[SOLVED] Did I Do a Good Job Cleaning the Thermal Debris From My AM4 Socket? Should I Worry? Also, I`ve Broken a Tiny Plastic From the CPU Plastic Socket :(.

[Iamcid]

I`ve broke this:

https://imgur.com/a/O5BPuLq

View: https://imgur.com/a/O5BPuLq


and this is how I've cleaned the AM4 socketm, i've filmed just the end result not the actual cleaning process:

 

[Ralston18]

Okay: I see the broken plastic.

I do not see how you cleaned the socket and/or motherboard in the video. It all appears clean (no dust) but what exactly did you do to clean out dust and thermal (?) debris?

Also update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Hopefully that socket crack did not/does not extend into the printed circuits underneath.

Do not do anything yet. Just provide more information and details.

There may be other suggestions and comments.

 

[Iamcid]

Okay: I see the broken plastic.

I do not see how you cleaned the socket and/or motherboard in the video. It all appears clean (no dust) but what exactly did you do to clean out dust and thermal (?) debris?

Also update your post to include full system hardware specs and OS information.

Hopefully that socket crack did not/does not extend into the printed circuits underneath.

Do not do anything yet. Just provide more information and details.

There may be other suggestions and comments.

It had some, ( not much ) thermal paste dropped on the plastic socket but it didn't go in. And I had to clean it. And it had a little bit more of the thermal paste in the place where I cracked the socket plastic. So far I checked with my own eyes the plastic that I've broken has no function. It was really soft like really soft that's why I managed to break it so easy. It's an AMD 5600x with Aorus 450B PRO mainboard with 3050 RTX and 16 GB, Gigabyte SSD, and some HDDs.

 

[Ralston18]

My concern is that there is other unseen damage....

If there is no other notable damage and the crack is just a crack in the plastic then all you can do is to reassemble the computer and hope for the best.

Read and follow the motherboard's User Guide/Manual very carefully as well as the applicable installation guides for all other components.

Make all connections very carefully to ensure that all connectors, cards, RAM, and jumpers are fully and firmly in place.

Use only the boot ( C: ) drive - no other drives for the time being.

Use only the PSU cables that came with the PSU.

Be ready to observe all of the LED's and listen for any beep codes when you attempt the first boot up.

 

[Iamcid]

My concern is that there is other unseen damage....

If there is no other notable damage and the crack is just a crack in the plastic then all you can do is to reassemble the computer and hope for the best.

Read and follow the motherboard's User Guide/Manual very carefully as well as the applicable installation guides for all other components.

Make all connections very carefully to ensure that all connectors, cards, RAM, and jumpers are fully and firmly in place.

Use only the boot ( C: ) drive - no other drives for the time being.

Use only the PSU cables that came with the PSU.

Be ready to observe all of the LED's and listen for any beep codes when you attempt the first boot up.

Ok so, I've put it all back together I just need the new case and I'll turn the PC on after I mount everything. The case will arrive at my home in 2 or 3 days. I can guarantee you Mr. Ralston18 that there is no other crack. Just that tiny little plastic that is not close to the pins and it does not affect the locking mechanism in any way. I've checked on the internet what are these plastics between the CPU and motherboard socket and so far I understand they are made just to keep the CPU in place until you mount the cooler. Is this correct?

 

[Ralston18]

The plastics (the base) is to seat the CPU when the CPU is locked into place with the locking lever.

Once the CPU is secured into place the next likely step is to apply the thermal paste and attach the cooler.

As for the cooler itself I expect that the cooler would be attached to the four points where the brass screws are now seated.

You may or may not need to remove or swap in the spacers now being secured by the four screws.

That is why it is very important to read all of the applicable User Guides/Manuals.

This motherboard?

https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_b450-aorus-pro-wifi_1002_e_190528.pdf

[Do verify that I identified the correct motherboard User Manual. Check Revision Number as well.]

What cooler are you planning to install?

Very important to understand how the cooler is to be installed.

Post accordingly and there may be other comments and suggestions. Especially if I have made some error of omission or commission.

You do not want any more cracks or anything else to go wrong.

 

[Iamcid]

Yes, this is the correct motherboard Mr. Ralston18.

