Computer problems

[anti-duck]

Hi,

Apologies if this isn't the right section, I looked around for ages and decided this would be the most suitable.

Anyway! last night I decided to replace the stock AMD CPU cooler that I was using with a new one (which I should have done ages ago), but when I took the cooler off, it ripped the CPU out of the socket (which had the lever down; never a good sign I know) and my CPU had literally welded itself to the horrible CPU gunk that comes with the equally bad stock caller (I could seriously kill myself for using that rubbish). Anyway, none of the pins are bent and after separating the CPU from the cooler, it looks fine, so I cleaned the CPU and put it back on with some MX-4 and the new cooler. Now, the computer powers on but I don't get any sounds from the motherboard speaker and nothing on my monitor, I've gone through the initial stages of diagnosis; clear CMOS, nothing still, removed the GPU and still nothing, removed 1 stick of RAM at a time and still no beep(s), so the only components left in the case are the CPU and motherboard (all drives are disconnected) so it has to be one of them. How do I go about diagnosing which part is dead? I don't have another computer available to test the parts in right now (and I'm on a laptop).

Thanks for any help

 

[Wraith]

Does your CPU cooler spin up? Do you have anything that uses USB for charging? Does anything charge.. do you have keyboard lights?

 

[anti-duck]

Yeah, working fine, and no, nothing is charging, I'll try if I can charge my phone, the keyboard doesn't light up.

EDIT: I can charge my phone from the USB sockets on the motherboard.

 

[Wraith]

By keyboard lights I mean Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scroll Lock sorry I should have been clearer.

 

[anti-duck]

By keyboard lights I mean Num Lock, Caps Lock and Scroll Lock sorry I should have been clearer.

Yeah, I guessed But no, nothing lights up.

 

[barnsley]

Ah right, laptops occasionally have the cpu soldered to the motherboard. So you could have damaged the socket beyond repair when you put it back in. I'm presuming the cpu just "dropped in"?

 

[anti-duck]

Oh no, it wasn't a laptop (if I read you right), It was a desktop but I'm unfortunately having to use a laptop now. Anyway yeah, the CPU dropped in with the usual sound, nothing suspicious

 

[barnsley]

CPU and mobo specs? also, I'd check if you got any thermal paste on the pins/socket. I did when I changed mine D: (I also bent them, but hey ho). You need to really check the pins closely under bright light, as stock AMD thermal paste is conductive I believe.

 

[anti-duck]

Phenom II x4 955 BE and GA-970A-UD3, I will definitely check that now since I did put a lot of MX-4 on now I remember; can't stop it escaping from the syringe like thing.

 

[Wraith]

Couple of quick checks.

Is your Bios battery securely IN. (Usual cause of POST failure)
Are the 4 or 8 Pin PSU and 24 Pin cables secure.
Was there any paste on the CPU pins or in the socket.
Is the PC speaker connected to its header properly. (daft question I know)


Your motherboard is clearly getting juice as your USB ports are delivering output so that rules out your PSU (for now)

 

[anti-duck]

Couple of quick checks.

Is your Bios battery securely IN. (Usual cause of POST failure)
Are the 4 or 8 Pin PSU and 24 Pin cables secure.
Was there any paste on the CPU pins or in the socket.
Is the PC speaker connected to its header properly. (daft question I know)


Your motherboard is clearly getting juice as your USB ports are delivering output so that rules out your PSU (for now)

Just double checked by re-inserting the battery.
Both cables have been re-attached.
In the process of checking for paste now.
It'll be hilarious if I go through all this and have a faulty motherboard speaker Yeah, it's connected properly

The mouse optical is also working.

 

[Wraith]

Just double checked by re-inserting the battery.
Both cables have been re-attached.
In the process of checking for paste now.
It'll be hilarious if I go through all this and have a faulty motherboard speaker Yeah, it's connected properly

The mouse optical is also working.

It's usually the stupidest of things that make us face palm :lol:

 

[anti-duck]

Ok, so today I took my motherboard out of the case and put it on the motherboard box ready for 'breadboarding' but I wanted to check the CPU first, so I unscrewed the CPU cooler and gently lifted it and the CPU stuck to the bottom again and came out of its socket with the latch down! This time it seemed really easy though; anyway, 2 of the pins are bent. I don't know whether this happened the first time I took the stock cooler off, when I put the CPU back in with the new cooler, or when I took the cooler off just now and consequently, I don't know if the motherboard is dead. Would the motherboard speaker beep if there was no CPU mounted?

 

[barnsley]

Ok, so today I took my motherboard out of the case and put it on the motherboard box ready for 'breadboarding' but I wanted to check the CPU first, so I unscrewed the CPU cooler and gently lifted it and the CPU stuck to the bottom again and came out of its socket with the latch down! This time it seemed really easy though; anyway, 2 of the pins are bent. I don't know whether this happened the first time I took the stock cooler off, when I put the CPU back in with the new cooler, or when I took the cooler off just now and consequently, I don't know if the motherboard is dead. Would the motherboard speaker beep if there was no CPU mounted?

Always twist with AMD. NEVER pull. you can save the cpu though, ibent my 8320's pins and it was an easy fix.

 

[anti-duck]

Always twist with AMD. NEVER pull. you can save the cpu though, ibent my 8320's pins and it was an easy fix.

Wouldn't twisting just increase the risk of bending the pins? I tried bending the pins back but they were in a really awkward place and I just ended up making it worse and then one eventually snapped off :lol: Got a beastly Sempron 145 on the way lol.

 

[Wraith]

Always twist with AMD. NEVER pull. you can save the cpu though, ibent my 8320's pins and it was an easy fix.

+1 for twisting. I always let the system run something intensive to get the temps up softening the paste before twisting the heatsink off as it makes it easier.

I recommend a razor blade to lift the pins up and a very thin tube i.e a needle from a ink refill or the tip of a mechanical pencil to gently slide over the pin and raise it back to its original position.

With no CPU mounted the motherboard will not POST so you will not hear anything from the speaker.

 

[barnsley]

Wouldn't twisting just increase the risk of bending the pins? I tried bending the pins back but they were in a really awkward place and I just ended up making it worse and then one eventually snapped off :lol: Got a beastly Sempron 145 on the way lol.

Should've asked before attempting to bend them yourself . I've rebent cpu pins a few times on a few AMD cpus since I messed up my own :lol:.Its a common mistake. You twist gradually and gently after letting the cpu run for a bit to soften the past. the twisting doesn't damage.

 

[anti-duck]

Ahhhhhh, well I know now for when I come to change either the cooler or paste, or both on my 8350 :lol: I won't be surprised if the motherboard is dead too.

 

[barnsley]

Ahhhhhh, well I know now for when I come to change either the cooler or paste, or both on my 8350 :lol: I won't be surprised if the motherboard is dead too.

check the socket before putting a new cpu in. It might have thermal paste/bits of metal in.

 

[anti-duck]

check the socket before putting a new cpu in. It might have thermal paste/bits of metal in.

Yeah, I did all that with a really bright light already Despite all the abuse, it looks brand new :lol:

EDIT: Just a small update - I ordered a cheapo Sempron 145 just to check if the motherboard was still alive and to my surprise after accidentally ripping my dead 955 BE out of the socket... twice, the motherboard is very much alive.

I also had no problem unlocking the Sempron and I'm now running an Athlon II X2 4450e @ 3.8Ghz with stock voltages and I could probably get another 1Ghz with upping the voltage, but the dual core Athlon with a 1Ghz overclock will bridge the gap until my new CPU arrives (decided to go for the FX-6300) nicely. The Athlon is even playing all of my games to my surprise Thanks for everyone's help