Broke a pin on my AMD Processor ... should I be concerned?

[Robert]

Hi,

While trying to clean my processor and fan I broke one of the pins. I
checked the AMD Website for a diagram of my processor. The spec sheet for it
is found here:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/31411.pdf

The pin I broke was 22-F ... which on figure 4 of the above PDF is labelled
as VSS. My research shows that VSS is a voltage grounding pin. Assumeing all
grounding pins are connected inside I'm wondering if it will miss one. The
processor itself still works, IE, PC is still working. I'm wondering if this
is a bad thing and I should replace right away ... it was a very expensive
CPU especially after Xmas I'd rather not spend anymore $$$. I would value
the advice anyone might have on this.

One side effect I have noticed so far is the PC will not boot up by pressing
the power button. If I try booting up with the power button, the front case
lights turn on but nothing happens ... but then if I press reset, the PC
will boot up.

Robert

 

[kony]

Hi,

While trying to clean my processor and fan I broke one of the pins. I
checked the AMD Website for a diagram of my processor. The spec sheet for it
is found here:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/assets/content_type/white_papers_and_tech_docs/31411.pdf

The pin I broke was 22-F ... which on figure 4 of the above PDF is labelled
as VSS. My research shows that VSS is a voltage grounding pin. Assumeing all
grounding pins are connected inside I'm wondering if it will miss one.

No, if you're about to tell us that the processor itself
still works, you're fine.

The
processor itself still works, IE, PC is still working.
See?

I'm wondering if this
is a bad thing and I should replace right away ... it was a very expensive
CPU especially after Xmas I'd rather not spend anymore $$$. I would value
the advice anyone might have on this.

Nope, the pins are too small to just use one for the current
the CPU requires, so the use as many as (any particular
socket design allows). There's a fair bit of margin there,
if you loose a pin it's inconsequential (unlike some of the
other pins which are alone for their respective functions).

One side effect I have noticed so far is the PC will not boot up by pressing
the power button. If I try booting up with the power button, the front case
lights turn on but nothing happens ... but then if I press reset, the PC
will boot up.

I suspect something else happened, it does not make sense
that a lone missing VSS pin would cause this.

You might try unplugging system from AC, using the Clear
CMOS jumper. Also recheck all cards, cables, memory.

 

[Davy]

Was the computer working prior to you removing the CPU..

There may well be several 'grounded' or earthed pins but some may b
earthing different sections of the CPU or may have a resistanc
connected to ground from them acting as gates or sensors

If the computer was working OK prior to removing the CPU and wasn'
after replacing it sounds like the CPU is affected by the broke
pin

Dav

 

[kony]

Was the computer working prior to you removing the CPU..?

There may well be several 'grounded' or earthed pins but some may be
earthing different sections of the CPU or may have a resistance
connected to ground from them acting as gates or sensors.

If the pin was not to be connected to ground it should have
a different pin designation, as pins are not described just
as what their internal connection is but for the purposes of
interface, if it is a VSS pin it should always be connected
straight to the ground.