CPU chip rocks back and forth in socket. Cause for concern???

Hello All,

I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system and have just
installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny amount). I
tried to push in as firmly as I could without applying excessive force, but
I couldn't get it to be completely steady. I don't know if it's the chip,
the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when I
lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.

Should this be cause for concern? How will I know if some of the pins
aren't making good electrical contact with the socket? Will the PC just
fail to boot if the CPU isn't seated properly and one or more of the pins
isn't making contact? Or will the problem show up as subtle CPU errors or
program bugs?

Any input will be appreciated.

On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:38:10 GMT, "Patrick"
<infospecter@mindsrping.com.NOSPAM> wrote:

>the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when I
>lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.

I suppose that's why the lever *must* be locked down before you can
use the CPU? :PpPpp

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On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:38:10 GMT, "Patrick"
<infospecter@mindsrping.com.NOSPAM> wrote:
>Hello All,
>
>I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system

That's unfortunate!

> and have just
>installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
>rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny amount). I
>tried to push in as firmly as I could without applying excessive force, but
>I couldn't get it to be completely steady. I don't know if it's the chip,
>the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when I
>lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.

That is normal. The ZIF lever gives the CPU a bit of room to move so
that you can put chips in and take them out easily. When you lock the
lever in place, it doesn't move any more.

This is why you really MUST lock the ZIF lever in place!

>Should this be cause for concern? How will I know if some of the pins
>aren't making good electrical contact with the socket? Will the PC just
>fail to boot if the CPU isn't seated properly and one or more of the pins
>isn't making contact? Or will the problem show up as subtle CPU errors or
>program bugs?

If a CPU is improperly seated it usually won't boot at all.

-------------
Tony Hill
hilla <underscore> 20 <at> yahoo <dot> ca

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, LMFAO!!!!!!!!!

sorry, but i laughed *sniggers* but this is the most over-protective,
scaredy-cat post i've ever seen. simple question, what does ZIF stand
for? could it be "Zero Insertion Force", by any chance? where you just
slap the processor in there, and yes, it does rock about a bit, as
most do - restricting the use of a sledge-hammer and some super-glue
for the *incredibly* stupid. if your wondering *why* it rocks about,
your better off asking "why DOESN'T the prcoessor rock about, when the
lever is down??" - try to use logic to understand

i'm sorry mate, i'm not sure if your a) very, very stupid or b) a
computer hardware virgin

"Prick" <infospecter@mindsrping.com.NOSPAM> wrote in message news:<6hxWb.427$tL3.5@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
> Hello All,
>
> I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system and have just
> installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
> rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny amount). I
> tried to push in as firmly as I could without applying excessive force, but
> I couldn't get it to be completely steady. I don't know if it's the chip,
> the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when I
> lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.
>
> Should this be cause for concern? How will I know if some of the pins
> aren't making good electrical contact with the socket? Will the PC just
> fail to boot if the CPU isn't seated properly and one or more of the pins
> isn't making contact? Or will the problem show up as subtle CPU errors or
> program bugs?
>
> Any input will be appreciated.

Tony,

Thank you for your input and for your kindness.


Patrick

"Tony Hill" <hilla_nospam_20@yahoo.ca> wrote in message
news:2700a624c6e36c2de3dedb5197ea4258@news.1usenet.com...
> On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 21:38:10 GMT, "Patrick"
> <infospecter@mindsrping.com.NOSPAM> wrote:
> >Hello All,
> >
> >I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system
>
> That's unfortunate!
>
> > and have just
> >installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
> >rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny amount).
I
> >tried to push in as firmly as I could without applying excessive force,
but
> >I couldn't get it to be completely steady. I don't know if it's the
chip,
> >the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when
I
> >lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.
>
> That is normal. The ZIF lever gives the CPU a bit of room to move so
> that you can put chips in and take them out easily. When you lock the
> lever in place, it doesn't move any more.
>
> This is why you really MUST lock the ZIF lever in place!
>
> >Should this be cause for concern? How will I know if some of the pins
> >aren't making good electrical contact with the socket? Will the PC just
> >fail to boot if the CPU isn't seated properly and one or more of the pins
> >isn't making contact? Or will the problem show up as subtle CPU errors
or
> >program bugs?
>
> If a CPU is improperly seated it usually won't boot at all.
>
> -------------
> Tony Hill
> hilla <underscore> 20 <at> yahoo <dot> ca

"Mate,"

> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, LMFAO!!!!!!!!!
>
> sorry, but i laughed *sniggers* but this is the most over-protective,
> scaredy-cat post i've ever seen. simple question, what does ZIF stand
> for? could it be "Zero Insertion Force", by any chance? where you just
> slap the processor in there, and yes, it does rock about a bit, as
> most do - restricting the use of a sledge-hammer and some super-glue
> for the *incredibly* stupid. if your wondering *why* it rocks about,
> your better off asking "why DOESN'T the prcoessor rock about, when the
> lever is down??" - try to use logic to understand

I may be somewhat of a computer hardware virgin, but everyone was at some
point so I don't see why I should be insulted for that. I have installed
two other CPU's but both of them didn't wiggle even when the ZIF lever
wasn't locked in place. That's why I was a bit concerned.

