My computer won't boot after I reinstalled CPU cooler

[Worm20]

■ I just replaced my coolermaster Hyper 101 with the 212 EVO on my FX-8350. Now when I turn it on, all the fans turn on, but my monitors stay black. I only have power, keyboard, and a monitor plugged in. It was working before, but it was staying at 50°C when idle. The only thing that I can think of is when I cleaned off my processor with alcohol, I did use a but much. Could some have gotten in there and cause this?

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

 

[Worm20]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

 

[dabeste]

Did you check if everything is plugged in properly?

I once unplugged my RAM to reach the CPU better (applied new thermal paste). Well, i didn't plug it back in properly and had the same symptoms like you. Everything was running, but my monitor showed nothing, and the mainboard didn't beep.

After hours of searching (and thinking i destroyed something) i found out it was just a RAM-Module that wasn't pushed in properly.


I don't think you can destroy your CPU by using too much alcohol, because normally CPUs are "waterproof".
The only thing that could happen is that the Pins corrode or that you short-circuit some pins with remaining static electricity, but that's highly unlikely.


Edit: Wow am i slow..

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you might have killed your CPU. They don't like human oils too much. Also if you touched those pins and weren't grounded you may have caused some electrostatic discharge that may have killed it.

 

[Worm20]

Did you check if everything is plugged in properly?

I once unplugged my RAM to reach the CPU better (applied new thermal paste). Well, i didn't plug it back in properly and had the same symptoms like you. Everything was running, but my monitor showed nothing, and the mainboard didn't beep.

After hours of searching (and thinking i destroyed something) i found out it was just a RAM-Module that wasn't pushed in properly.


I don't think you can destroy your CPU by using too much alcohol, because normally CPUs are "waterproof".
The only thing that could happen is that the Pins corrode or that you short-circuit some pins with remaining static electricity, but that's highly unlikely.


Edit: Wow am i slow..

I unplugged enerything, including the graphics card and plugged it all back in to see if that would fix it. I pressed hard on everything until it clicked and still, it won't boot. Before, however, it would take a long time to have the bios show up. Could it be just taking a long time to finally show up? It used to take about 10-20 seconds to show up, and I have kept it on for 30 and no luck

 

[Worm20]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

If you weren't grounded then you could have caused electrostatic discharged and fried it, yes. =| CPU's are very sensitive on the base where the pins are.

 

[Worm20]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

If you weren't grounded then you could have caused electrostatic discharged and fried it, yes. =| CPU's are very sensitive on the base where the pins are.

I'd there any way of double checking weather that caused it?

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

If you weren't grounded then you could have caused electrostatic discharged and fried it, yes. =| CPU's are very sensitive on the base where the pins are.

I'd there any way of double checking weather that caused it?

I can't know for sure.
It does seem the most likely though if you removed the CPU from the mobo when cleaning. Since your PC doesn't boot it would suggest that that action caused it.

 

[Worm20]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

If you weren't grounded then you could have caused electrostatic discharged and fried it, yes. =| CPU's are very sensitive on the base where the pins are.

I'd there any way of double checking weather that caused it?

I can't know for sure.
It does seem the most likely though if you removed the CPU from the mobo when cleaning. Since your PC doesn't boot it would suggest that that action caused it.

Shit. Well, thanks for the help.

 

[JOOK-D]

Yeah you could have possibly spilled some on to your motherboard. I'd let it dry for a few days and try again.

How did you apply thermal paste? Pea method? Some pastes are conductive and if you used too much or used a different method some may have spilled over onto your motherboard and could have fried it.

Did you plug your graphics card back in properly?

I took my processor out to clean it, and didn't take out the motherboard or unplug anything to install it. I left everything in it, but unplugged everything on the outside. I put the thermal paste in the middle in about as big as a dime. I used the stuff that came with the 212 EVO. My screwdriver slipped a bit and hit the motherboard when I was screwing on the cooler. It left a very small little mark.

Did you touch the bottom of the processor where the pins are? If so you've probably killed your CPU.

That will destroy it?!?!?!?! I think i have done that be accident when I was cleaning it! If I did, I didn't press hard at all, could that sill have broken it?

If you weren't grounded then you could have caused electrostatic discharged and fried it, yes. =| CPU's are very sensitive on the base where the pins are.

I'd there any way of double checking weather that caused it?

I can't know for sure.
It does seem the most likely though if you removed the CPU from the mobo when cleaning. Since your PC doesn't boot it would suggest that that action caused it.

Shit. Well, thanks for the help.

Yeah np, keep me posted if anything else changes or you have new info.

 

[dabeste]

If(!) your mainboard speaker is plugged in, it should give a certain "beep-code" when the CPU is broken.
On AMI-BIOS you would get something like:
6 Beeps - 8042 Gate A20 failure - Bad CPU or Motherboard
7 Beeps - Processor exception - Bad processor

Or on Award BIOS:
Repeating High, Low beeps - CPU failure - Bad processor


I wouldn't give up on that CPU so fast.

