Question One pin missing on my Ryzen 5600X, is it safe ?

Mar 5, 2023
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View: https://imgur.com/a/uMC5J5S


On the picture there is one missing pin on my 5600X.

I have no warranty on it, as I swapped with someone on Facebook my previous rig full atx for new one itx, (NZXT H1) with R5 5600X. I have told this guy, but he replied that he didn't know, and it should run as normal. (Also I didn't found this missing pin anywhere, so, or he really didn't know, or he broke it while replacing it with other one, as I asked for 5600X instead of 5600G.

But I had to disassemble all it, as PCiE on GPU stuck on x8 lines. Firs of all, I took out CPU as I read that that can be CPU's fault, and I noticed that there is a missing pin.

I've seen on internet some pins legend, and it seems that this is just VSS and it's not that important, cuz there plenty of VSS.

But my question is, is this safe to run this CPU without one VSS pin ? All works as should be, but I need some confirmation that it's good to run like that.


Also (probably from PSU) from time to time, and not always, there's coming out some buzzing sound (pretty loud) when PC going to deep sleep automatically after running unused for some time. Can be missing VSS pin causing this ?
 
Last edited:
Mar 5, 2023
59
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What the pins do is a bit murky. If they control some function that you do not use(say 128gb ram capacity) then it might be ok.
But, comparing your photo to the pins shown in a review, it looks like other pins may be missing.

I think you should return it since you do have some strange issues.
View: https://imgur.com/a/RYbEr3g


Like I said, unfortunately I can't return it, but on this diagram pinout AM4, looks like is VSS, but it's next to something called P_GFX_TXP[0] (whatever is this) but GFX sounds like something responsible for Graphics View: https://imgur.com/2mZCHre


But logically I think, it shouldn't run if one pin would be necessary even if wouldn't be responsible for some not critical components.
 
Vss means it's a ground pin. I'm not familiar with IC packaging design, but it doesn't make sense to me to have a ground pin only handle say some of the ground connections of the CPU. Rather they're all tied to a plane both for redundancy and spreading the return current over many pins.

If the system works fine, then it's probably fine.
 
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punkncat

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Doing a quick search indicates this is more than "just" a ground pin, but is also used as a voltage reference pin for certain functions within the CPU. Basically, with that missing, some part of function for that CPU is unable to read voltage for it's sector (as it were)

Since you can't return it, may as well use and enjoy until replacement down the line, w/e.
 
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Mar 5, 2023
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Doing a quick search indicates this is more than "just" a ground pin, but is also used as a voltage reference pin for certain functions within the CPU. Basically, with that missing, some part of function for that CPU is unable to read voltage for it's sector (as it were)

Since you can't return it, may as well use and enjoy until replacement down the line, w/e.
Maybe I could try to find some repair service near me, and ask them if the can solder a new pin.

Or just put in the socket a cooper wire with same size and length, till I won't upgrade to new CPU.

And if it can't read a voltage for it's sector, then it can't manage it properly I guess, which can destroy some components?
 
Doing a quick search indicates this is more than "just" a ground pin, but is also used as a voltage reference pin for certain functions within the CPU. Basically, with that missing, some part of function for that CPU is unable to read voltage for it's sector (as it were)

Since you can't return it, may as well use and enjoy until replacement down the line, w/e.
If by "voltage reference" you mean the 0 reference, that's what a ground pin does.

Taking a step back, ground pin when you get to this deep in electronics is interchangeable with the reference level, negative terminal, etc. It has little to do with the device ground pin that's a safety measure.