[SOLVED] Computer constantly restarts after applying thermal paste to cpu

[kenseig]

Motherboard - msi z97 gaming 5
Cpu - intel i7-4790
Gpu - amd Radeon rx 580
Psu - evga nex650g

So today I decided to reapply thermal paste to my cpu for the first time since I bought the whole rig. I did this because I suspected overheating was an issue since my computer kept restarting after playing a game for 30min+ period of time.

I applied arctic silver 5 thermal paste to the cpu using the line method, after cleaning both the cpu and heatsink with 90% isopropyl alcohol, and reseated the heatsink. When I turn on the computer nothing posts and the computer restarts after 1-2 seconds constantly.

I took out the CMOS battery and put it back in and that didn't work. But I did notice that the constant restarting after 1-2 seconds stopped if I turned the computer on without the cpu inserted. I then suspected that it was a shorting issue caused by the thermal paste so I cleaned the cpu again with 90% isopropyl alcohol, and the restart issue still persists. I also thought that I might have gotten some thermal paste on the pins on the motherboard somehow and used a q-tip dipped in alcohol to wipe the pins. That was a really dumb idea and some of the threads on the q tip wrapped around a single pin and misplaced it. I used some tweezers to put it back into place so Idk if that caused permanent damage.

It might be helpful to note that my computer was pretty dusty and I used a can of compressed air to clean some dust out. A little bit of the white stuff came out from the compressed air can onto the motherboard and I have no idea if this caused a problem.

I have no idea what is causing the problem please help.

 

[alexoiu]

Have you reconnected the 8 pin CPU power cable to the board?

 

[JamesSneed]

Check the 8-pin and 24-pin power connectors are seated nice and tight on the motherboard by removing them and inserting them back into the motherboard.

Just a word of advice. Nobody should be using arctic silver 5 in this day and age. There are tons of non conductive thermal pastes that are as good or better than AS5 which is electrically conductive so it can cause shorts. Some are of the good ones Arctic MX-4, Noctua NT-H1, and Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut.

 

[kenseig]

I have connected the 8 pin and the issue was the same

 

[echo86]

Try using a diffrent mobo or a cpu.

 

[JamesSneed]

I have a bad feeling you got thermal paste where you shouldn't have and either shorted out the CPU, motherboard or both.