 

[JOOK-D]

If(!) your mainboard speaker is plugged in, it should give a certain "beep-code" when the CPU is broken.
On AMI-BIOS you would get something like:
6 Beeps - 8042 Gate A20 failure - Bad CPU or Motherboard
7 Beeps - Processor exception - Bad processor

Or on Award BIOS:
Repeating High, Low beeps - CPU failure - Bad processor


I wouldn't give up on that CPU so fast.

Hot damn we have an expert 😀

Try it out Worm. I just assumed since you didn't mention any beeps that there were none, my bad.

 

[Worm20]

If(!) your mainboard speaker is plugged in, it should give a certain "beep-code" when the CPU is broken.
On AMI-BIOS you would get something like:
6 Beeps - 8042 Gate A20 failure - Bad CPU or Motherboard
7 Beeps - Processor exception - Bad processor

Or on Award BIOS:
Repeating High, Low beeps - CPU failure - Bad processor


I wouldn't give up on that CPU so fast.

Hot damn we have an expert 😀

Try it out Worm. I just assumed since you didn't mention any beeps that there were none, my bad.

I just packed up the processor and NewEgg will send me a new one because I still have the 30 day replacement thing. And there were no beeps when I did have my sound plugged in.

 

[Worm20]

Thanks for your help, but I'm getting a replacement from NewEgg.

 

[JOOK-D]

Thanks for your help, but I'm getting a replacement from NewEgg.

Best to be safe!

 

[Superkoopatrooper]

I dont think it was the cpu. I dropped cpus before on hardwood floors and nothing happened. What thermal paste did you use? it could be conductive. Did you flip the switch on the back of the power supply back on? is those little annoying wires for the pc power switch connected? sometimes they can get disconnected via maintenance. I dont mean to sound like verizon tech support but to be honest, these are all the mistakes i would make and have made.

 

[Worm20]

I dont think it was the cpu. I dropped cpus before on hardwood floors and nothing happened. What thermal paste did you use? it could be conductive. Did you flip the switch on the back of the power supply back on? is those little annoying wires for the pc power switch connected? sometimes they can get disconnected via maintenance. I dont mean to sound like verizon tech support but to be honest, these are all the mistakes i would make and have made.

I used the thermal paste that came with my cooler master 212 EVO. it will turn on, the lights will turn on and the fans will spin, but the screens stay black. Everything is plugged in correctly, and I've tried all the ports on my graphics card.

 

[Superkoopatrooper]

I dont think it was the cpu. I dropped cpus before on hardwood floors and nothing happened. What thermal paste did you use? it could be conductive. Did you flip the switch on the back of the power supply back on? is those little annoying wires for the pc power switch connected? sometimes they can get disconnected via maintenance. I dont mean to sound like verizon tech support but to be honest, these are all the mistakes i would make and have made.

I used the thermal paste that came with my cooler master 212 EVO. it will turn on, the lights will turn on and the fans will spin, but the screens stay black. Everything is plugged in correctly, and I've tried all the ports on my graphics card.

I'm sorry that really sucks. Static from you damaging computer components is possible but its pretty rare. When you removed the CPU for RMA, did you notice any thermal paste leaking off the side of the CPU touching the Mobo? If it was the case, you miiiight be able to remove the excessive paste. I'm a little taken back because in the past, I've manhandled pc parts, swore at them and jammed them together in fits of (why wont it fit) RAGE and nothing ever broke. It really unfortunate. When the new RMA arrives plz keep us updated if not just for curiosity's sake.

 

[Worm20]

I dont think it was the cpu. I dropped cpus before on hardwood floors and nothing happened. What thermal paste did you use? it could be conductive. Did you flip the switch on the back of the power supply back on? is those little annoying wires for the pc power switch connected? sometimes they can get disconnected via maintenance. I dont mean to sound like verizon tech support but to be honest, these are all the mistakes i would make and have made.

I used the thermal paste that came with my cooler master 212 EVO. it will turn on, the lights will turn on and the fans will spin, but the screens stay black. Everything is plugged in correctly, and I've tried all the ports on my graphics card.

I'm sorry that really sucks. Static from you damaging computer components is possible but its pretty rare. When you removed the CPU for RMA, did you notice any thermal paste leaking off the side of the CPU touching the Mobo? If it was the case, you miiiight be able to remove the excessive paste. I'm a little taken back because in the past, I've manhandled pc parts, swore at them and jammed them together in fits of (why wont it fit) RAGE and nothing ever broke. It really unfortunate. When the new RMA arrives plz keep us updated if not just for curiosity's sake.

A little bit got on the edges of the processor, but none dripped down. I just put a bit much the first time I installed it. I'll keep you guys posted.

 

[Worm20]

So, I got my new CPU, and it still doesn't work. When I boot, the screen still stays black.

 

[JOOK-D]

Everything else starts?

No odd beeping or Red LED's?

 

[Worm20]

Everything else starts?

No odd beeping or Red LED's?

It all lights up and fans spin. There is no beeping and I do have the sound plugged into the motherboard. Could the motherboard have possibly been damaged when I replaced the CPU fan?

 

[JOOK-D]

It's odd that it all boots up just the signal doesn't go to the monitor. Yeah, the mobo would be my next guess.

Have you made sure your video card is inserted properly? If there's no signal going to the monitor it could be that.