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How sensitive are processor pins?

P

Poochie

n00b
Joined
Apr 10, 2005
Messages
17
I feel like a huge dolt right now, made a series of stupid mistakes today.

Bought a Corsair H50 to replace the stock cooler on my Phenom II. When I was removing the heatsink I felt a bit of resistance, but didn't think anything of it. But then I noticed it had pulled the processor out and it was stuck on there. I got it off and tried to re-insert the CPU - no dice. Some of the pins were bent.

So in a momentary lapse of judgement, I began using the lead of a mechanical pencil to adjust the bent pins. After coming to my senses I switched to a tiny flathead.

What I'm worried about now is if I've got dirty pins. I noticed a couple specks of lead on one or two of the pins, and I know I managed to touch a few spots with my fingers. So I wet the edge of a paper towel with alcohol and tried to gently clean between the areas I was handling.

I've gone over it with a magnifying glass and everything looks quite clean now. I can also fit it back in the socket again. But how sensitive are these things, really? From what I understand, you've got to worry about creating a connection between pins and causing a short-circuit. There's definitely nothing on there large enough to reach across pins like that.
 
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You have done more than most people do by cleaning them off with alcohol. As long as the pins are straight, you should be fine. Those pins have a lot of gold in them, they conduct electricity really well.

Next time, run the computer for 5 minutes to heat up the thermal paste under any heatsink you have. Then shutdown the computer and remove the heatsink by twisting to break the grip, not by pulling it straight out.
 
Roger that, lesson learned.
I won't actually be able to reassemble everything for a couple of days. When I get the chance I'll give it one more quick cleaning and hopefully I'll be up and running with my H50.
 
just a note for next time.. use that mechanical pencil to straight the pins.. just push the lead back inside of the pencil, put the pin through the opening and straighten the pin that way.. much easier to do.
 
I have had similar happen multiple times.. To straighten the pins I always use a knife with a thin blade.. basically running it in between the columns & rows to get everything back to grid. For cleaning go buy a cheap soft bristled tooth brush.. That and alcohol will clean just fine
 
sirmonkey1985 said:
just a note for next time.. use that mechanical pencil to straight the pins.. just push the lead back inside of the pencil, put the pin through the opening and straighten the pin that way.. much easier to do.
Click to expand...

Makes mental note for the next time I do something stupid. That's good advice! Thanks.
 
sirmonkey1985 said:
just a note for next time.. use that mechanical pencil to straight the pins.. just push the lead back inside of the pencil, put the pin through the opening and straighten the pin that way.. much easier to do.
Click to expand...

I have used a box cutter in the past when something happened with the cpu pin,with the flat surface and somewhat longer but it has been years ...
 
I've done that a couple times where I pulled the heatsink off and the processor came with it bending some pins in the process. Atleast the pins on AMD cpu's are easier to work with than the pins on an intel motherboard.
 
bastage said:
I have had similar happen multiple times.. To straighten the pins I always use a knife with a thin blade.. basically running it in between the columns & rows to get everything back to grid. For cleaning go buy a cheap soft bristled tooth brush.. That and alcohol will clean just fine
Click to expand...
you can also use a single sided razor blade. I usually place the razor at the base of the bent pins and bend them back up until the razor rests on/or lines up with unbent pins
 
also remove fan from cpu heatsink and use hair dryer to get heatsink hot in the center..slight twist and its released...ive used this method for 10 yrs now...works great..
 
Well, the processor is still working fine thankfully. I booted it back up today.
I've got an Antec 902 V3 on the way, though, and I'm going to wait for that to really test my H50.
 
Poochie said:
Well, the processor is still working fine thankfully. I booted it back up today.
I've got an Antec 902 V3 on the way, though, and I'm going to wait for that to really test my H50.
Click to expand...
also note. even though the hairdrier and heat gun methods are proven to work, you can just as easily run the pc a bit and then immediately remove the HSF after shutdown
 
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