Help! Applied new thermal paste, problems occured and now computer won't start.

[Wlau21]

I have an i5 3570k with a 550W PSU (OCZ ZT 550W) and a asrock motherboard. Today I applied new thermal paste to my stock heatsink because I took it off to clean and also have had increasing temperatures since new. Here is exactly what I have done to leading to my computer not having any power and not starting.

I grounded myself throughout this process - not 100% positive if it worked.

When I applied the new thermal paste, I noticed that my heatsink did not turn on until 2 minutes after I had started my computer (not sure if it has always been like this). Also, I noticed my temperatures have decreased around 5-10 degrees C. Good.

I shut down my computer 30 minutes later and I noticed that all my fans are still running and the desktop power light is still on even though the computer has been shut down. This also happens when I put it to sleep. I manually turned everything off by holding the desktop's on/off switch.

~15 minutes later, I turned my computer back on and i see temperatures rise up to 80C. I thought maybe I applied a tiny bit too much thermal paste, so I clean it off again and reapply with less this amount. I turn it back on and temperatures are good. I turn it off again to see if there is still an issue with my fans. Fans and power light are still on despite being shut down.

I research on fans and powerlight not turning off and I try a strategy that worked for someone. Unplug power from wall, remove CMOS battery on mobo and hold power for a minute to drain out any electricity. I put the CMOS battery back and plug it back in and now my computer will not turn on. Nothing will turn on as if there is no power. I have tried to tighten any loose cables but it has not worked.

Please help. Thank you.

 

[Shaun o]

Hi Wlau21.

Ok if you re applied fresh thermal compound to the cpu, and as you say are using the Intel stock cooler that came with the cpu.

First of all remove it again from the motherboard.

The cpu cooler should be of the push pin type, then a small twist to lock each pin till it latches to the under side of the motherboard through the four holes provided on the motherboard it`s self.

Check the thermal compound covers the cpu heat transfer cap on it fully, and that the paste is not to thick, but even looking across the transfer cap of the cpu.

Square the cooler, align the four push pins with the pass through holes of the motherboard.
Starting with one push pin, in one corner firmly push the pin down till you hear a click.
then twist lock it.

Move over to the pin diagonally opposite to it. Example: start top left pin first looking at cooler.

Next pin bottom right corner diagonal to top left pin, again with a firm push down till you hear a click then twist lock it.
Top right next following the same instructions.
Then bottom left.

Once done Walu21.

Go to the back of the system case.
And on the back of the power supply unit, you will see a rocker Isolation switch on it, move it over to its other state of the rocker switch.

At the wall socket where the cord from the Psu is connected to turn the switch off.
Unplug the plug, on the cord from the wall socket for about ten seconds.

The push the plug back into the wall socket and turn the socket switch on.
Next turn the rocker switch back to its original setting, or state on the back of the psu unit.

Last part here, because it takes a bit of pressure to push down the push pins of the Intel cpu cooler till you hear a click from each push pin.

It can make the motherboard flex and re bound slightly.
This can move or dislodge memory sticks fitted to the memory slots of the motherboard.

With a thumb placed on each top side of a memory stick, just give each memory stick a firm push down again.
If you hear a click again from doing so when pushing down.
Then it indicates that each ram stick is firmly fitted into the memory slots of the motherboard as they should be, and level.

Ok so now press the power button on the system case.
And see if the system fully powers up for you then Wlau21.

Ok.

 

[Wlau21]

Thanks, that was helpful. Thought I may have fried my motherboard but that was not the case