Damaged CPU Pins - Hope for RMA?

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
M

Michael Paulmeno

Honorable
Aug 30, 2013
86
0
10,640
About a month and a half ago I bought a Supermicro X10DRL-i motherboard for my home server. Yesterday I finally procured the CPU cooler (standard Intel one for the E5-2603v3 processor). Unfortunately when installing the CPU and heatsink I pressed too hard and bent the pins on the mobo pretty badly. The computer won't POST as a result.

Probably I need a new board. Before going out and spending another $300+ I am curious if there is any hope of getting it repaired. Since the damage was most likely my fault the warranty would seem to be void. Is there any hope Supermicro would allow me to RMA the board albeit for a fee? Or should I just buy a new one?
 
Solution
SBMfromLA


You know... many times.. "honest is the best policy". What I would do is go online and register the motherboard...
Sort by date Sort by votes
SBMfromLA

SBMfromLA

Distinguished
Nov 11, 2011
2,487
1
20,960




I honestly felt the other response was a bit insensitive and too harsh. Never used Super Micro but I know places like Newegg are very strict when it comes to bent pins on motherboards. I read stories about customers receiving motherboards with pins out of place and had a difficult time getting them replaced.

Your best solution would be to watch some YouTube videos explaining and showing how easy it is to fix bent pins. The only thing is.. it's a slow and long process... but a lot of time it's a problem that could be fixed if you have the patients.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
F

f-14

Distinguished
Apr 2, 2010
2,344
0
19,960


post a picture of the damage. i've been able to fix alot of the pins with a steady hand a fine point tweezers and a micro flat blade screw driver.

the m/b manufacturers will repair it for a fee, but the cost of desoldering and removing the pins and reinstalling new pins is a bit over $100.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
M

Michael Paulmeno

Honorable
Aug 30, 2013
86
0
10,640
The damage is ... substantial, but I will post a picture later. It doesn't help my case to admit I took out my frustration on the offending socket and damaged it further. However $100 is cheaper than replacing the board and I still have the original box.

I have not had much success fixing bent pins in the past plus there are a lot of them in need of repair. The annoying thing is there is a perfectly good second CPU socket, but the computer won't post with the processor there (even when I move the memory over to the right socket). Unless I have a bad memory stick the unit seems to need socket 1 to be filled.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
SBMfromLA

SBMfromLA

Distinguished
Nov 11, 2011
2,487
1
20,960


You know... many times.. "honest is the best policy". What I would do is go online and register the motherboard since you obviously can't return it to the manufacturer and then create a Ticket/RMA Request and just simply admit that while installing the CPU on your motherboard you applied too much pressure and bent the pins. It's possible they may send you a refurbished/used model if you sent them yours or charge you for a replacement...

But in any event... you have nothing to lose and a possibility to gain something... but I would do that today since most times it takes 2-5 business days for a response. Heck, they might reply back today and allow you to ship it off by this afternoon (yeah, right... but you never know).
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
M

Michael Paulmeno

Honorable
Aug 30, 2013
86
0
10,640


Here is the damaged socket:

https://goo.gl/photos/gJShjUmwFmgvfsu68

Basically I pressed down on the heatsink while installing it as if I was giving the thing CPR. I also may have wiggled it a bit to re-position it. After some troubleshooting (including swapping power supplies and moving around the RAM stick) I pulled off the CPU and discovered what you see above. The claw marks on the right represent my frustration. This is my first time dealing with an LGA socket.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
M

Michael Paulmeno

Honorable
Aug 30, 2013
86
0
10,640
Just to give one final update I finally got the board back last Tuesday, March 22. It took two months, but Supermicro fixed the damaged CPU socket. They had to send it off to an outside vendor which explains the delay. After exercising much caution I was able to fully assemble the server and get it to both POST and boot into a Debain install disc.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Moderators online

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom