Motherboard has stopped detecting my Geforce 970 :(

[Ravens Nest]

Ok i know i know i should have left it alone, my delidded i5 was working great but two game benchmarks kept crashing.

So i decided to check the thermal compound and liquid metal under the IHS lid, then i did some really stupid things..

I left a screw in the case and forgot it was there, and some thermal compound was under my CPU and around the socket. (not where the pins are)

I cleaned the thermal compound and had to re-do the delid liquid metal application as i had to clean all the gunk off the IHS and under it.

When i finished this i put the CPU in the socket and it slipped out of hand bending some pins on the motherboard socket, i put it back in to the socket and powered up the PC.

No signal from the PC, when i moved the PC i heard a rattle and realized i left the loose screw on the motherboard just above PCI express slot 1!!! so its had electricity going through it maybe creating a short!!

so i took it apart, cleaned it straightened the bent pins on the socket with a magnifying glass and a tack with a small handle on it, changed the thermal compound again..

But I had no joy no signal still from the 970, when i plug my HDMI into the motherboard socket it booted into windows fine using the Intel GPU so that's a good sign (i think)

Another small thing i noticed is the gold contacts on the bottom of my i5 6600K two have worn down to a dull metal, i know the PCI express controller is on the CPU so maybe the worn down connectors might be the problem.

The Geforce 970 is working fine on two different other PC's so thats not broken (thank goodness!), also all the fans are spinning and the LED's light up on the 970 on my motherboard.

Anyone have any ideas? i worry if i buy another motherboard then i find its the CPU that is at fault, but the screw might have just shorted something on the motherboard I am hoping.

[Spreadie]

After straightening the pins and reinstalling the CPU, have you tried removing it again to check pin alignment? It is possible for straightened pins to be a little looser and settle differently when the CPU is re-fitted - so one could be shorting against another.

I assume you only have one PCI-E 16x slot in your rig? If not, have you tried the card in another slot?

[Ravens Nest]

After straightening the pins and reinstalling the CPU, have you tried removing it again to check pin alignment? It is possible for straightened pins to to be a little looser and settle differently when the CPU is re-fitted - so one could be shorting against another.

I assume you only have one PCI-E 16x slot in your rig? If not, have you tried the card in another slot?

I did do that and its still the same the gold connectors that are now a dull grey make me wonder, i also tried all 3 PCI express slots. no change

[peterb]

Hmm, most Printed circuit boards have some coating applied so the tracks are insulated, so unless the screw actually fell into the slot, the chances of damage are unlikely.

And as you have tested the card in another machine at least that isn’t damaged.

The majority of the pins on a CPU are power - you can do a search and find the pin layout so you could see what the affected pins are - signal and you may have problems, power you may be OK. Of course if they are OK, that points to the MoBo being damaged. (Although only on the balance of probability, not beyond all reasonable doubt)

[Ravens Nest]

Hmm, most Printed circuit boards have some coating applied so the tracks are insulated, so unless the screw actually fell into the slot, the chances of damage are unlikely.

I didn't know that thanks peterb

And as you have tested the card in another machine at least that isn’t damaged.

The majority of the pins on a CPU are power - you can do a search and find the pin layout so you could see what the affected pins are - signal and you may have problems, power you may be OK. Of course if they are OK, that points to the MoBo being damaged. (Although only on the balance of probability, not beyond all reasonable doubt)

I have checked out the pin layout for a skylake i5, the pins that were bent were near the GFX_VID and PEG TX(1) PEG RX(2) so interesting that the GFX VID is around that area. i know two of the pins are not totally straight even after i moved them.

The problem is the pins are so small you can pull them up but how do you totally straight a pin again? looks like a new motherboard is in order, just hope i didn't damage the CPU too.

[peterb]

It might be possible to get the socket replaced - it would need a specialist company to do it though, and might be more than a replacement board costs.

(I've done a quick search and failed to come up with anything though)

A digital microscope might help you examine the pins more closely (but you will need a second computer to use it)

[Blaineoliver]

Having straightened a few pins before, its really hard. They not only need to be standing 'up' diagonally in the right place, they also need to be angled so that they lay flat when the CPU is applied. Can you test the GPU anywhere to determine if its the GPU or the CPU socket?

[Spreadie]

Having straightened a few pins before, its really hard. They not only need to be standing 'up' diagonally in the right place, they also need to be angled so that they lay flat when the CPU is applied. Can you test the GPU anywhere to determine if its the GPU or the CPU socket?

The OP already states the GPU tests ok in other PCs.

[Ravens Nest]

It might be possible to get the socket replaced - it would need a specialist company to do it though, and might be more than a replacement board costs.

(I've done a quick search and ailed to come up with anything though)

A digital microscope might help you examine the pins more closely (but you will need a second computer to use it)

I know where the bent pins are its just i cant straighten them enough The magnifying glass worked very well and i had my reading glasses too (Double magnification ) Yes socket replacement is an option but i worry its something else wrong with the motherboard.

Having straightened a few pins before, its really hard. They not only need to be standing 'up' diagonally in the right place, they also need to be angled so that they lay flat when the CPU is applied. Can you test the GPU anywhere to determine if its the GPU or the CPU socket?

As Spreadie said the GPU is fine (some good news there)

[Ravens Nest]

Just a quick update, I have my PC up and running again. (Took me 3 months, but hey have no money so took that long to get the funds together..)

I replaced the Z170 Pro gaming with a Z270 Gaming K3 and its all running fine again.. actually better and faster than before so bonus

And thanks to everyone for there suggestions.

[philehidiot]

Just a quick update, I have my PC up and running again. (Took me 3 months, but hey have no money so took that long to get the funds together..)

I replaced the Z170 Pro gaming with a Z270 Gaming K3 and its all running fine again.. actually better and faster than before so bonus

And thanks to everyone for there suggestions.

Good to hear. I was expecting this to be the pins given that the gold contacts shouldn't corrode and so the dull stuff is most likely to be thermal paste or something. Regardless, I've bent pins on a modern mobo before and it's just not possible to get it right again. Back in the day I did it on an old Athlon processor and that was easy to fix due to the size of the pins and that they were on the CPU. These days the things are so small you've not got a snowball's chance. Sorry to hear it has taken you so long to get the cash together but just so you know, I've sold that broken mobo on ebay with bent pins and advertised it as dead and got a meaningful amount back from it. You might find someone is willing to take a punt or needs spares from it.

[Ravens Nest]

Good to hear. I was expecting this to be the pins given that the gold contacts shouldn't corrode and so the dull stuff is most likely to be thermal paste or something. Regardless, I've bent pins on a modern mobo before and it's just not possible to get it right again. Back in the day I did it on an old Athlon processor and that was easy to fix due to the size of the pins and that they were on the CPU. These days the things are so small you've not got a snowball's chance. Sorry to hear it has taken you so long to get the cash together but just so you know, I've sold that broken mobo on ebay with bent pins and advertised it as dead and got a meaningful amount back from it. You might find someone is willing to take a punt or needs spares from it.

That is a great idea, i reckon a few people would love to get an Asus Z170 Pro gaming cheap (I mean it still runs fine just only integrated intel video though)

Strangely the Temperature on my 6600K are better than ever but no overclocking (for now..) it is a 3.5ghz CPU but stays permanently on 3.9ghz!, and the PC now loads into Windows 10 and games much quicker (Also a bonus is the onboard sound is much better too)