accidentally touched bottom of cpu (pin side)

[TyraelCrimson]

I have a intel i5 4430. And i think i accidentally touched thr bottom part. Where the socket pins meet the cpu. I read somewhere that it can damage it. My mobo comes in friday and i was wondering if there is a way to clean it? Or should i just wait for mobo and try it then?

 

[azathoth]

Don't worry about it, if you don't see any pins bent you're 99.9% going to be perfectly fine.
Only thing to worry about is if you heard a -zaaap! (static discharge). But seriously don't worry about it unless you see physical damage, otherwise it will be fine.

 

[TyraelCrimson]

Thats the thing though intel cpus dont have pins. Just metal plates

 

[MrCommunistGen]

Unless you scraped the bottom of the CPU is is unlikely that you've damaged anything. That being said, even the oils from your fingers can leave a residue that can affect electrical conduction and thus the performance or functionality of the CPU.

Were your hands relatively dirty or clean? Does the bottom of the CPU still look clean and shiny or is it heavily smudged or have other residue left over? If the CPU still looks basically clean, I'd advise doing nothing - the CPU is probably fine and attempting to clean it is likely to cause more harm than good.

If you see heavy fingerprints, smudges, or other residue I'd recommend GENTLY wiping the bottom of the CPU using a soft, clean, lint and static free cloth and some Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. I'd recommend using 90% concentration rather than the common 70%. You can pick up a bottle of Isopropyl alcohol at a drug store for a couple dollars.

 

[IamTimTech]

You should take a qtip and get it moist with 90% or greater isopropyl alcohol and then gently wipe off the contacts and let it dry before you install it. I am sure you have done no damage.

 

[TyraelCrimson]

Thanks guys for the help. Communist thank you alot for the detailed answer and covering all possible problems. It does look shiny and i see no prints or such