New Athlon 1800+ blown - possibly

G

Guest

Guest
Heya guys,
I just went out and bought an Asus A7V266-E motherboard, and an Athlon 1800+ processor. After installing the mobo and cpu fan/heatsink, I also noticed the new fan/heatsink was quite noisy so i took it off and didnt remove the processor. This was a stupid move by me!

The last time I played with processors was a couple of years ago (im now into software design) when you could leave the heatsink off for a minute or so and all that would happen is the system would usually hang. The reason I took the fan off was to see if the airflow to the CPU was causing the extreme noise. I know I should of removed the processor, hindsight is perfect vision.

Anyway it was getting late so I waited till the next day to have a play. After re-installing all the bits back into the box the system does not boot. I have tried every combination known to man, and the manual. Also tried manual settings, clearing the BIOS memory, removing the battery etc. There is no keyboard lights when i turn it on, no noise, nothing. I took a look at Toms review of the AMD how-to-blow-a-cpu and noticed all his CPUs were clearly burnt on the top off the AMD chip. Mine does not appear to have changed at all.

I took it over my friends place and he was able to boot my mobo with a Athlon 1200+. So I guess im screwed.

Also I think the AGP slot is gone as the machine no longer boots using the AGP slot with my friends processor, although a PCI video card works ok.

So my question I guess is, am I alone here? Has anybodies AGP slot died when removing the heatsink/fan?

Comments etc? Keep the eyebashings down, I'm already down ~$700 it appears :(
 

Matisaro

Splendid
Mar 23, 2001
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A: didnt you see the huge sticker saying "do not power up cpu without heatsink"?
B: I dont think you can blow your agp slot by frying a cpu, but theres a first time for everything.
C: Buy a retail axp as a replacement and use the fan which comes with it, this fan provides adequate cooling and does so rather quietly.
D: How are you down 700 bucks, a replacement axp1800+ will run you about 130 on pricewatch.(www.pricewatch.com).
E: I am glad you did not try and blame the issue on amd, but others will undoubtedly flame this post, so hunker down.
F: YOu removed the heatsink, while the computer was running, and in hindsite you should have removed the cpu as well?

Removing a cpu during operation is likely to destroy the entire motherboard, next time, do not power the mobo at all.


JUst count this as a rather expensive learning experience, and dont let it happen again :).


As for the agp slot, it is possible, try a different videocard in it to test(you may have fried the videocard!).

"The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark"
No Overclock+stock hsf=GOOD!
 

dhlucke

Polypheme
You made a mistake. No big deal as long as you don't repeat it. I would suggest doing a bit more reading before trying to put it back together again. You weren't ready to build a computer.

There are a number of threads that have come and gone with links to all kinds of review and hardware sites. Use the search button on your left to find them. Spend some time reading up on everything. I'm going to guess that if you didn't know not to run the PC without a HSF on, there are many other things you do not know.

Have fun and good luck.

<font color=red>God</font color=red> <font color=blue>Bless</font color=blue> <font color=red>America!</font color=red>
 

Tiberius13

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Jan 28, 2002
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If the cpu is toast it looks like you'll have to pony up the money to replace it.

You might be able to get the motherboard replaced under warranty if the AGP slot isn't working... but I would never recommend anything unscrupulous.

Definitely read up at various forums about the various guidelines and experiences people have had before attempting to build the pc again. There are always little things that can jump up and bite you in the ass - and they can be costly as you have learned... so learn first... do later...

That didn't save me from chipping an AMD 1.33 when removing a shitty hsf though... $182.50 Cdn later everything worked... heh
 

Grizely1

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oh yeah, i've fried a whole motherboard on a duron. the stupid thing got so hot it melted the solder off the waterblock, and afterwards the stupid cpu still worked! wrecked my A7V though.

<font color=red>DO NOT LIGHT YOURSELF ON FIRE</font color=red>
 

Copenhagen

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Oct 21, 2001
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<blockquote><font size=1>Svar på:</font><hr><p>Comments etc? Keep the eyebashings down, I'm already down ~$700 it appears :(<p><hr></blockquote><p>A P4 would have saved your ass, but nevermind, now where you have learned it the hard way, you might as well stay on the AMD route. I would suggest that you wait another 4 weeks or so and then go buy yourself a 0.13 micron Athlon Throughbred. Take the lowest speed available, as this baby will surely be a nice overclocker.


<i>/Copenhagen</i>

<b><i>Seagate Barracuda IV.
Bad performance in RAID setups!
</i></b>
 

dhlucke

Polypheme
Saved him how? He needs to learn how to build a PC. A P4 would not have taught him that. It's a CPU, not a teacher.

<font color=red>If you were to have sex with your clone would that be considered incest or masturbation?</font color=red>
 

AmdMELTDOWN

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"Saved him how? He needs to learn how to build a PC. A P4 would not have taught him that. It's a CPU, not a teacher."

a P4 is very forgiving and would've given him a second chance. no need to argue this point.

"<b>AMD/VIA!</b>...you are <i>still</i> the weakest link, good bye!"
 

AMD_Man

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Jul 3, 2001
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a P4 is very forgiving and would've given him a second chance. no need to argue this point.
No one could deny or argue that. However, ignorance is a bad thing in the computer world.

AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor
 

Copenhagen

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<blockquote><font size=1>Svar på:</font><hr><p>Saved him how? He needs to learn how to build a PC. A P4 would not have taught him that. It's a CPU, not a teacher.<p><hr></blockquote><p>If you read the initial post you will notice that the guy managed to successfully build a PC a couple of year ago. There is no reason why a CPU should be so unforgiving and selfdestruct in a matter of seconds; that's bad engineering, period. Intel could do it, so it can be done, no excuse.

