicroATX mobo and an AMD XP 2000+ CPU. Everything else is rather generic too; has 2x256 RAM and a 9800 SE Video card.

This computer ran fine for years; then yesterday I decided to put one of my spare XP 3200+ CPU's into it. They are both the same socket and everything; plus I've upgraded other computers from 2000 to 3200 with no problems. Anyway, I remove the old HSF, take out the old CPU, put the new CPU in, clamp it down, reattach the HSF. Then I decided to switch one of the 256MB RAM modules with a 512 I had lying around. I did this, then powered up the computer. It got about 15 seconds into post and then went black. About 15 seconds later, I shut the computer off. Tried to turn it on again and it did not even attempt to post. I took off the HSF and discovered that the 3200 chip was as hot as the surface of the sun... the metal chip cover had a blue/purple hue and the CPU was so hot I couldn't even hold it in my hand by the edges. I think its' safe to say that I toasted that guy somehow. But I don't know what happened! What else could I have done? I didn't mess with anything else and this was a routine CPU swap. I put the old chip back in, fired up the computer and it only took about 6 seconds for that one to get scalding hot too. Both chips were installed properly; seated securely. The layer of thermal paste was very thin but that couldn't allow these CPU's to burn up in seconds could it? Could it be a bad mobo maybe? How odd that it might break exactly at the same time as I change processors. I dont want to burn up any more of them. Anyone have any ideas?

edit: Neither of these chips were, or ever were, OC'd.

 

[swtethan]

i thought 3200 was a a64

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

There is an A64 at 3200, as well as an XP 3200. The one I have is not the 64 version; it's the 462 pin Socket A just like the XP2000 that came out.

 

[swtethan]

well i would guess it doesnt support the chip and it went poof!

or the chip was damaged before... where did you have it?

 

[swtethan]

i had one of my intel chips shut off on me after like 5mins because i forgot to plug in the heatsink fan, it was hotter than an iron, i couldnt even touch it


oh and it works fine still

 

[Thor86]

Most likely the VRM on the generic MicroATX board of yours didn't like the XP3200 chip volts and most likely fried the cpu and/or motherboard too.

 

[Zap]

One possibility is that the HSF was not "oriented" properly. There is a notch that goes over the "cam" part of the socket. If it is reversed, that part of the socket will raise one side of the heatsink off the CPU so that it only makes contact along one edge of the core.

Another possibility... was a shim involved?

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Originally posted by: Zap
One possibility is that the HSF was not "oriented" properly. There is a notch that goes over the "cam" part of the socket. If it is reversed, that part of the socket will raise one side of the heatsink off the CPU so that it only makes contact along one edge of the core.

Another possibility... was a shim involved?

I think the HSF was properly positioned... I put it back on the same way it was oriented when I removed it. But suppose it wasn't.... would that let a room-temp chip become scalding hot in 6-8 seconds? About shims... I don't know what those are, but I don't think whatever-they-are were involved as all I dealt with were just the CPU itself and the HSF. No other parts or devices.

In any case... I'm not about to test this mobo with another chip. I'm just going to put another spare mobo in there which has its own XP3200, that way I don't have to even undo anything in that area. I hope it works... this is the last of my spare goodies! Thanks for the replies. Anyone want a burnt-out board and chips? Makes a good air hockey puck.

 

[swtethan]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead

Originally posted by: Zap
One possibility is that the HSF was not "oriented" properly. There is a notch that goes over the "cam" part of the socket. If it is reversed, that part of the socket will raise one side of the heatsink off the CPU so that it only makes contact along one edge of the core.

Another possibility... was a shim involved?

I think the HSF was properly positioned... I put it back on the same way it was oriented when I removed it. But suppose it wasn't.... would that let a room-temp chip become scalding hot in 6-8 seconds? About shims... I don't know what those are, but I don't think whatever-they-are were involved as all I dealt with were just the CPU itself and the HSF. No other parts or devices.

In any case... I'm not about to test this mobo with another chip. I'm just going to put another spare mobo in there which has its own XP3200, that way I don't have to even undo anything in that area. I hope it works... this is the last of my spare goodies! Thanks for the replies. Anyone want a burnt-out board and chips? Makes a good air hockey puck.

oh me me!!

hehe

 

[Zap]

Let's put it this way, without proper cooling an Athlon XP chip can burn up and die in less time than it takes for you to pull the power cord out of the power supply.

Don't need yet another dead socket A CPU. I have a friend that keeps me in good supply (I think around 5 now).

BTW, perhaps consider selling off your working Athlon XP 3200 and getting some kind of cheap socket 754 Sempron setup. Those used high end socket A chips are fetching a premium and you probably won't be able to easily kill socket 754 chips no matter how you abuse them, plus they are faster at the same clock speed and run cooler.

 

[AkumaX]

Originally posted by: Zap
Let's put it this way, without proper cooling an Athlon XP chip can burn up and die in less time than it takes for you to pull the power cord out of the power supply.

Don't need yet another dead socket A CPU. I have a friend that keeps me in good supply (I think around 5 now).

BTW, perhaps consider selling off your working Athlon XP 3200 and getting some kind of cheap socket 754 Sempron setup. Those used high end socket A chips are fetching a premium and you probably won't be able to easily kill socket 754 chips no matter how you abuse them, plus they are faster at the same clock speed and run cooler.

werd. since the socket 754 chips have better thermal management and an IHS, they would probably last a lot longer than 5-10 sec

i'm going to have to go with the hsf not seated properly. it happened to me when i put on an old socket 370 hsf on a socket a mobo, and part of the hsf was hitting the SOCKET 462 white part on the motherboard, therefore raising the entire hsf from touching the core just a tiny bit. but a tiny bit is all it takes...

 

[F1shF4t]

Um can anyone tell me what would happen if i turned a athlon 64 without a heatsink, i know a pentium 4 will throtle and shut down before killing itself what about the athlons?

Oh and i guess this is the reason i always hated athlon xp's, dont like cpus which tend to fry themselves.