[SOLVED] Removed CPU from socket

[240hz]

I was cleaning my PC and I had the need to remove the CPU when I saw that some dry thermal paste had gone in between the CPU and the socket. I cleaned it and it was not too bad, but then I read somewhere that you should never remove the CPU for a variety of reasons. To safely put it back in and get it back to working, what should I do?

 

[Lutfij]

You should be fine to drop it back into the CPU socket. Just make sure you're bare feet with the floor or that you're grounded. If you're still unsure you can parse images of the CPU and it's socket and then perhaps we can move forward with suggestions from the community if anything seems out of place. Parse links for the images after hosting them on a site like Imgur.

 

[geofelt]

A intel socket is designed for up to 15 insertions.
Best to not remove the cpu without good reason.
Your reason is good enough.

If you do not drop the processor in cleanly, you can damage some pins with unpredictable results.
If you smoosh it around to get it seated, you are likely to damage pins.
Just be careful to line up the notches and drop it in.

If you damage pins perhaps nothing will happen.
The pins might control a feature that you do not use.
Damaged pins commonly cause ram issues such as disabling a ram slot or disabling dual channel operation.

 

[Bassman999]

Are AMD sockets insertion limited? That seems kinda crappy.

 

[Eximo]

Are AMD sockets insertion limited? That seems kinda crappy.

ZIF sockets are more robust than LGA sockets, but there is still the possibility of improperly inserting a CPU and bending pins. Easier to fix if there is a problem though.
AMD CPUs also have the nasty habit of being pulled out of their sockets without the lever being released, this happens when a cool CPU and CPU cooler removal is attempted. Best to heat the CPU up (if operable) before attempting removal of the heatsink. Good to use a twisting motion to get the paste to detach before attempting to lift the CPU cooler.

 

[hotaru.hino]

Are AMD sockets insertion limited? That seems kinda crappy.

It's not expected that one is going need to take the CPU out that often enough for it to matter.

 

[Bassman999]

ZIF sockets are more robust than LGA sockets, but there is still the possibility of improperly inserting a CPU and bending pins. Easier to fix if there is a problem though.
AMD CPUs also have the nasty habit of being pulled out of their sockets without the lever being released, this happens when a cool CPU and CPU cooler removal is attempted. Best to heat the CPU up (if operable) before attempting removal of the heatsink. Good to use a twisting motion to get the paste to detach before attempting to lift the CPU cooler.

Never happened to me, but Ive seen/heard about it happening.
I do warm up before swapping coolers etc.

It's not expected that one is going need to take the CPU out that often enough for it to matter.

True, but some ppl are constant tinkers or maybe its gets sold a few times.
But 15 is still a decent number I suppose. It will likely be in a landfill before that.

 

[Eximo]

I think I have maybe socketed my current CPU twice, my 4770k and 4130T each twice (swapped them for the moment, need to pick up an i7-4790k and sell my old rig off)

i7-960 got re-socketed a time or two during some troubleshooting (motherboard issue)

I don't think my Athlon X2 6000 has ever been out of its socket, nor any of my other previous AMD chips. Last AMD chip I bought was embedded (Kind of looking forward to 5000 series APUs, but probably won't buy one)

 

[240hz]

A intel socket is designed for up to 15 insertions.
Best to not remove the cpu without good reason.
Your reason is good enough.

If you do not drop the processor in cleanly, you can damage some pins with unpredictable results.
If you smoosh it around to get it seated, you are likely to damage pins.
Just be careful to line up the notches and drop it in.

If you damage pins perhaps nothing will happen.
The pins might control a feature that you do not use.
Damaged pins commonly cause ram issues such as disabling a ram slot or disabling dual channel operation.

Very interesting that there are limited insertions, components obviously wear out as you use them, but now I am much more relieved knowing I could do that 13 more times! And I also did not know that you can actually use a CPU with a broken pins. Thank you for your reply.

 

[240hz]

I think I have maybe socketed my current CPU twice, my 4770k and 4130T each twice (swapped them for the moment, need to pick up an i7-4790k and sell my old rig off)

i7-960 got re-socketed a time or two during some troubleshooting (motherboard issue)

I don't think my Athlon X2 6000 has ever been out of its socket, nor any of my other previous AMD chips. Last AMD chip I bought was embedded (Kind of looking forward to 5000 series APUs, but probably won't buy one)

So I guess as long as you do it carefully and really know what you’re doing, nothing should really happen. I was just scared because my friend also removed his CPU from the socket and it never worked again, so he had to replace it. He maybe had dust that short-circuited the processor or bent a pin due to an incorrect placement on the socket...

 

[sonofjesse]

yea intel chips never had one come off with cooler. The new AMD chips, first time I was redoing thermal paste thought I was being careful, whole CPU came out. NO issues, but man it was like cemeted on their.....super odd........and the PC had ran for a long time, but I guess you want to run stress test for an hour before to see if that helps. Thermal paste was like cemet on that thing............very interesting experience for sure. I had heard this was possible and was being careful and still happened.

seems on the intel boards you have have to be careful not to bend the MB pins, since the CPU dont' have them.........

just always best to get a friend who has a lot of experience if your not comfortable.

 

[CDdude55]

ZIF sockets are more robust than LGA sockets, but there is still the possibility of improperly inserting a CPU and bending pins. Easier to fix if there is a problem though.
AMD CPUs also have the nasty habit of being pulled out of their sockets without the lever being released, this happens when a cool CPU and CPU cooler removal is attempted. Best to heat the CPU up (if operable) before attempting removal of the heatsink. Good to use a twisting motion to get the paste to detach before attempting to lift the CPU cooler.

This happened to me a long while back with a 1055T, i pulled the heatsink off while the thermal paste was still dry and ended up ripping the CPU out of it's socket. It ended up bending some of the pins and some eventually broke off when i went to straighten them.