Post Your Biggest CPU Mistakes

[jpishgar]

Back when I was in middle school, I sawed an AMD K6-2 CPU in half using a Dremel. See, it was a different pin configuration than the socket for the motherboard I was using, and I wanted it to fit. Yes, there was some peer pressure involved. I think the biggest stupidity was plugging the thing in and pressing the power button. The smell was quite impressive. Since then, I've always associated the scent of computer components burning with a deep sensation of personal guilt. Life lesson: Never take a Dremel to a CPU.

Now that you have my embarrassing confession, let's hear yours.

We want to know what your biggest mistake building PCs has been as it relates to CPUs. What mishaps have you had that make you look back and go "Oh man, what the heck was I thinking?".

Consider this a no judgement zone - and a fun means of tech-related therapy.

Include images, if you've got 'em. If we get some good horror stories, we might even turn this into an editorial feature and showcase our communal misery.

-JP

p.s. Check out the other threads, too.
• Post Your Biggest CPUs Mistakes
• Post Your Biggest Graphics Card Mistakes
• Post Your Biggest Motherboard Mistakes
• Post your Biggest Storage Mistakes
• Post your Biggest Cooling, Cases, & PSUs Mistakes

 

[jcruzanski]

Bought my shiny new 1ghz athlon... somehow, can't remember, but raised the heatsink off the die... Maybe screwing it down to far... fried it. Frys took it back and gave me another one no questions asked... 2001 ish.

 

[Underi]

Not exactly my biggest CPU mistake but biggest mistake of my friend's. He was building a computer first time, and we kinda like had this "nerd group" in What'sApp, so he sent a pic with text "Is this how you apply thermal paste?". The picture was of processor pins covered in thermal paste. No. That is not how you apply thermal paste.

 

[ozonefree]

Well, there was this thing called a ZX-81 from England. It was a kit. I put it together but somehow put a resistor pack in backwards. Wouldn't turn on. Found out about solder suckers from the owner of the local Rad Shack. Turned the pack around, resoldered, and the machine worked! 1K of memory and the 16k plug in memory pack ran $99. I still have the computer somewhere.

 

[MaxxOmega]

Not exactly my biggest CPU mistake but biggest mistake of my friend's. He was building a computer first time, and we kinda like had this "nerd group" in What'sApp, so he sent a pic with text "Is this how you apply thermal paste?". The picture was of processor pins covered in thermal paste. No. That is not how you apply thermal paste.

LOL...That's the best one I've seen in this thread....

 

[OfficialG3]

so far bending 1-2 pin in my still running cpu, mended it though... oh and also running it at 4.0 ghz at stock cooler... and 4.2 ghz at a deepcool mini ice edge 2.0, needless to say, it felt retarded thinking about it today (athlon x4 760k if you're wondering), now running a thermaltake water 3.0c with delta fans 😀 (loud as hell though)

*bonus story*

overclocked a school lab pc to an insane speed (around 4 or 5ghz) and pressed enter and shutting it down, never touched that pc since and never got caught (or haven't, because i'm still studying there) (stock intel heatsink used btw)

 

[OfficialG3]

delidding my 760k hoping for lower temps just to get screwed because of the "gap" on the rubber adhesive, in short i striked 2 smd's,one got amputated and one got severely bruised, and from that moment my cpu is in silicon heaven *sigh* back to my lga 775 rig again until i saved up enough for the 760k