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Bent CPU Pins Help!

Velexis

Velexis

Velexis

Associate
Joined
25 Jun 2009
Posts
126
Skip to the end if you don't fancy reading. I have a habit of explaining myself in long sentences.

Well yesterday before I started work I ordered my case for the hardware that has been sitting in my room for 4 days. So, well, 2 hours ago I came home from work rather happy that my case will be here on Tuesday and I couldn't help but be tempted to take out the items from their cases and connect them to my Mobo ready to just slide into my ATCS 840 case when it comes. I would then only have to connect my GPU, PSU and the cables after.

Well, I set my RAM onto the Mobo easily and proceeded to open the casing for my CPU and connect this too. I connected my AMD Phenom onto my Mobo fine, following the instructions on the provided leaflet (Instruction two for AM3 Mobos). I lined up the arrow on the CPU with the arrow on the Mobo like it shows in the instructions (I did also do the lever too like you are supposed to). The CPU placed perfectly and I slid the lever over to its original position.

Now, this is where it went wrong. I added the provided heatsink onto the Mobo above the CPU area and attempted to latch it onto Mobo like it shows in the leaflet. I did this on one side, but it would not connect on the other side. I thought I'd remove it and try again, but this is when I realised that the CPU is now stuck onto the heatsink! I thought at first it was like magnet (Yeah, sounds silly now that I think of it... A magnet used with sensitive hardware. There's a reason why we prevent static) This is when I saw that the CPU now had two bent pins on the outside, with both pins bent in the same direction.

I am presuming this damage was caused by me when I removed the heatsink (I guess I would have had to undo the lever if I were to remove the heatsink again :S? I don't see how though) One problem I am facing is if it was already like this before I placed the CPU. I did not actually check the pins beforehand and I handled the CPU in a soft manner. It was like a small, fragile new born baby to me.

I don't really know what to do... I just removed the CPU and cleaned the thermal compound from the CPU and heatsink and placed every single back into the boxes. I'm going to wait until my case comes... Forget the mise en place.

Well I am putting this here because I need help. Is this accident in my warranty at all? I followed the instructions. It's possible the pins may have been bent beforehand. The pins are like this:

.............
.............
,............
,............
.............

Surely if I bent them removing the heatsink all the pins on that side would be bent? Especially the ones in the corner. I can't believe I have spent an hour sat here thinking about what to do.

So, yeah, will I have to buy a new CPU to arrive with my case or am under warranty still?

Edit: Taken out the box again to show a picture of what it is like. Sorry about quality... Take on iPhone.

002.jpg


They are bent flat in the same direction. I think they may have been bent beforehand and I just bent them flat when I placed the CPU down... Either way it is would be my fault.
 
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Can't see warranty covering you. Looks a bit too much like user error. Cant guess how this happened though.

If you're careful and use a credit card you can probably bend them straight. its important to bend them up in one go, two at most. Thin metal pins will break off very easily if you bend them back and forth, they work harden then fracture. Aim to get them close enough to straight that the socket itself bends them straight.

Its also possible it'll work fine if they both break off, but that's starting to push your luck a bit. A fair few of the pins are grounds, losing one or two shouldn't be too bad if you're lucky.
 
It's just my luck that this happened. I should have checked the CPU pins first, just to see if they were already bent (would have taken pressure of my conscience). I shouldn't of bothered trying to set up early either.

Anyway, I think I will try to bend them back. I'm just worried that in the future when I am no longer using a stock cooler and need to change, it will rip out the CPU like it did the first time. I had a read around on bent CPU pins and I found two more cases where this had happened, with the compound on the stock CPU cooler acting as a strong glue. It also voids warranty if you use a different glue too.

For the moment though I have ordered an Arctic Silver compound, which will arrive on Tuesday with the case. I just need to get those pins back now, but really do not want to try. Wish I bought for a couple of extra pounds from another supplier that provided 28 day installation damage.
 
I'm still a bit unsure as to how this happened. The heatsink tore the processor out of the socket? I'm very familiar with the 775 socket, and can't see any way in which this could happen there. It looks more possible on am2, but still seems very unlikely.

I would advise removing the clips/screws, then rotating the heatsink back and forth a couple of degrees before lifting it off. I think I always do this, even on 775 boards.