Building a PC is not like rocket sience, although to a clueless dumbass it would probably seem to be the case.


<i>/Copenhagen</i>

<b><i>Seagate Barracuda IV.
Bad performance in RAID setups!
</i></b>
 

AmdMELTDOWN

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"No one could deny or argue that. However, ignorance is a bad thing in the computer world."

"ignorance is a bad thing", I agree, but I bet that most of you folks who claim superiority because you own a AMD or run linux can't even repair a common household item like a refrigerator, tv or even set a vcr!


"<b>AMD/VIA!</b>...you are <i>still</i> the weakest link, good bye!"
 

AMD_Man

Splendid
Jul 3, 2001
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folks who claim superiority
Who's claiming superiority?

"ignorance is a bad thing", I agree, but I bet that most of you folks who claim superiority because you own a AMD or run linux can't even repair a common household item like a refrigerator, tv or even set a vcr!
True, but we're computer enthusiasts, not electronic technicans.




AMD technology + Intel technology = Intel/AMD Pentathlon IV; the <b>ULTIMATE</b> PC processor
 
G

Guest

Guest
Reply to all the posts;

Thanks for all your input, it was quite late when I wrote the initial post, I tried to write as much as I could during that frustrating period.

To answer a few of your questions, I used to support hardware years ago (im 28 yrs old), dpt raid controllers, san, routers, switches, and motherboards etc so I knew my stuff back then. I guess its times thats really do change. New tricks to learn, and methods to stay clear of.

I'm from Australia, so add more than double to your price tag due to the currency, I also factored into the equation the cost of the motherboard, so a ~$700 was put in the post :)

As somebody mentioned, building a computer isnt rocket science, although these little hints/tricks can produce a win or loose situation. In this case I was unlucky, and yeah everybody makes mistakes.

However I was careful. I did remove the power cable before touching anything, hence I did remove the power cable before removing the fan...As I said I was going on an old methodology path when removing the heatsink was a part of troubleshooting boards that didnt boot first go. (to save time in reapplying the fan/heatsink)

By the way, I received a CPU with no box, no manual, and certainly with no huge sticker saying "do not use without a heatsink/fan" as somebody was quick to point out hastly ;) The reseller installed the chip on the motherboard for me (to save himself packaging for him). Although to be fair the motherboard may of stated somewhere on page 232 section 3, paragraph 5, point 2 ;) Who knows. I didn't look *strug*

I forgot to mention in the first post that the first time I turned on the system without the fan, the system was powered on for about 3 seconds and then shut itself down. I figured that was to save the CPU from overheating as the motherboard has a cut out heating system onboard. I turned it on again without the fan as I wanted to hear the fan noise again (this was afterall my inital reason for doing so) and it shut itself down after 3 seconds.

Anyways, it appears I'm stuffed, I thought maybe there was a jumper setting to reset or something but I knew id be grabbing at straws.

To make matters a lil worse I bought all this gear from a recent trip from Singapore, howerver not going to bother claiming warranty - afterall its my mistake.

# goin down to buy some more hardware

Cheers all interested,
Stephen.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Hey, Nighty5,
You know, I have the EXACT same story to tell (except mine involves an XP 1600+).
My computer was working just fine, but the high powered fan was just too noisy, so I took it out (after disconnecting everything), and just to experiment, I let the cpu run just for a few seconds without any heatsink on it (I also thought something was wrong with my mobo).
Looks like you and I both made the same idiotic mistake. At the time we both just thought it would be for a few seconds... what would it hurt, right?

Well... just like yours, it ran for about 3 seconds, then turned itself off. I tried touching the chip with my finger. YEOWWW!!

After that, it wouldn't get anywhere. It wouldn't put any screen output. The only thing the mobo was able to do with the thing was detect if there's SOMETHING in the cpu socket.

Well, it seems we both had the same motivation to do something we now regret.

So, in regards to your original question: No, you are not alone. I have the exact same story. We may have been idiots, but at least we've both learned a valuable lesson that i'm sure we'll bear in mind after we purchase our new chips.

Take care.
 

kusek

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Jul 15, 2001
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Hey, Nighty5,
You know, I have the EXACT same story to tell (except mine involves an XP 1600+).
My computer was working just fine, but the high powered fan was just too noisy, so I took it out (after disconnecting everything), and just to experiment, I let the cpu run just for a few seconds without any heatsink on it (I also thought something was wrong with my mobo).
At first I thought this was a "made up" story. However, I can see both of you are honest about it. I guess the box has a sticker "do not use without hsf" but maybe that should be stenciled on the CPU itself. The P4 protection thing is nice but I wouldn't consider AMD junk because they don't have it like some here do. Not to pick on you but that would be like driving your car 75MPH and then shoving it into reverse or park! LOL. However, I'm sure some of the electronic transmissions today can survive that too now. About 10 years back I just got a new cell phone and it must have fallen out of the truck when I moved some luggage around. I ended up backing over with the truck. It needed a new battery but it still worked. You can't do that with today's phones.
 
G

Guest

Guest
Actually, I got mine OEM, and it didn't come in any box with a sticker on it. It was after I destroyed the CPU, and then went on my older computer and did some reading on Tomshardware website to learn that XP CPUs are very sensitive to heat. Too bad I didn't catch that article a little sooner, huh? lol.
Oh well. The XP processor is still a nice CPU though. You just have to be careful with it. I also heard that it's physically sensitive and the surface can be chipped easily.
I'm planning to get a new one (again, OEM) now that I'm a little wiser. :)