Borked system?

[scorch666]

Hi all.
My Son has tried to put a computer together and has bent around 3-4 pins where the cpu sits on his Z97 mobo.
I figure i can fix these pins with a retractable pencil. But am concearned about his CPU because if he installed it wrong and powered the damn thing up could it all be borked?
I haven't seen it all yet as he doesn't live with me. But what do you say his chances are?

Cheers.

[Domestic_Ginger]

From your description; you are not painting a pretty picture.

The CPU should only fit in one way round. I think a pin is best for fixing the socket. Only time will tell whether its going to work.

[ik9000]

i wouldn't fancy your chances here. Did he take out scansure?

[scorch666]

i wouldn't fancy your chances here. Did he take out scansure?

No he didn't. He must have rushed in with the making of it thinking he knew what he was doing. Yes i've had words lol.
I'll try and post the pictures he sent me.

[realc]

It doesn't sound good, Intel mobo pins are quite fragile, he must have dropped the CPU on the bare socket?

[ik9000]

No he didn't. He must have rushed in with the making of it thinking he knew what he was doing. Yes i've had words lol.
I'll try and post the pictures he sent me.

please do. Inserting the CPU isn't overly difficult, but it is definitely a case of check twice, thrice, do once.

[peterb]

The majority of pins are power and ground, and one or two missing probably won't make much difference. So provided the bent pins aren't shorting to anything else, there is a reasonably chance that the system will run OK.

If they are control/data/address pins that are damaged, that's a different league. If they can be straightened without breaking, then you may be OK.

Without looking at the pin out diagrams, it isn't obvious which is which, so...

Be careful when you straighten them....

Check the orientation of the CPU when you come to re-install

Check the orientation of the CPU again

Check the orientation of the CPU again

Be VERY careful when you do Place the CPU in the socket (did I mention checking the orientation?)

The retaining click should slide easily over the locking flanges if the CPU is in correctly (you did check, didn't you?)

When all is assembled, take a very deep breath and power up.

Chances are it will be OK, but there is an outside chance it will be damaged catastrophically.

If, as you imply, he powered the system up with the CPU midi stalked, then all bets are off I'm afraid, and it really is down to luck, or lack of.

Good luck.

[scorch666]

[ik9000]

what's white stuff in the top right and on the inside of the cover? If it's thermal paste you might want to not power it up with a CPU in there. Short circuit heaven if thermal paste inside the socket!

Presume the bent pins are those in the top right also?

Re pin function - you can get a pin map online

http://www.intel.co.uk/content/dam/w...cket-guide.pdf

See Page 10 for the coordinate layouts of the pins.

I think this is then the right document for referencing the pins to specific function: http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www...-datasheet.pdf (Page 112 and following.)

[scorch666]

thanks for all your help and advice. i will probably be able to have a look at it next week, after i get it off my son at the weekend.

[Bonebreaker777]

what's white stuff in the top right and on the inside of the cover? If it's thermal paste you might want to not power it up with a CPU in there. Short circuit heaven if thermal paste inside the socket!

Presume the bent pins are those in the top right also?

Re pin function - you can get a pin map online

http://www.intel.co.uk/content/dam/w...cket-guide.pdf

See Page 10 for the coordinate layouts of the pins.

I think this is then the right document for referencing the pins to specific function: http://www.intel.com/content/dam/www...-datasheet.pdf (Page 112 and following.)

That looks like thermal grease. Hopefully. If not, my guess would be food or drink

[shaithis]

I've never tried unbending pins on intel mobos (the last bent pins I had were back when intel still put them on cpus!) but have found a razor blade in the "trenches" to be a fairly safe way to unbend......although with over 1100 pins nowadays, it must be getting harder to correct.

[scorch666]

Update
I've cleaned it best i can with tim cleaner and buds. Re-attached it and powered on. And straightend about 7-8 bent pins.
It has power for about 5 seconds and reboots loop. Can't even get into the bios.
I have a real big feeling it's ucked, but just for peace of mind. Please can you addvise?

Cheers guys.

[Jonj1611]

That doesn't sound too promising.

Try resestting the bios. And if that doesn't work I would seriously think of getting a new mainboard.

PS : Also make sure the CPU fan is connected to the CPU fan header.

[scorch666]

Thanks for your quick reply Jon.
Now tried that, still no luck. I geuss he'll get a new cheap motherboard hor christmas. A H81 lol.
Cheers.

[GreMMi]

Bent from the base? If not.. they might still make contact if they are completely snapped off(which would hopefully guarantee alighnment. There are a lot of pins, you might be lucky as a user above said and have a broken ground pin.

But really, prepare for worst case and get a new(2nd hand?) mobo.