Is my CPU defective?

[Koggit]

I'm worried somethings defective here...

I put the CPU in the socket, but it doesn't feel like it's really attached. I could push the CPU slightly side to side if I wanted to in the socket -- maybe only 1/4 of a cm or so, but still, since it moves a little I don't think it's fully in.

The socket hatch thing will close most of the way, but not as closed as it is without the CPU in, and the CPU is not flush with the plastic 'wall' of the socket.

I'm absolutely positive my mobo and CPU are compatible, and I'm absolutely positive it's orientated properly. It just doesn't go in. I'm very doubtful that any of the pins are bent or anything -- I took the protective cover off of both the socket and CPU very carefully and nothing touched either of them in the meanwhile. Both were retail, boxed units. Is there anything else I can try? Anything at all? Very disheartening to have an issue like this after spending $1,200 on a first build.

[Synergy]

I'm worried somethings defective here...

I put the CPU in the socket, but it doesn't feel like it's really attached. I could push the CPU slightly side to side if I wanted to in the socket -- maybe only 1/4 of a cm or so, but still, since it moves a little I don't think it's fully in.

The socket hatch thing will close most of the way, but not as closed as it is without the CPU in, and the CPU is not flush with the plastic 'wall' of the socket.

I'm absolutely positive my mobo and CPU are compatible, and I'm absolutely positive it's orientated properly. It just doesn't go in. I'm very doubtful that any of the pins are bent or anything -- I took the protective cover off of both the socket and CPU very carefully and nothing touched either of them in the meanwhile. Both were retail, boxed units. Is there anything else I can try? Anything at all? Very disheartening to have an issue like this after spending $1,200 on a first build.

Have you turned it on and tried it yet? If I recall correctly, when I built my computer about 8 months ago, there was a tiny fraction of play with the CPU and socket, left to right. And the latch definitely does not seat down perfectly as it did with no CPU in there - it's supposed to be smashed in like that.

A bit of advice to you - don't drive yourself nuts about things until you actually run into real problems. Building a computer is actually a lot easier than people think.

If you have a real, tangible problem with the CPU/mobo not working, you might want to return them both and start fresh. But take a breath and relax.

[Koggit]

Well, I didn't want to force the latch down because I assumed it would damage it. Everything I've read screams "Gently! Gently! Be gentle! Gentler!" ...I thought forcing the latch down would be a huge no-no. I'm tempted to take a picture of it...

[E_G_Man]

You should take a picture, that might give us a better idea.

[Koggit]

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/koggit/P1010047.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/koggit/P1010048.jpg

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/koggit/P1010049.jpg


Does that help? The first image doesn't capture it very well, but what I was trying to focus in on (stupid autofocus) is the gap between the socket 'wall' and the top of the CPU. It's about 25mm high.

On the third picture is the point where the latch starts giving resistance. Should I just force it down?

[Synergy]

Actually, if you could post a picture of the underside of the CPU so we can see if there are any bent pins. That set up looks totally fine to me, though. I promise, when I put mine in, the socket never sat flush, it has to press the CPU down firmly. You do have to force it down a little bit, its so it sits snugly.

[red flare graf]

Yes, I would force it down. The CPU has to be in there really, really tight, and thus the resistance you get from the latch. As long as the CPU is seated flat, and there are no bent pins, it should be fine. I'm pretty sure I have that same socket.

[Koggit]

I had a lot of trouble getting a good picture due to reflectivity. I'm not exactly sure what pins needed to be clear in the photo -- do you mean the things in the center, or all the circles? This photo came out best:

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e338/koggit/P1010058.jpg



Yes, I would force it down. The CPU has to be in there really, really tight, and thus the resistance you get from the latch. As long as the CPU is seated flat, and there are no bent pins, it should be fine. I'm pretty sure I have that same socket.

Just to be clear, before ruining a $275 CPU and/or $100 motherboard, the CPU should NOT be fastened before closing the latch? My concern is that, currently, the CPU moves freely in the socket. It moves very slightly, but it is not fastened in the socket at all, it is just sitting on top of a bed of pins.

[Jedi1979]

that looks fine...i thought the same when i used one of those chips for the first time but nothing bad happened...it seems that you have to put more force on it then you would like to but that is just how these are

[red flare graf]

Oh yeah.. there are no pins on those guys. Which leads me to believe it needs to be even tighter than the older chips.

[Synergy]

Your pins look fine. Put it back in and secure the latch - it needs to be tight, so that bit of resistance is perfectly normal. Good luck.

[Koggit]

Thanks, I forced it down. Installed memory and power supply. Time to put the motherboard in the case. I'll update this when finished, whether it works it not.

Thanks again for all the help. I realize I may have just been over paranoid, but I'd rather be safe than sorry. :)

[E_G_Man]

Its easy to be paranoid when you think about how much you invest in a new computer. Good luck!

[csalzman]

Yeah I did the same thing when I got my Core2 Duo a few months back. Totally freaked out that I might break the the CPU latching it down because I'm used to the usual pin-in slot style CPU's.

[crystalklear64]

Gently? I always tell people pretty much the opposite when it comes to putting stuff on the mobo. A lot of people are afraid of putting in memory because of the resistance too, but that stuff is sturdy. The "new" 775 socket CPUs, as you have already discovered, don't have pins, so in order to ensure constant contact, those suckers have to be in there tight.

[Koggit]

Gently? I always tell people pretty much the opposite when it comes to putting stuff on the mobo. A lot of people are afraid of putting in memory because of the resistance too, but that stuff is sturdy. The "new" 775 socket CPUs, as you have already discovered, don't have pins, so in order to ensure constant contact, those suckers have to be in there tight.

I Googled "775 CPU installation" yesterday and every single result emphasized how gentle you have to be. I don't understand it, really, They all seemed to emphasize how gently you need to place the CPU into the socket, but none of them detailed the resistance you'd experience with the latch. It's just "Okay, now shut the latch." The instructions that came with my motherboard said the same thing. The instructions with the processor was just a picture guide, hardly helpful...

Now powering down this PC to gut the video card and HD. Hopefully I'll be back up on the new PC shortly.

[Vinny]

Those PC guides are for first timers so they usually stress a being gentle in a few areas- such as when you put in the processor, be gentle so as to not bend the pins or make sure that you don't try and put everything together while in the pool.

But... I don't see why being gentle would be mentioned with these pin-less processors.:-k

[Koggit]

Up and running. Yaaaay, finally...

Now just to wait for my 8800GT. Currently using a 7600GT... Windows rating of 4.4, which is better than I expected. I guess they weigh the processor heavily.

Vista reminds me a lot of OSX.

Anyway, thanks for all the help -- clearly I didn't damage the processor, so that's always nice. :) Now just to monitor temp to make sure I applied the thermal paste properly (first time for that also)... and if temperatures are good, it's time to OC. Hooray.

[neoMAX]

Congrats on making it! Installing computer parts makes me anxious, but you have to be firm. Good luck with your new system :)

[Richard Longfellow]

Usually with thernal paste the trick is to apply it evenly and a lot thinner than you would think you need.

[Koggit]

Usually with thernal paste the trick is to apply it evenly and a lot thinner than you would think you need.

See, that's what I thought, but the directions indicated not to spread it at all. I just put a line on the CPU and then seated the heatsink.

http://www.arcticsilver.com/ins_route_step2intelas5.html

I was worried about it, but it seems to have turned out alright. My CPU has yet to even reach 40 C. Currently 34 C. That seems pretty cool to me, so I assume all is well. I've yet to do anything really taxing, though -- just a little Portal, and I'm sure my video card is the bottleneck there.