CPU Heatsink Screws Don't Reach

[fiorinihc]

I have a Gigabyte 970A-DS3P AM3+ motherboard, and I recently unscrewed my heatsink to reapply thermal compound to my CPU. My problem is when I try to screw back in the heatsink, I can't seem to get the screws to reach the threads. In fact, the area I'm supposed to screw them in seems to be impossibly off center from the hole for the screws. I'm very confused and would like help immediately. Thank you.

 

[Saberus]

Have you tried rotating the heatsink? Stock or aftermarket?

Alternately, are there two bits that are loose or come loose after lifting levers? Looks like the heat sink is supposed to mount to a bracket that stays on the board, no screws required.

 

[fiorinihc]

Its a liquid cooler, a cooler master seidon 120m. My issue is that, yes, there are supposed to be screws, but after un-screwing it I cant seem to put it on again. I will try rotating the heatsink. There were no levers lifted, just unscrewed four screws, that is a. Nothing came loose.

 

[fiorinihc]

http://imgur.com/HMytM3r

Here is a picture of my motherboard. As you can see, the area the screws are SUPPOSED to go into are NOT centered. They are all moved to impossible positions where the screws, even if they were long enough, couldn't reach. It boggles my mind because they were JUST in there properly, up until I unscrewed them. What the heck!

EDIT: I just realized that when the case moves, so does a plate under the mobo holding the thread/screw holders or whatever the fuck they're called. So whoever built the mobo fucked up because it shouldn't be moving.

 

[Saberus]

Looking at the install manual, there should have been standoffs installed to that plate, and the spring-loaded screws on the bracket go into those standoffs. are the standoffs still stuck on your brackets?

 

[fiorinihc]

No, I can't even find any standoffs. I believe they were loose under the motherboard, that must be what was moving around. Fuck.

 

[synphul]

This might help since it shows pics of the cooler installation.
http://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/luke-hill/cooler-master-seidon-120m-liquid-cpu-cooler-review/4/

I suggest you stop what you're doing, remove the motherboard and locate the standoffs that came off. The backplate has adjustable positioning for the screws to push through the holes in the motherboard so it can fit various sockets, it seems these have become shifted and is why they're no longer lining up properly with your motherboard. Place the backplate on the back of the board with the screws pushed through to the front of the mobo, tighten the barrel nuts (standoffs) to these screws. It holds the backplate in place and gives screw holes to attach the waterblock retention bracket to.

It's important not only for mounting the cooler to find those standoffs but a good way to double check and make sure you have no loose parts rattling around behind the motherboard. Things like that can cause shorts between the motherboard components and the motherboard tray. Then you really will be having a bad day.

 

[fiorinihc]

Thank you all for your responses; I have fixed my problem as it was simply the back plate beneath the motherboard becoming loose.

 

[synphul]

Glad you got it sorted. Luckily it was the cooler so held you up from turning it on right away, just in case anything were to have fallen behind the mobo.