I`ve already installed the cooler. It's an ID-cooling 913b.

My main concern is the crack. My logic tells me that the crack isn't a problem but my paranoia doesn't let me live for some reason. It's kinda shocking how easy it was to break it. And only that makes me think it couldn't hold anything in place and it had no use. But I'd like to hear everyone's thought about this issue.

 

[drea.drechsler]

Yes, this is the correct motherboard Mr. Ralston18.

I`ve already installed the cooler. It's an ID-cooling 913b.

My main concern is the crack. My logic tells me that the crack isn't a problem but my paranoia doesn't let me live for some reason. It's kinda shocking how easy it was to break it. And only that makes me think it couldn't hold anything in place and it had no use. But I'd like to hear everyone's thought about this issue.

The way the CPU socket works is the lever slides the top piece sideways, forcing the pins of the CPU into the contacts of the socket. The crack won't affect performance of the socket at all.

That little piece of plastic with the crack is only there to retain the top piece in place when there's not a CPU installed. You have to basically break each of those pieces of plastic completely off to lift up the top when gaining access to the contacts if one of them gets deformed. When you do, the top will go back on but it falls off easily if there's no CPU installed to hold it in place.

Your main concern should be anything getting into the socket that might cause the contacts to make unreliable connection to CPU pins. Or cleaning them in a way that bends the very fragile socket contacts. It's not common on AM4, but it can happen.

 

[Iamcid]

Hey there @drea.drechsler . Thank you for your reply. It's bringing peace of mind but I still have some questions to ask if you have time.
So you are saying that in case I want to change the am4 socket cover with a new one in the future, I must break the circled areas too? Even the squared ones? And that the whole point for the thing that I broke is to be removed in case I need replacement? I don't understand how exactly they can be used to hold the plastic in place without the CPU. I mean I don't understand what you mean.

https://imgur.com/ZuSa0hl

 

[drea.drechsler]

...
So you are saying that in case I want to change the am4 socket cover with a new one in the future, I must break the circled areas too? Even the squared ones?
...

Yes...although not necessarily. The socket material is surprisingly fragile and breaks very easily when you stretch on those areas to unclip the top piece. That doesn't mean it will break in use as it's very strong against the compressive forces it's designed to resist.

Keep in mind they don't sell the covers separately. So if you ever have to replace it you have to buy a complete socket (usually less than $10US) and remove it's cover. That means you'll quite likely break tabs getting it off. But again, it doesn't matter so long as the cover itself is in one piece.

 

[Iamcid]

Yes...although not necessarily. The socket material is surprisingly fragile and breaks very easily when you stretch on those areas to unclip the top piece. That doesn't mean it will break in use as it's very strong against the compressive forces it's designed to resist.

Keep in mind they don't sell the covers separately. So if you ever have to replace it you have to buy a complete socket (usually less than $10US) and remove it's cover. That means you'll quite likely break tabs getting it off. But again, it doesn't matter so long as the cover itself is in one piece.

In the future, if I don't like the temperatures with this cooler ID cooling 913b that I have for the 5600x AMD, I will buy a new better cooler. So in case, I need to install a new cooler I might change the top AM4 plastic cover too because I've purchased one before posting here from ali* for 3.5 USD or something like that.

So the circled areas ( just to fix my paranoia ) are NOT holding the AM4 cover in place. The right-angled ones are, is this correct? I'm afraid that because I have 1 of 3 broken it can somehow allow the CPU to move while it's on and fry it. I know I sound ridiculous. I`ve been burned so many times that's why I educated myself to take into consideration even the impossible.

I want to thank you very much for taking the time to respond to me @drea.drechsler and @Ralston18.

 

[drea.drechsler]

In the future, if I don't like the temperatures with this cooler ID cooling 913b that I have for the 5600x AMD, I will buy a new better cooler. So in case, I need to install a new cooler I might change the top AM4 plastic cover too
...

If you replace the cooler there's no need to remove the CPU so simply leave it in and avoid any possibility of damaging anything. You're risking ever so much more damage trying to fix a non-problem by attempting a socket cover replacement than leaving it alone.