help I'm an idiot..whats this black stuff ontop of the processor

[legion]

Ok, so the mobo (nf7-s) is insulated around the mounting holes so I
can screw it directly to the mounting plate right?

Ok, so there was a square of blacy rubbery stuff on the copper part of the
cooler I got.
I haven't had any luck getting the system to run so I took it back apart to
check the processor. amd xp 333fsb
Now some of what I had assumed to be thermal tape has rubbed off on the chip
in the center of the processor
(which I had noticed some discoloration in the ic around the main chip)
is it possible the chip was already dysfunctional?
is that thermal tape I am talking about?

 

[Gareth Tuckwell]

Ok, so the mobo (nf7-s) is insulated around the mounting holes so I
can screw it directly to the mounting plate right?

No - you have to use the hex, spacer screws. Fix them into the case and
screw the motherboard into them. If any part of the motherboard is touching
the backplate, then you will short the board and at best, the machine will
just not boot, at worst, will smoke and go on fire!

Ok, so there was a square of blacy rubbery stuff on the copper part of the
cooler I got.

Sounds like there was black plastic film protecting the cooler from being
contaminated with dust and dirt. The protective film might have been over a
thermal pad or just protecting the nice shiny heatsink surfase. Pad or no
pad you should remove the protective film before subjecting it to about 50
degrees of metal-to-metal heat! Removing the black protective film should
reveal the thermal conductive substance or a nice shiny heatsink surface.
Sounds like you left on and have melted the protective film (onto the CPU)!

Unless the CPU has overheated and been damaged, the plastic should clean off
and maybe the CPU will be OK?!

I haven't had any luck getting the system to run so I took it back apart
to
check the processor. amd xp 333fsb
Now some of what I had assumed to be thermal tape has rubbed off on the
chip
in the center of the processor
(which I had noticed some discoloration in the ic around the main chip)
is it possible the chip was already dysfunctional?
is that thermal tape I am talking about?

Does sound like some kind of thermal compound, perhaps tape or thermal pad.
I would suggest that you clean everything up, space the motherboard away
from the metal (conductive) case and then install the CPU again. DO NOT run
the CPU without the heatsink - it will fry within a few seconds. You might
need to buy some conductive compound to use between the heatsink and the
CPU. If nothing works, then you may have a faulty motherboard or CPU. Who
can say if they arrived faulty or not though!

 

[Mac Cool]

You are making mistakes that can damage your hardware and maybe damage
you. I suggest the following may help:

http://www.pcmech.com/byopc/
http://www.motherboards.org/articlesd/how-to-guides/924_1.html

 

[Hamman]

Ok, so the mobo (nf7-s) is insulated around the mounting holes so I
can screw it directly to the mounting plate right?

Hell no, you MUST use spacers between the moterboard and the plate. If you
dont, the board will either fail to work, or be permanently damaged.

Ok, so there was a square of blacy rubbery stuff on the copper part of the
cooler I got.
I haven't had any luck getting the system to run so I took it back apart
to
check the processor. amd xp 333fsb
Now some of what I had assumed to be thermal tape has rubbed off on the
chip
in the center of the processor
(which I had noticed some discoloration in the ic around the main chip)
is it possible the chip was already dysfunctional?
is that thermal tape I am talking about?

Now youve removed it, you need to reapply with a new pad or thermal paste.
Do not power without theh eatsink or *new* interface material

My advice is take it to your local Pc shop, or someone who knows what theyre
doing before you kill it completly.

hamman

 

[Papa]

Ok, so the mobo (nf7-s) is insulated around the mounting holes so I
can screw it directly to the mounting plate right?

Absolutely NOT !! There are small brass standoffs that screw into the case.
Then the motherboard is attached to the standoffs with phillips screws. If
you just sit the motherboard on the floor or side of the case, you will
short out the motherboard as soon as you apply power - and probably ruin
other components as well. Read up on motherboard installations.

 

[gary]

Absolutely NOT !! There are small brass standoffs that screw into the case.
Then the motherboard is attached to the standoffs with phillips screws. If
you just sit the motherboard on the floor or side of the case, you will
short out the motherboard as soon as you apply power - and probably ruin
other components as well. Read up on motherboard installations.

