Did I just fry my CPU?

[Hirocon]

My computer mysteriously stopped working last week, producing an indecipherable beep error message when trying to boot. I bought a new motherboard and installed it today. In my impatience, I didn't clean off the thermal compount from the CPU heatsink and reapply new thermal compount; I just stick the heatsink back on with the already existing thermal compound, which was of course no longer evenly spread.

I tried to boot the computer with the new MoBo, and of course it does not work. This time the beep message is a little more understandable. I THINK I hear one long beep followed by two short beeps, indicating a video card problem.

When I went online to find the meaing of the beep code message (my motherboard manual didn't document the beep codes), I discovered that I was supposed to reapply thermal compound to my CPU when switching motherboards.

So have I already fried my $200 processor? Even if the boot sequence never got past the video card check? Is there any way to tell, short of buying a new video card, applying new thermal compound to the CPU and trying to boot again?

[Budfred]

If it is an Intel CPU, it may have shut down before burning up.... If it is an AMD, you may be out of luck... I would remove the CPU/heatsink and reinstall it properly to see if it works... If it doesn't, you are probably out of luck... The fact that you hear beep codes is a good sign and it may mostly be a matter of properly seating your video card... Either way, I would install that CPU properly first...

[jlreich]

Yes if you heard beeps telling you there is a video problem then the CPU should be fine. The mobo can't do anything without a CPU. Usually if the CPU is dead you wont get anything besides fans coming on. But as Budfred said get some fresh thermal compound on that CPU or you will damage it. ;)

Try re-seating the v-card. If nothing try another known good compatible v-card if possible(other system, friends system).

If this doesn't help post back with your system specs. Any other info on what happened prior to your problems. Is this a new video card? Any other hardware changes recently?

If you got the beep code right and it says there is a problem with the v-card, then that's most likely the problem. But lets eliminate other possibilities first.

[Hirocon]

Specs prior to first system failure:

Soltek SL-K890Pro-939 motherboard
AMD Athlon 64 3200+ with standard heatsink/thermal compound/fan
AOpen GeForce 6600 256MB video card
2x512MB 184-pin DDR400 OCZ RAM
400W Power Supply that came with Antec Performance series case

This setup worked fine for six days. I turned off the comp one night and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. I tried to turn it on the next morning and I had no video, and I heard a mesh of beeps that just sounded like one long beep (it did not repeat itself). At first I thought that the beeps indicated a RAM problem. I tried reseating the RAM with no luck. I tried new RAM with no luck. So I got a new MoBo, an Asus A8N SLI Deluxe. That's what I installed today.

I tried booting it and I got what sounded like (it was hard to tell so I could be wrong!) one long beep then two short beeps.

I should probably note that, in addition to failing to apply new thermal compound on the CPU, I was rather rough with the CPU when removing it from the old MoBo. I couldn't separate the heatsink from the chip while the chip was still in the board, so I just pulled out the heat sink and chip all at once, while the lock mechanism was still down on the CPU port. Amazingly, none of the pins on the chip appeared to be missing or even bent.

I'm rather distraught. This is the first computer I have built. I've seen what it can do when it works and I can't go back to my old machine now, but at the same time I don't want this thing to become a money hole. If I have to buy a new CPU, and a new graphics card, and a new power supply, after voiding the warranties on all the old ones...well, it wouldn't be much fun. :p

[Fruss Tray Ted]

You pulled the HS&F combo out along with the CPU? That means you broke the ears off the ZIF socket and hopefully can replace it to salvage what sounds to be a working mobo :rolleyes:

Patience is a virtue. To be humble is to ask for assistance BEFORE breaking anything!

Although it is quite a bugger, I've removed heatsinks and fans many times from boards without breaking anything. It takes 2 screwdrivers. 1 to press, the other to pry the clip away from it's anchor point. Installing is a cinch, removing requires skill.

Yes, you need to reapply thermal compound. But not if you can't take it apart without brute force...

You need to describe the beep sequence better as well. Maybe it's graphics?

[Hirocon]

Well until I can apply new thermal compound to the CPU I've afraid to try to turn on the computer again, so I can't hear the beep code again. It really just sounded like one long beep, but there might have been two individual short beeps at the end that sort of overlapped with each other and with the first long beep. It was really hard to tell. It seems like bios makers could put in more spacing between beeps to make the codes easier to hear. It also seems like motherboard manufacturers could put charts describing the meanings of the beep codes into the manuals; neither of my motherboards came with such charts.

It was easy to separate the heat sink from the chip AFTER the chip was removed from the motherboard - I just twisted gently and the two separated. I needed to do this, because I was not about to try to shove the heatsink/chip combo directly into the new board while the locking mechanism was down; that would have almost certainly bent the pins.

When I go to apply new thermal compound to the chip, I'll make sure I can separate the heatsink from the chip before removing the chip from the board. Though I'm still not sure how I'm supposed to do that...there isn't much room for twisting action while the heatsink is in the board.

[rond36]

To remove the HSF from the CPU without pulling it out of the socket. After you unhook the clips gently twist the HSF before you try to pull up on it.

Don't feel bad I did the same thing to my CPU once but I bent 3 pins and had to straiten them before the CPU would fit back into the socket. :o

The video card may be forced to the back of its slot by the back of the case and the pins on the card missing the correct contacts in the slot.

Did you have your video card in its slot when you tightened your motherboard screws, if not loosen your motherboard screws re-seat your video card then re-tighten the motherboard screws.

[saphalline]

It was easy to separate the heat sink from the chip AFTER the chip was removed from the motherboardOh I see! Haha! You just yanked the whole thing out while the socket arm was down? :p Hehe, that's silly. A bit rough on the CPU, but no harm done as long as this is a one-time occurence. And as long as you never do that to an LGA775 CPU. ;)

Well, regardless of what was done, it's time you learned how to fix it! Does the mobo manual have instructions and pics on removing/installing the CPU? It should. If not, you can download the manual for a different Socket 939 mobo that does have the pics. Or if you bought a retail boxed CPU, it should have pics with it. Or any standard book on upgrading/building PC's from your local book store. The procedures for Socket 939 are essentially the same for older sockets (like 478 or 462 or 370) except that Socket 939 has more pins! :p

For the rest of the procedures on applying new thermal grease, Arctic Silver's website is an excellent place to look. They have a complete guide on cleaning & reapplying new stuff, as well as tips on the most effective layer thickness, etc. And of course you'll need to buy new thermal grease, too. ;)