Broken motherboard socket pin?

[sterob]

Long story short, a mover stole my CPU and tried to hide it by putting back the HSF without anything to cover the socket pin. When i look at the socket there are some pins that look uneven and i fear they are broken.

I took somes picture with my blurry cam

http://i.imgur.com/wkyIGsi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/RzTJiri.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/hv8ZiV5.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/DhiooVJ.jpg



I hope they are clear enough to identify.

 

[nostall]

Looks very bad.
Using a mechanical pencil without any lead in it, you can try straightening the ones that are only a little bent by carefully inserting the pin into the pencil (where the lead would come out) and very gently trying to straighten the pin.
However, the pins that are almost flat, over in the corner, you probably won't be able to straighten; I used a magnifying class to try to get a clearer look at that group and pretty sure one is actually broken.
Sorry, but looks like the board is dead.

 

[sterob]

Does warranty cover this case? In the worst case is there any way to back up my thing? my sdd+hdd are still intact. I take that if i get a new board + cpu, i cant run the old OS any more right?

 

[djett427]

I would RMA the board. Trying to bend the pins back may ruin warranty.

 

[nostall]

How old is your board? Is is a pre-built system or custom/homebuilt? And generally, no, the warranty doesn't cover damage to the pins. However, if it was a moving company that was involved in the damage, you should immediately file a claim for the damage; basically for killing your PC.
If you replace your motherboard with an identical model and version, you should be able to just hook up your drives and start where you left off.
If your Windows install is a retail version and not an OEM license, you can install it on your new equipment and use the old product key. OEM versions are tied to the motherboard, hence they cost less.
Saving data: I would take the drives to a friend with a similar computer, or to a PC repair shop, and have them image the drives either to another HDD or cloud storage, and then you can put your personal stuff back on if you do a format and reinstall of Windows on your old drives:

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

If the same model motherboard and cpu is still available you should be able to pursuade microsoft to allow activation of a OEM system builder windows

A manufacturers oem windows would work with a motherboard supplied by the original PC manufacturers

With retail windows then you have no problems moving the windows to a new PC or motherboard

Do you have insurance covering theft in transit?

The mover may be negligent if the goods were stolen in transit so be liable for the cost and should have insurance

But no PC manufacturers warantee covers this situation

Regards
Mike barnes

 

[sterob]

My board is near 3 years old. Asus Z77-V. Homebuilt

With retail windows then you have no problems moving the windows to a new PC or motherboard

If you replace your motherboard with an identical model and version, you should be able to just hook up your drives and start where you left off.

My windows is retail version. So i can just buy a new motherboard and cpu (do they need to be the same model as my old cpu and mobo?) and my windows will just boot like nothing happened?


i am trying to salvage the windows or at least back up settings of my programs, firefox profile. Reinstall and config them back from the scratch is really a pain in the arse.

 

[mbarnes86]

Hi

If you can find a motherboard with the same chipset then there is a reasonable chance of being able to start up windows without a 0x0000007b. BSOD
Due to a different SATA hard disk controller in new motherboard

With a modern generation motherboard & cpu a BSOD is likely

A professional should be able to run software to remove the hard disk controller driver from the registry of the windows on the windows folder of the hard drive

Which will enable the windows to startup in the new motherboard
Or the serial number or keys can be extracted from the registry

Then a fresh Windows install carried out

I know this it time consuming but most reliable method and fresh windows install should run better than a 3 year old windows on a new motherboard

Regards
Mike Barnes

 

[nostall]

My board is near 3 years old. Asus Z77-V. Homebuilt

With retail windows then you have no problems moving the windows to a new PC or motherboard

If you replace your motherboard with an identical model and version, you should be able to just hook up your drives and start where you left off.

My windows is retail version. So i can just buy a new motherboard and cpu (do they need to be the same model as my old cpu and mobo?) and my windows will just boot like nothing happened?

I would say, and Mbarnes help me out here please, that if they are identical parts - same mobo and version, same cpu- that you should be able to start your computer and it would work. From my experience, if you change the mobo you may have to reinstall windows, but your retail version should install just fine: draw back is, of course, the OS drive gets wiped on install. Sometimes one gets very luck and all you have to do is use the Windows disc and do a computer repair and driver installations.


i am trying to salvage the windows or at least back up settings of my programs, firefox profile. Reinstall and config them back from the scratch is really a pain in the arse.

Here let me address the firefox profile, passwords and bookmarks: Grab a flash/usb drive, won't need much room, and take your drives to a friend and hook up the drive with the os to his/her computer or your spare computer.
Make certain to start the computer using the installed drive, not your drive (check BIOS). Then open firefox and click on Help. In Help click Firefox Help. Click download, Install, Migration.Scroll down and click on "Backup, restore etc. ", and follow the directions [strike]and save the profile on your flash drive.[/strike]
EDIT: My bad, oh boy, my bad. Let me correct from the word 'directions'.
......dirctions to "Locate your profile folder". NOW, the folder that is going to show up is the one on your other computer, not your old hard drive. Note the path to that folder. Should be Computer>Local disk (C) >Users>the user name for that PC>AppData>Roaming>Mozilla>Firefox>Profiles>
Shrink or close that window, open my computer, open your old hard drive: At the top of that explorer window click organize, then view, then Folder and Search Options, then View. Under view click "Show hidden files, etc" and uncheck the three other Hide categories below that (select yes when asked). Now you can manually find the profile using the path you noted (you may have to change the HDD letter) and copy your profile to the flash drive.
Sorry for all that: I think I have it complete, now.

Sterob, Mbarnes: Somehow or another part of my reply is above in the quote, please take a look up there too.

 

[djett427]

I would RMA the board. Trying to bend the pins back may ruin warranty.

You know who replaces boards with bent pins? Nooooooooobodyyy.

That's considered user damage. You'd have a very hard time convincing the OEM that you got it out of the box like that.

Worth a shot lol