Question Am4 cpu socket damage

[Chezzy__]

I noticed some damage on the cpu socket cover on my motherboard, would this void the warranty I am not sure if the board is working. I am using an asrock b450m /ac . There are some sellers on eBay but the shipping times are slow and I can’t find any sellers on Amazon or a cad model to 3D print.

 

[punkncat]

Can you expound on this? Perhaps use imgur or similar to post a pic link?

 

[drea.drechsler]

I noticed some damage on the cpu socket cover on my motherboard, would this void the warranty I am not sure if the board is working. I am using an asrock b450m /ac . There are some sellers on eBay but the shipping times are slow and I can’t find any sellers on Amazon or a cad model to 3D print.

If the damage was caused by yourself it would almost certainly not be covered by warranty. If it was shipping damage there would be very clear evidence on the packaging since the socket is in the very center of any package. If it was damage revealed only when you opened the package it would probably be the mfr's fault, but they'll not likely accept it since their position is (usually) that their final inspection is proof it was packaged and therefore shipped undamaged.

What is the relationship between this and your interest in sellers on eBay? What do you want to buy? If you mean the top part of the socket the only way to get one is to buy an entire socket, remove the top and then carefully install it on yours.

 

[USAFRet]

A clear picture of this damage would help immensely.

 

[SamirD]

If this is on the cover that protects the socket, then that's its job and you're fine. Otherwise we need a picture to fully understand what you're talking about.

 

[Chezzy__]

I’m talking about the plastic cover on my am4 cpu socket which has the lever and protects the pins. One corner of the cover won’t click into place and there is a crack I did cause the damage and my motherboard might be fried and am worried that the damage could void the warranty or if the damage could stop the cpu from contacting some of the pins in the socket so I looked at eBay for potential replacements. This is about the same as the damage I have

 

[drea.drechsler]

I’m talking about the plastic cover on my am4 cpu socket which has the lever and protects the pins. One corner of the cover won’t click into place and there is a crack I did cause the damage and my motherboard might be fried and am worried that the damage could void the warranty or if the damage could stop the cpu from contacting some of the pins in the socket so I looked at eBay for potential replacements. This is about the same as the damage I have

The socket in that picture could probably be used without problems so long as all the plastic surrounding the holes that the pins go in is intact and the lever goes down and engages the catch to stay. Also make sure nothing has gotten between the cover and the bottom part of the socket, and as well examine the sockets contacts with bright light and a magnifier to make sure nothing's damaged them.

Whether your socket would also function assumes that picture accurately represents the extent of your socket's damage. You mentioned a crack, a picture showing that crack would be needed to know if it might affect operation.

The way the socket works is each pin goes into the hole of the cover that slides back and forth by the lever. When the lever is closed the cover slides and pushes each pin into a V groove that is the socket contact, like a hot dog in a bun. The force of the lever pushes the cover which in turn pushes each pin into solid contact. So long as the cover is intact and it at least fits down in position even though it won't clip on it will work. Once the cpu is installed, the lever locked and a cooler clamped on it's going nowhere.

But each pin needs solid plastic structure surrounding it so the force of the lever is applied to the pin through the cover only and not by the body of the CPU, which is also being moved as the other pins are being pushed..

 

[Chezzy__]

I’m using my phone and don’t know how to upload from files or camera on this forum but I’m not worried about the crack it’s hardly visibly and is only 2 mm long I am worried that the damage I have mentioned could void the warranty because my motherboard could be fried and would need to send an rma request

 

[drea.drechsler]

... I am worried that the damage I have mentioned could void the warranty ...

It's entirely possible MSI would deny the damage as something they caused and would void your warranty due to user abuse.

Why do you also think it could have been fried? What happened to cause this damage to the socket in the first place? It seems there may be more to this story.

 

[Chezzy__]

My uncle said that the motherboard could be fried when he helped with troubleshooting recently I tested my psu and found that was not working so the mobo could be fine the damage was caused to the socket cover after I removed it to clean it from when I accidentally dropped my thermal paste onto the socket

 

[drea.drechsler]

... the damage was caused to the socket cover after I removed it to clean it from when I accidentally dropped my thermal paste onto the socket

Warranty is almost certainly voided.

It's probably not fried, but entirely possible the contacts were damaged beyond repair. You really should have just left it alone as thermal paste in the socket would not likely have caused any harm.