The 'glue' is tim, or thermal interface material. Id be very surprised indeed if using a different one voided any warranty. There is the liquid metal one that alloys into the two surfaces, which may well cause warranty problems, but for as5 / mx-2 etc I can't see it.

Bending pins back should go fine, its been done often by many people. Just don't bend it past vertical when straightening it
 
I have bent the odd pin in the my time on both CPU's (I bent 4 pins on my FX57 about 30 minutes after getting it unpacked) and Mobo's and have alway managed (very carefully) to get them back in place and they've been fine..........just take your time!
 
I suppose tore out the socket was not really the word. When I lifted the heatsink away from the Mobo the CPU was glued to the bottom. The CPU was placed into the socket and the lever adjusted to how it should be. I have a feeling the heatsink was not the problem, but me not checking the pins before placing it down. They are extremely flat and I am having a hard time using a needle to get under one.
I managed to lift one up slightly, but have stopped to look at the next step. The pin has lifted up a tiny amount, but has moved a little to the left.
 
In the past I have used a stanley blade to sort this out. Just carefully run the blade down the line with the bent pins and very gently ease them back in line. This way you should only bring pin in to line with the others.
 
I have been using a similar method. I am using a pin at the moment, while holding my National Insurance card (Only card without a magnetic strip) on one side, while I gently stroke up the pin multiple times with a needle. It is slowly getting into place and it is pretty much straight. It's just the last 1/4 at the top that is not straight. One more pin after this.

Anyway, I best say thank you guys for your input. I really didn't know what to do. Also, Holwill, you live just (I say just...) down the road from me. I live in Torquay :D Small world.
 
That doesn't look too bad tbh, some weakish tweezers would be what I'd use in the situation. Jewellers screwdrivers are also useful if pins are extreme bent.
It might be a bit tight getting into the socket once they look straightened or you feel you can't do any more but it should slot into place if you're careful.

As said already, worse things have happened, take your time and don't force anything. :)
 
So I have managed to get both relatively straight. If you look closely you can see where they were bent, but from then upwars they are straight, except for a slight bit at the tip. They look align with the rest when you look down the CPU in all directions. Will this be okay to place carefully into the CPU socket? I believe there will be plenty of room.

Picture:
It's the 5th and 6th ones at the front. Best I can do, but the iPhone camera is not the best and you can't see the slight tip bends.
003.jpg
 
I bent my pin because they were fractionally bent when it came from ocuk, I realised before putting much force on the cpu, because it wouldnt get into the socket properly. However I think if mine was bent much more it would have squashed down fairly easily. Something youll learn from if all goes well.
 
ive done worse when attempting to remove a heatsink (similar result but more pins).
same thing happened with mine...paste stuck the heatsink and cpu together like glue.

it should work fine though...mine does so many years later.

oh and use tweezers to straighten and not pliers:p
 
i had this happen with a phenom 940 last month, the paste stuck it to the heatsink, it pulled the cpu clean out, bent 2 pins, managed to bend them back ok though.

You would think with the lever locked down it wouldnt happen.
 
Well I have placed the CPU back fine and it has slotted in. I also removed it again to double check the pins are okay (Couldn't help it :P) and all is well. Placed again and it is now securely set. All I need is the case to arrive on Tuesday with my thermal compound and I am ready. Hope I don't encounter any more problems on my first build :/

I managed to fix the pins in the end by lifting slowly with a needle until I could fit my NI card and Driving Licence either side of the pin. I practically clamped the two cards together on the pin with slight pressure and it aligned near-perfect with the rest. I had no tweezers available :P

I'm surprised it has happened to quite a few people. I found two cases of the same incident on two other forums and it seems people here have had the same problem. I think it's something that should be addressed, as it is clearly a problem. Then again, AMD make money if people have to buy a new CPU.

Anyway, thank you all for your help.
 
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Just remember to have the heatsink hot before attempting to remove it in future. I've lost count of the number of heatsinks that have pulled CPUs out.
Much annoyance.
 
I wouldnt have thought it possible for the heatsink to remove a CPU from a 775 socket either.
 
Did this to an X2 6400 BE a few months back when moving it from the main machine to the WHS box.... too much speed and assumption plus carelessness.

Flattened/bent around 300 pins I reckon (wish I'd taken a photo) and took the best part of 5 hours of straightening and checking (repeat until done) before dropping it into the WHS, which booted perfectly first time.
 
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