1D1OT said:
I found the problem, but I'm worried about
the ramifications. May have burned out the CPU. See the pic:
http://flickr.com/photos/joearnold/3303889951/sizes/o/
The metal retainer didn't touch any conductors, but the CPU may have
overheated. I don't have another plastic cooler mount to try. Any
suggestions?
Thanks again,
Joe Arnold
So if I interpret the picture correctly (which shows what looks like a
complete retainer bracker along with perhaps a broken tab from the CPU
socket), the tab broke off the CPU socket so now the retainer bracker
won't hold the heatsink against the CPU (since the socket itself is
probably a zero-force socket with a lever that squeezes the pins on the
CPU to hold it in place).
Are there any other tabs on the CPU socket which the retainer might use?
Otherwise, and off the top of my head, you're going to have to wipe the
old thermal paste off the CPU and heatsink, apply a thin layer of it
back on the heatsink, and then put 4 small dabs of epoxy on the corners
of the CPU so to permanently affix the heatsink to the CPU (i.e., you
put new thermal paste and tiny dabs of epoxy between the CPU and
heatsink). I sincerely doubt that epoxying the tang back onto the CPU
socket is going to work as the bracket would be constantly applying
pressure against that glued-on tang.
Replacing the CPU socket is beyond your abilities along with you not
having the wave-soldering equipement to correctly solder the socket onto
the motherboard. Not even computer shops attempt that. Of course, you
could replace the motherboard.
On one mobo, I managed to use wire-ties across the retaining stand which
was still affixed okay to the mobo. On another, there was an unused
hole in the mobo so I used a small bolt and threaded standoff with fiber
washer for insulation for both against the mobo and a tiny eye-bolt on
the other end of the threaded standoff so I could use a wire tie across
the heatsink to hold it down.
A hardware newsgroup, like alt.comp.hardware[.*], might have some other
tricks to try. It would probably help if you actually identified the
exact brand and model of motherboard so other users could see what was
around the CPU socket that might be tried as a fix to hold down the
heatsink against the CPU. You described the mobo. You didn't identify
it. Since you uploaded a picture of the parts (retainer bracket and
broken tang), you could also probably upload a photo of the CPU socket
to show what it looks like along its sides (where were/are the tabs) and
another photo showing what is around the CPU socket.