But what's done is done. Hopefully I'm wrong about contact damage and you can put in a CPU and it works. But whatever the outcome hopefully you've learned from the experience.

 

[Chezzy__]

I made sure to use a safe cleaning method and checked the socket right after the cleaning the contacts are fine so do you think I would need to get a replacement socket cover for asrock to replace the board if it is fried

 

[DSzymborski]

I made sure to use a safe cleaning method and checked the socket right after the cleaning the contacts are fine so do you think I would need to get a replacement socket cover for asrock to replace the board if it is fried

If the board is actually fried, a replacement socket cover is beyond any use to you.

 

[Chezzy__]

If the board is actually fried, a replacement socket cover is beyond any use to you.

The replacement would be to use the warranty if asrock would void the warranty because of the damage to the cpu socket cover

 

[DSzymborski]

The replacement would be to use the warranty if asrock would void the warranty because of the damage to the cpu socket cover

In which case, they'll void the warranty because you replaced the socket pad rather than void the warranty because you broke the socket pad.

There's no magic workaround to get something covered by warranty that would not have been otherwise. At least without fooling them and committing criminal fraud.

 

[drea.drechsler]

The replacement would be to use the warranty if asrock would void the warranty because of the damage to the cpu socket cover

You'd wind up damaging any new cover attempting to remove it from a donor socket to replace yours; you can not buy just a cover as they're not economical to sell. Replacing the entire socket requires specialized reflow soldering equipment and a fairly well-skilled tech to operate it; the cost to do it would probably exceed that of a new motherboard.

And at any rate as @DSzymborski has said, it would still be a voided warranty because the mfr. would know it's been replaced. While it may be perfectly functional after, it's simply impossible to do it so perfectly, exactly like the factory does.

Why are you so certain the board is 'fried'? Based on that picture I'd put the CPU in and give it a try. It might just surprise you. That you may be hesitant to might be because you know more that you're not telling us.

 

[Chezzy__]

I’m not sure the board is fried I was just preparing for a worst case scenario if it was fried because my pc is not working right now and the motherboard could have been the problem I was just hoping if something was wrong with it I could still use the warranty anyway thanks for helping

 

[drea.drechsler]

I’m not sure the board is fried I was just preparing for a worst case scenario if it was fried because my pc is not working right now and the motherboard could have been the problem I was just hoping if something was wrong with it I could still use the warranty anyway thanks for helping

Have you tried to install the CPU in the socket at all? Just don't force it. If it sits down flat and stable (without rocking) lock the lever in place and put on the heatsink.

Once you try running be sure and note symptoms for when you come back. Especially which troubleshooting LED's remained lit if it has them; if it doesn't try to find a system speaker to connect to listen for 'beep' codes.

 

[Chezzy__]

The cpu went into the socket fine when I tried it but my pc doesn’t have a speaker or leds so troubleshooting is a bit complicated I was mainly wondering if asrock would deny a warranty request if something else is wrong with the board

 

[drea.drechsler]

The cpu went into the socket fine when I tried it but my pc doesn’t have a speaker or leds so troubleshooting is a bit complicated I was mainly wondering if asrock would deny a warranty request if something else is wrong with the board

Most likely they'd deny warranty coverage. But right now what you really want to do is narrow down what's not working as it's not really been established that it's the motherboard.

 

[Chezzy__]

Most likely they'd deny warranty coverage. But right now what you really want to do is narrow down what's not working as it's not really been established that it's the motherboard.

it could be the motherboard awhile ago there was a storm and I wasn’t using a surge protector and my psu was fried I’m worried something happened to the motherboard

 

[drea.drechsler]

it could be the motherboard awhile ago there was a storm and I wasn’t using a surge protector and my psu was fried I’m worried something happened to the motherboard

I'm not certain but I don't think that would be covered by warranty either.

 

[USAFRet]

it could be the motherboard awhile ago there was a storm and I wasn’t using a surge protector and my psu was fried I’m worried something happened to the motherboard

A fried PSU can easily fry a motherboard.

 

[drea.drechsler]

A fried PSU can easily fry a motherboard.

Yes...that's true. And a fried motherboard can easily fry a CPU too.

Right now a complete telling of events might be in order: why did you remove the CPU from the socket in the first place?

 

[Chezzy__]

Yes...that's true. And a fried motherboard can easily fry a CPU too.

Right now a complete telling of events might be in order: why did you remove the CPU from the socket in the first place?

I removed it because my computer wasn’t working so I was looking at all the components