PC Damage Testing - Suggestions?

zack_gray

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So today I've replaced my Corsair H100i, with another one, after I noticed that the pump had stopped working (namely when my CPU started to heat up). Corsair were really good about the whole thing and they sent me a non-retail replacement, which is awesome but the copper plate, which usually comes with applied thermal paste was clean. No biggie I tell myself, I have thermal paste, so after cleaning and applying I realised that some of the dried paste had slipped down into the CPU cradle; again, no biggie I'll just 'pick up' the CPU (which I really hate doing and understand that it's typically a no-no, but I was concerned about getting paste where it didn't belong) and use pressurised air to remove. This is where I began to have trouble as when I first removed the CPU, I realised I'd positioned my hand in such a way that the CPU began to slip and the only way I could stop it from dropping was to touch the underside of it. This was the lesser of two evils as the alternative would have been to let it go risk damage (it's an i7 4770K, not cheap to replace) or hold it in an 'un-recommended' manner. Then, when I was putting it back I let the bottom end of the CPU drop into the cradle (by 15mm or so) to get it back in. It gets even worse, as when I was lifting the case back into a horizontal position (about 45 degree angle), my cat decided to bully my girlfriends dog so that he ran into me and I dropped the case back to vertical (it dropped by maybe 25cm, possibly more).

I've checked and triple checked and whilst nothing it immediately popping out at me to say that there's something wrong, I really want to be sure. The one thing I'll note, is that on CoreTemp, I can see the first core being consistently 4 to 8 degrees higher than the other 3. It's taking the same load as the others but is notably hotter. I only notice this as it's never really behaved this way.

I guess my question is, what tests (application software, OS checks, hardware etc) should I do in order to identify any hardware damage (if there even is any)?
 
Solution
I don't think there's anything qrong. If your temps are ok, then run it, if it is broken, there's nothing you can do, so just reduce the clock if OC'ed and hope for the best.

zack_gray

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Well, it's not overclocked at the moment, so I shouldn't need to do anything there. Just one of those things where I'm probably worrying over nothing. Just disconcerting when one core's at 28 degrees and the rest are 21 - 24 degrees.
 

zack_gray

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It occurred to me that I might have mess up the Thermal paste, but this wasn't my first time and I'm usually so careful in applying it.

Would using something like BurnIn Test help here? I've used it before when my old Quad Core CPU was playing, though I actually suspect the application was the final nail in the coffin...
 

zack_gray

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I hope so! Thanks everyone for your help here, I'll monitor for a few days then and see if anything deteriorates.