>
> i'm sorry mate, i'm not sure if your a) very, very stupid or b) a
> computer hardware virgin

As for being very, very stupid, well, it takes one to know one. At the very
least, I know when to use "you're" (meaning "you are") and "your," (which is
the possessive form for "you"). You, on the other hand, evidently don't
seem to know the difference.

Before you go calling other people stupid, I suggest you go back and brush
up on your third grade English grammar.

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA, LMAO.


Patrick



>
> "Prick" <infospecter@mindsrping.com.NOSPAM> wrote in message
news:<6hxWb.427$tL3.5@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net>...
> > Hello All,
> >
> > I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system and have just
> > installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
> > rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny
amount). I
> > tried to push in as firmly as I could without applying excessive force,
but
> > I couldn't get it to be completely steady. I don't know if it's the
chip,
> > the socket, or perhaps some of the pin lengths that are uneven, but when
I
> > lock the ZIF lever in place, it doesn't wiggle any more.
> >
> > Should this be cause for concern? How will I know if some of the pins
> > aren't making good electrical contact with the socket? Will the PC just
> > fail to boot if the CPU isn't seated properly and one or more of the
pins
> > isn't making contact? Or will the problem show up as subtle CPU errors
or
> > program bugs?
> >
> > Any input will be appreciated.

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips Tony Hill <hilla_nospam_20@yahoo.ca> wrote:
> If a CPU is improperly seated it usually won't boot at all.

Fortunately, it now takes WORK to put a CPU in backwards. Back in the
socket-2/3 days (before key pins!) you could put a 486 or earlier PGA chip
in backwards.

I did that once by accident, fortunately quite a while after the 486 was
obsolete. The meltdown was smelly, and the socket rather permanently melted
to the then-dead chip.

I wonder how many watts that briefly pulled?

--
Nate Edel http://www.nkedel.com/

"I do have a cause though. It is obscenity. I'm for it." - Tom Lehrer

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.misc Patrick <infospecter@mindsrping.com.nospam> wrote:
> "Mate,"

>> HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, LMFAO!!!!!!!!!
>>
>> sorry, but i laughed *sniggers* but this is the most over-protective,
>> scaredy-cat post i've ever seen. simple question, what does ZIF stand
>> for? could it be "Zero Insertion Force", by any chance? where you just
>> slap the processor in there, and yes, it does rock about a bit, as
>> most do - restricting the use of a sledge-hammer and some super-glue
>> for the *incredibly* stupid. if your wondering *why* it rocks about,
>> your better off asking "why DOESN'T the prcoessor rock about, when the
>> lever is down??" - try to use logic to understand

> I may be somewhat of a computer hardware virgin, but everyone was at some
> point so I don't see why I should be insulted for that. I have installed
> two other CPU's but both of them didn't wiggle even when the ZIF lever
> wasn't locked in place. That's why I was a bit concerned.

Actually your concern is justified. Normally the CPUs lie flat on
the opened ZIF-socket and do not "wiggle". You can move them
sideways a bit. I recently installed several cpus where the
temperature-sensor pushed them up. They had to be pushed down
while closing the ZIF-socket. Other possible explanation is some
object between CPU and socket (->remove), a bent pin (Bad. Can
sometimes be just bent back, but may also break) and a mainboard/
socket that is not quite flat (not really a problem).

Definitely not something to just ignore.

Arno
--
For email address: lastname AT tik DOT ee DOT ethz DOT ch
GnuPG: ID:1E25338F FP:0C30 5782 9D93 F785 E79C 0296 797F 6B50 1E25 338F
"The more corrupt the state, the more numerous the laws" - Tacitus

In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips Patrick <infospecter@mindsrping.com.nospam> wrote:
> I'm putting together a P4 Celeron (socket 478) system and have just
> installed the CPU into its socket. The problem is that it kind of
> rocks/seesaws/wiggles across one of its diagonal axes (by a tiny amount).

Naturally. A ZIF socket is really very loose when open.
Otherwise it wouldn't be zero. It is only tight when locked down.

The way it works is that it really isn't a socket at all.
The top is a comb (template) to position pins. The bottom
is a series of carefully designed open sockets that make
electrical contact with the sides of the pins. Also arranged
in a precise grid. When you lock the lever down, the top
comb shoves the pins sideways into the sockets.

-- Robert

On Thu, 12 Feb 2004 12:36:58 -0800, archmage@sfchat.org (Nate Edel)
wrote:
>In comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware.chips Tony Hill <hilla_nospam_20@yahoo.ca> wrote:
>> If a CPU is improperly seated it usually won't boot at all.
>
>Fortunately, it now takes WORK to put a CPU in backwards. Back in the
>socket-2/3 days (before key pins!) you could put a 486 or earlier PGA chip
>in backwards.
>
>I did that once by accident, fortunately quite a while after the 486 was
>obsolete. The meltdown was smelly, and the socket rather permanently melted
>to the then-dead chip.

Ahh the good ol' days were a moments lapse in concentration could cost
you hundreds (thousands?) of dollars in computer equipment! :>

>I wonder how many watts that briefly pulled?

Probably less than today's processors pull during normal operation!

-------------
Tony Hill
hilla <underscore> 20 <at> yahoo <dot> ca