I may have broken my motherboard when reseating my cpu

[stoggs1]

Hello everyone, last i was reapplying and reseating my two cpus in my pc i have two xeons. In the second cpu slot i accidently bent some pins now my pc wont post when trying just one cpu. Nothing comes on the monitor and the mouse and keyboard dont light up. Is my motherboard trashed? Thanks in advance.

 

[Jetster]

You can straighten them out it just tedious work and you need very powerful glasses

How about a pic?

 

[stoggs1]

Ok i will try to.post one. I am using my phone to post on the forums how do i post a pic; and is my board save able even though it would not post?

 

[BarbaricSoul]

my suggestion is to get a magnifying glass and a needle or razor blade(my preference) and try to straighten the pins (had to do this with my P55 motherboard). You probably have pins touching each other causing a short on your motherboard.

 

[stoggs1]

Ok thanks. What about tweezers? Do they work allright?

 

[SKBARON]

Tweezers will also do the job, just be careful. Bending pins is not the end of the world, although it may be scary sometimes. I bent the pins while cleaning my gf's mobo, it was stupid on my behalf to whipe the board with a fibrous piece of cloth without covering the socket.

Anyway, be more careful next time and good luck!

 

[stoggs1]

Ok i have another question if the cpu socket is to badly damaged is there a way i could mod it so i could use just the other cpu socket since that one isnt damaged? I havent tried anything yet sinve im at work.

 

[de.das.dude]

you can replace a cpu socket pretty easily. people who do chip level repairs can do it for you.

 

[stoggs1]

Ok how much does that usually cost? I found a few dual socjet lg771 boards online for under 40$ but they where from dell systems. Mine is an hp i know with normal desktops that doesnt matter as long as the mo bo supports the cpu but is the same for server desktops?

 

[SKBARON]

I think you can actually find sockets for sale, at least i know 1155 can be found, don't know about the 771 though.
Manufacturer of the board doesn't matter, the a 771 socket is a 771 socket, in other words they are the same.

 

[dank1983man420]

Ok how much does that usually cost? I found a few dual socjet lg771 boards online for under 40$ but they where from dell systems. Mine is an hp i know with normal desktops that doesnt matter as long as the mo bo supports the cpu but is the same for server desktops?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Foxconn-LGA771-LGA-771-Intel-CPU-Socket-Connector-Base-/280894528849

Just under US $7 though it ships from China.....

Edit: I don't know how much someone would charge to install it though....

 

[stoggs1]

Ok how difficult would it to install a new socket? I am decent solderer.

 

[MightyMission]

Can you do soldering down to 0204 pitch pads? I am not being mean but if you aren't confident in soldering that finely then I would just consider straightening out the pins or outsourcing the work.
Honestly, I used to do a lot of SMT reworking and i'd say don't try it if you aren't confident.

Straightening out the pins with a straightened paper clip or tweezer point is much less stressful

 

[stoggs1]

Thanks for the replies but i have a couple of more questions. One there might a few tiny pieces of a paper stuck in the pins which i used stupidly i mighy add to wipe some old thermal compound that was in the socket wich is how i got in this mess the first place could that cause damage if i cant get it out? And second since i tried booting the computer with cpu installed with the bent pins could that have caused damage to the board or cpu? I still havent messed with the pc yet i am going to. tommorow

 

[TheGoat Eater]

invest in a mechanical pencil - use the tip to help straighten the pins if indeed you do need to do that. This is the old school method for fixing pins

 

[de.das.dude]

invest in a mechanical pencil - use the tip to help straighten the pins if indeed you do need to do that. This is the old school method for fixing pins

this isnt PGA, its BGA. you are talking about AMD cpu pins.

 

[TheGoat Eater]

yeah - but still worked well with a few of my intel sockets

 

[Jetster]

this isnt PGA, its BGA. you are talking about AMD cpu pins.

Now I get that comment. I was a little confused. Thanks

 

[petedread]

Thanks for the replies but i have a couple of more questions. One there might a few tiny pieces of a paper stuck in the pins which i used stupidly i mighy add to wipe some old thermal compound that was in the socket wich is how i got in this mess the first place could that cause damage if i cant get it out? And second since i tried booting the computer with cpu installed with the bent pins could that have caused damage to the board or cpu? I still havent messed with the pc yet i am going to. tommorow

Yes booting it could have caused some damage. I think it must be essential to get the paper and thermal compound out.
If you can't get it all out and bend the pins back, then try buying a new socket as suggested before. There is a chance that you have damaged your board and or CPU. A new socket won't cost much so it's worth a try if you can't get it cleaned out and pins bent back.
I have killed a system in this way. My I7 2600k and Asus P8P67. I never did try a new socket because I wanted a new board anyway, but both the cpu and board died.

 

[stoggs1]

Well i think some of the pins are broken off im not really sure though i need to take the motherboard out i havent had time. So i have a question, will the motherboard and system wotk if i hsve at least one working socket? Remember i have two cpus in my pc.

 

[da20valve]

I used to straighten them out all the time and I will tell you the best trick..... ARE YOU READY..................................................................................................................... GET YOURSELF A 19 or 21 GAUGE NEEDLE ( the ones they give injections at hospitals with )
they are perfect for straightening pins, tweezers are too big and the needles are perfect, the pins fit in the eye of the needle and this way you don't have it touching and bending other pins whilst trying to straighten them, get a magnifying glass and take your time, I once spent 45 minutes at work straightening one board out (the customer put the CPU in the wrong way and must have swung on the retention lever to close it). Also if you are missing some you still might be okay, not all the pins carry signals, if your MB is able to boot with one Cpu worst case scenario is to get some tweezers and just rip out the bent ones, I know this is not ideal but having 1 cpu is better then none, you can forgot warranty once they're bent too. If the machine is not booting then there must be a short somewhere and you haven't gotten all the pins straight (some are still touching) pull the MB out and sit at the bench with a magnifying glass and work outward in ( I use a piece of plastic to stick in between the rows, its easier to see the bent pins that way ) or a credit card if I am doing CPU pins. I know when you look at it you think you will never get them all straight, especially if you're using tweezers and bending adjacent pins as you go, get yourself a needle and just take your time, you will have it done in no time, after you have done this DON'T put the Cpu in the slot, see if it will boot just with one, then if it does boot turn it off and put the other CPU in, lower the retention bracket and lock it down, NOW open up the retention bracket and pull the Cpu out inspect the pins, if the pins are okay put the Cpu back in and boot it, if it doesn't boot this time the pins aren't straight enough or the socket is damaged,

 

[da20valve]

PS when I work on ones that are really bent (like 90 degrees) I heat the socket with a hair dryer, they bend easier when warm.