What's dead?

[TTurnerdudEE]

Alright, I've got a major major issues. A friend of mine asked me to install a second gpu for crossfire and give his pc a good clean. I remove the cpu heatsink to clean it (it was solid with dust) and the cpu comes along with it (10000 grains of rice worth of thermal paste had been applied and over 2 years had solidified )and in the process cracking the plastic cover over the socket (am3+). No matter what I tried I could not get the cpu free from the cooler ( tried rubbing alcohol, gently wiggling it  and even the denture floss technique). Because of this I had not been able to re install the cpu. When attempting to reinstall the cpu with the cooler attached I had to have the retention arm up (otherwise I would not have been able to install put the cpu in the socket. So I had to bend the retention arm slightly so it could be up with the cooler installed ( as I could not put the arm back down with the cooler on). Unsurprisingly the pc won't boot, I've tried everything from changing video cards, adding and subtracting ram, changing the boot drives and am still unable to get it to boot. From this I know that either the mobo or the cpu is dead but I don't know which one. I know the mobo is supplying power to fans so would this mean it is working and the cpu is dead or could the mobo still be dead?

 

I have no spare amd cpu or motherboard for comparison so I don't know what is and isn't dead. Is there something I've dramatically overlooked ( I really hope at this point ).

 

The cpu is an 8350, Am3+ mobo is an asrock 990FX Extreme3 ( neither of which are cheap)

 

All help would be appreciated, 

 

Thanks

- Tristan.

[Emanuel_M]

The retention arm needs to go down so the socket can make a connection with the cup pins. Get a hair dryer to heat the heat sink and Cpu then try to take it off.

[Aytex]

so your saying this guy litterley poured thermal paste on his cpu?

[Emanuel_M]

so your saying this guy litterley poured thermal paste on his cpu?

yea, probably used the whole tube.

Lol

[TTurnerdudEE]

The retention arm is also broken off in the process, I can however squeeze it back in and operate the plastic bits. The plastic part is also cracked down middle, if I can get the cpu back on and the retention arm down, will the crack cause issues? ( I have also tried using a hair dryer to warm the paste up before removing it)

[Emanuel_M]

The retention arm is also broken off in the process, I can however squeeze it back in and operate the plastic bits. The plastic part is also cracked down middle, if I can get the cpu back on and the retention arm down, will the crack cause issues? ( I have also tried using a hair dryer to warm the paste up before removing it)

the retention arm is needed, if it is not down the connections in the socket will not the cpu. Can you provide pictures? If you complete broke the socket, you will need to buy him a new MoBo. What is weird is take of what ever is holding the heat sink. Then take the heat sink with the cpu off, it shouldn't damage the socket. Thermal Paste can't get that rock hard. REAL THERMAL PASTE

[TTurnerdudEE]

It might not be thermal paste then, whatever it is it's rock hard. The socket cover could have been broken before hand though so I'm not sure. I can provide pictures in just a moment

[TTurnerdudEE]

Picture below

[TTurnerdudEE]

[Emanuel_M]

 what u can do with that. When you move the arm down can you see the socket move. If it don't then you owe your friend a new mobo

[TTurnerdudEE]

it does move c:

[Emanuel_M]

it does move c:

First of all get the cpu off first. if the socket moves, and the arm can move all the way down, it should work then.

[TTurnerdudEE]

It's working now, I somehow managed to get the cpu cooler off the cpu and was able to get a post, thanks everybody !