POST without CPU Cooler

[Lugger187]

Hey, I just installed a new CPU (Ryzen 5 5600) and tried to do a POST without the cooler attached.

It worked fine and I turned the system off before it could boot into Windows (Max 1-2 min run time at most).

My only concern is that the CPU had sort off a burnt smell for the next couple of seconds

I already tested it with the cooler applied and it works great, but I just wanted to ask if I may have damaged the CPU.

[CommanderAlex]

No the CPU isn't damaged. There are thermal protections built into the motherboard to prevent physical damage from happening to the CPU and will shut the system down if temperatures are over limits.

[Lugger187]

Just now, CommanderAlex said:

No the CPU isn't damaged. There are thermal protections built into the motherboard to prevent physical damage from happening to the CPU and will shut the system down if temperatures are over limits.

Alright  I was just confused by the weird burnt plastic smell. But the smell could be normal for the CPUs first time heating up, right?

[CommanderAlex]

12 minutes ago, Lugger187 said:

Alright  I was just confused by the weird burnt plastic smell. But the smell could be normal for the CPUs first time heating up, right?

Well I know with new power supplies they can give off a smell for ~20 minutes after first run...but that's PSUs and not CPUs. 

 

As long as there's no damage to the CPU itself and the CPU socket, it should still be fine. I can't give a reason why a smell would occur as there are fail safes in place to prevent damage to the CPU by running without the cooler. As you have said, you ran it for 2 minutes max without a cooler and given that there was no heavy load, it should be fine.

[lafrente]

If you booted the system properly with a cooler you'd not have smelled burned plastic.

 

CPU's probably alright though. It can't radiate burnt plastic smell since it's not made out of it. 

[Somerandomtechyboi]

afaik a 5600 is gonna heat up quite abit without a cooler so 2 mins seems like a pretty long time without a cooler but you should be fine cause failsafes everywhere, dont think socket melting is a worry since that plastic should be able to handle around 200c for a few seconds without melting for bga rework purposes (attatching or replacing the cpu socket on a mobo)

[Lugger187]

10 minutes ago, lafrente said:

If you booted the system properly with a cooler you'd not have smelled burned plastic.

 

CPU's probably alright though. It can't radiate burnt plastic smell since it's not made out of it. 

It is probably alright yeah. Maybe the heating of the thermal paste caused the smell. It wasnt particulary a burnt but just this kind of sweet warm pc smell. Lets just call it: Im just paranoid af haha.

[Lugger187]

14 minutes ago, Somerandomtechyboi said:

afaik a 5600 is gonna heat up quite abit without a cooler so 2 mins seems like a pretty long time without a cooler but you should be fine cause failsafes everywhere, dont think socket melting is a worry since that plastic should be able to handle around 200c for a few seconds without melting for bga rework purposes (attatching or replacing the cpu socket on a mobo)

I just waited the 2 mins until POST was over, so it hasnt even loaded into Windows yet. There probably wasnt a lot of load on the CPU in this period and I actually removed it with my hand (was pretty hot but still holdable) 1 min after turning it off.

[freeagent]

You really couldn’t wait until you put a cooler on it?

 

Crazy.

[Lugger187]

18 minutes ago, freeagent said:

You really couldn’t wait until you put a cooler on it?

 

Crazy.

Thank you for answering my question instead of just saying how impatient I am, apprechiate it! 

[Somerandomtechyboi]

1 hour ago, Lugger187 said:

Thank you for answering my question instead of just saying how impatient I am, apprechiate it! 

Ah yes sarcasm

 

But seriously you should have just put the cooler on in the first place, if its a heatsink you simply put a blob of thermal paste on the cpu and put the heatsink ontop without having to mount it (basically its gravity mounting, i do this alot with my testbench and it works just fine)