Well, woke up and decided to do a spring clean of my PC & room. Apart from the painful sweeping, etc decided to clean the HSF, CPU & re-apply some AS5.
Right, got down to removing the HSF & it would not come off
Checked to make sure none of the hooks were still holding it, but couldn't see cos: 1. working in dim-light; & 2. A a-bit of dirty in the way. So thought to myself must be the dirt holding it – just put some muscle into it. Off it came & what's attached to it... THE PROCESSOR 
Straight pulled it out of the ZIF socket. Now, I'm all shaking (don’t know why), thinking those four letter curse words. A quick glance at the processor (which was still attached to the heatsink) revels that some pins are bent, but none broken. But its tricky to see, keep on tilting it one way then the other. Almost hypnotized myself going row-2-row, 939-pins! Ok, try to pull the stuck processor off the heatsink & it will not budge. But while trying that notice that its sliding to one side. So I try sliding it off instead and that works.
Still, thinking those four letter words, pick up a 0.0000000mm (or something) flat-screw (those computer type) and try and straighten the pins. Most of the bent ones are on the outer rows so those are easy to straighten (somewhat). About 4 pins in the inner rows are also bent, tricky. Straighten those with slight clockwise and counter clockwise turnings of the screwdriver. Done.
Time to pop-it back into the ZIF and it sits funny. Try small nudges to see if it will go in, nothing. Then I remember that this processor/motherboard socket needs me to apply bit of pressure on the processor to go in. That works. Lock the ZIF, put back the HSF (with some AS5). Put everything else back together, then take a breather & press the power button.
It power’s up! It boots! Into windows, run a few tests and all seems good... PHEEEEEEW
Now the thing is, this was not an ‘exotic’ processor. Just a good old A64 3000+ Winnie. But didn’t even want to think of having to buy another cos it’s a bad time of the month/year for me. Hate to think if it was an FX-something, etc.
But the whole incident got me thinking, that’s why Intel moved the pins off the processor and onto the motherboard. I’d rather damage a £50~£100 motherboard than a £150+ processor. Any chance AMD will do the same with the upcoming new socket/range/etc?
Right, got down to removing the HSF & it would not come off
Checked to make sure none of the hooks were still holding it, but couldn't see cos: 1. working in dim-light; & 2. A a-bit of dirty in the way. So thought to myself must be the dirt holding it – just put some muscle into it. Off it came & what's attached to it... THE PROCESSOR Straight pulled it out of the ZIF socket. Now, I'm all shaking (don’t know why), thinking those four letter curse words. A quick glance at the processor (which was still attached to the heatsink) revels that some pins are bent, but none broken. But its tricky to see, keep on tilting it one way then the other. Almost hypnotized myself going row-2-row, 939-pins! Ok, try to pull the stuck processor off the heatsink & it will not budge. But while trying that notice that its sliding to one side. So I try sliding it off instead and that works.
Still, thinking those four letter words, pick up a 0.0000000mm (or something) flat-screw (those computer type) and try and straighten the pins. Most of the bent ones are on the outer rows so those are easy to straighten (somewhat). About 4 pins in the inner rows are also bent, tricky. Straighten those with slight clockwise and counter clockwise turnings of the screwdriver. Done.
Time to pop-it back into the ZIF and it sits funny. Try small nudges to see if it will go in, nothing. Then I remember that this processor/motherboard socket needs me to apply bit of pressure on the processor to go in. That works. Lock the ZIF, put back the HSF (with some AS5). Put everything else back together, then take a breather & press the power button.
It power’s up! It boots! Into windows, run a few tests and all seems good... PHEEEEEEW
Now the thing is, this was not an ‘exotic’ processor. Just a good old A64 3000+ Winnie. But didn’t even want to think of having to buy another cos it’s a bad time of the month/year for me. Hate to think if it was an FX-something, etc.
But the whole incident got me thinking, that’s why Intel moved the pins off the processor and onto the motherboard. I’d rather damage a £50~£100 motherboard than a £150+ processor. Any chance AMD will do the same with the upcoming new socket/range/etc?
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