That's what I was thinking. I've got a system I built about 5 years
ago ( AMD K6II 450 ) and the back of the motherboard has round
soldered areas (silver circles) that are pressed down against those
standoffs with no insulators on either side. It provides a ground
plane. I've checked the round soldered areas with a digital voltmeter
and they're common with the ground of the power supply connectors. But
you do have to be careful, if you install the motherboard off center
you could press a trace that's carrying a positive voltage against one
of the brass stand offs and cause a short. You also will have to
install plastic standoffs to help prevent flexing of the motherboard
when you install video / sound cards , memory sticks etc.

Just my experiences.

HTH

Gary

Snip

 

[legion]

No - you have to use the hex, spacer screws. Fix them into the case and
screw the motherboard into them. If any part of the motherboard is touching
the backplate, then you will short the board and at best, the machine will
just not boot, at worst, will smoke and go on fire!

I didn't get any hex, spacer screws.

so I fabricated some spacers out of leather scraps, and insulated the top
and bottom of the hole where the screw goes.
The mobo power light came on but nothing happened when I pressed the switch.
At least before the fans would spin
so I took the spacers out and tried it just screwed into the tray, and still
nothing.
I have everything put away for right now, untill I get my new psu and I can
find some mounting hardware.
I cant see anywhere the mobo might of been damaged
more later

 

[Gareth Tuckwell]

No - you have to use the hex, spacer screws. Fix them into the case and

I didn't get any hex, spacer screws.

They should have come with the case (or maybe the motherboard).

so I fabricated some spacers out of leather scraps, and insulated the top
and bottom of the hole where the screw goes.

Sounds like a fair thing to try - but if you have already shorted out the
board, nothing will work?!?

The mobo power light came on but nothing happened when I pressed the
switch.
At least before the fans would spin

If the board has been screwed directly onto the metal backplate, then
contacts will have been made on the underside of the motherboard that should
not have been made and something will have shorted out - unlikely that it is
the power supply, but maybe you have been lucky and a fuse has taken the
load!

so I took the spacers out and tried it just screwed into the tray, and
still
nothing.

No, that is because you have screwed the motherboard straight onto the metal
back plate - everything underneath is touching metal and shorting out!

I have everything put away for right now, untill I get my new psu and I
can
find some mounting hardware.
I cant see anywhere the mobo might of been damaged

I don't suppose there is anything to see - I am not talking about noticable
physical damage, more likely small bits of electronic wizardry will have
been damaged.

more later

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you...

 

[Zotin Khuma]

That's what I was thinking. I've got a system I built about 5 years
ago ( AMD K6II 450 ) and the back of the motherboard has round
soldered areas (silver circles) that are pressed down against those
standoffs with no insulators on either side. It provides a ground
plane. I've checked the round soldered areas with a digital voltmeter
and they're common with the ground of the power supply connectors. But
you do have to be careful, if you install the motherboard off center
you could press a trace that's carrying a positive voltage against one
of the brass stand offs and cause a short. You also will have to
install plastic standoffs to help prevent flexing of the motherboard
when you install video / sound cards , memory sticks etc.

Just my experiences.

HTH

Gary

Some cases have raised nipples (or whatever they are called) with
threaded holes at each mounting point where the mobo can be screwed on
directly without using the more usual brass stand-offs. If the OP just
happened to have one of those, it just might be possible that he
hasn't damaged his mobo yet.

 

[legion]

Correct!
I have the raised nipples,
I did know better then to just let the neat shit along the botom of the
board short out,
I was just unsure about screwing to the nipples without (plastic or
fiber)spacers
and it was working when I did, now NOTHING!
anyway i might of fubar my cpu cleaning it
keep up with my antics in the new post!

 

[Rich Webb]

That's what I was thinking. I've got a system I built about 5 years
ago ( AMD K6II 450 ) and the back of the motherboard has round
soldered areas (silver circles) that are pressed down against those
standoffs with no insulators on either side. It provides a ground
plane. I've checked the round soldered areas with a digital voltmeter
and they're common with the ground of the power supply connectors. But
you do have to be careful, if you install the motherboard off center
you could press a trace that's carrying a positive voltage against one
of the brass stand offs and cause a short. You also will have to
install plastic standoffs to help prevent flexing of the motherboard
when you install video / sound cards , memory sticks etc.

Yes -- the OP needs to understand that metal to motherboard contact by
the standoffs (or brass spacers or ...) and the screws is OK and by
design -- providing that the fasteners and the standoffs aren't so wide
that they extend beyond the collar of the mounting hole. If and only if
either is too wide then insulating washers should be installed. But
those are the ONLY places where the motherboard should touch metal
(well, those and connector shields, etc.).

If the mobo was screwed flush to the mounting plate without any
standoffs then it's toast.