Question Accidentally forgot Thermal Paste

[Damien764]

Hey,

I know, I know—"How could you forget that simple thing?" I realized it too late. I built a PC and hooked the CPU cooler up. It ran fine for a day, but while I was in the BIOS for approximately 20 minutes, the PC suddenly restarted and went into a boot loop. Now, I get the white CPU light on the EZ Debug LED on the motherboard.

I then unscrewed the cooler because I wanted to reseat it and realized there was no thermal paste on it. Did I fry the CPU and the motherboard, or only the CPU? the motherboard detects an error on the CPU, I applied thermal paste but still get no POST or BIOS, just the white light.

I removed the RAM and booted to test something. The light switched from CPU to DRAM, and the CPU light turned off. When I put the RAM back in, it went back to the CPU light. I already tried installing a different set of RAM, but it’s the same issue.

I'm not sure if I fried my motherboard or CPU.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Wolfshadw]

No way of knowing if both are damaged without testing. The only way to test the motherboard is to install a known, working and default supported CPU.

-Wolf sends

 

[SkyNetRising]

I'm not sure if I fried my motherboard or CPU.
Any help would be appreciated.

What model CPU?
If some Intel cpu or Amd AM5 cpu, then you probably have bent some pins in cpu socket.

Make several high resolution photos of cpu socket from multiple angles (with cpu removed)
upload to imgur.com and post links here.

 

[Infinix]

Asking for knowledge and I come in peace, isn't the CPU supposed to thermal throttle and activate some sort of protection (Bsod or shutdown?) after reaching high temps?

Also, did you try shorting the cmos pins and clearing cmos?

 

[Damien764]

What model CPU?
If some Intel cpu or Amd AM5 cpu, then you probably have bent some pins in cpu socket.

Make several high resolution photos of cpu socket from multiple angles (with cpu removed)
upload to imgur.com and post links here.

Ryzen 5 3600 AM4 no pins bent I got them fixed by a technician the CPU worked fine yesterday just today it went into boot loop and then not recognised anymore by the motherboard indicated by the white light on the ez debug led and I believe I either fried the CPU, motherboard or both

 

[Damien764]

Asking for knowledge and I come in peace, isn't the CPU supposed to thermal throttle and activate some sort of protection (Bsod or shutdown?) after reaching high temps?

Also, did you try shorting the cmos pins and clearing cmos?

Yes I did that several times still white CPU light

 

[stonecarver]

no pins bent I got them fixed by a technician

So at one time there were bent pins?

At the very least clear the Bios and than see if it moves forward.

 

[Damien764]

So at one time there were bent pins?

At the very least clear the Bios and than see if it moves forward.

I did still, not recognised by the mobo I'm just gonna order another CPU and see if that fixes the problem.