Reseating CPU and now PC won't start

On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:12:27 -0700 (PDT), markdibley
<markdibley.TakeThisOut@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hello
>
>I wonder if anyon has any advice. I noticed my PC was running quite
>hot so I removed the fan and heatsink and noticed the paste was quite
>thin.

It is SUPPOSED TO BE --- assuming the heatsink base is polished flat.
The paste is there to do the vital job of filling ALL voids in the
space between the CPU header and the heatsink. However, it is nowhere
near as good a thermal conductor as the metals. A very common amateur
computer-builder mistake is to put on too much paste.

> I put it back together again while I planned to buy some paste
>or even a new, quieter fan.

Likely to be now overheating the CPU having disturbed/destroyed the
paste. Leave the PC turned off and go get some high-quality thermal
paste -- NOT grease. Clean off both CPU header and heat-sink with a
NON-ABRASIVE cleaner. Apply about 3 SMALL paste beads to the CPU
header and smooth over gently with a clean finger until the header is
completely covered with a thin layer of paste. Add another bead of
paste and smooth if not completely covered evenly. When you clamp
down the heat-sink, only very tiny amount of paste should be squeezed
out and evenly all around the CPU.

>However, now the PC won't start at all. It
>is a P4P800 and the mobo light comes on and the fan turns for half a
>second and then stops. No drives start up or anything. When I try to
>switch on again even the fan won't turn, but will if I remove the
>power and reconnect.
>

You might have damaged one or more pins ( if of the pinned variety)
when you removed the CPU. Remove CPU and inspect both
CPU and socket closely under a strong light and magnifier if
necessary. Howeve, more likely the CPU is overheating because
the paste was destroyed.

John Lewis

>Does anyone have any advice or experience with this. I am sure there
>is power going to the board and everything has been reseated.
>
>Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
>Thanks
>
>Mark
 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start 

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 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start 

On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:33:08 GMT, hgoldste DeleteThis @mpcs.com (Howard Goldstein)
wrote:

>On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:12:27 -0700 (PDT), markdibley <markdibley DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> : Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
>Did you by chance forget to reconnect the four pin EPS cable?


Thanks. I forgot to ask the obvious in my reply to the OP. However, it
is still vitally important that he re-apply a suitable amount of new
thermal paste before firing up the PC again.

John Lewis
 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start 

On 17 Mar, 04:31, john.....RemoveThis@verizon.net (John Lewis) wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:33:08 GMT, hgold....RemoveThis@mpcs.com (Howard Goldstein)
> wrote:
>
> >On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:12:27 -0700 (PDT), markdibley <markdib....RemoveThis@gmail.com> wrote:
> > : Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
> >Did you by chance forget to reconnect the four pin EPS cable?
>
> Thanks. I forgot to ask the obvious in my reply to the OP. However, it
> is still vitally important that he re-apply a suitable amount of new
> thermal paste before firing up the PC again.
>
> John Lewis

I have reconnected the 3 pin fan cable but I didn't have any paste so
I am relying on what is there (there is a very thin layer). I thought
this would be enough. I am surprised that it heats up and detects that
so quickly. It cuts out before the fan even starts to turn.

I am wondering if the fan is broken - if it is could this prevent
start up?

I am also going to try starting the machine without the cpu seated. I
should get error messages (apparently it talks to me) saying there is
no cpu. at the moment i get no beep or visual error message.

Thanks for your suggestions.

Mark
 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start 

Some pastes/themal pads change when they are heated so if you remove
the heatsink from the processor you also need to remove the paste.
Apply new paste and make sure it is a very thin layer. Read the
instructions.

Al


On Mon, 17 Mar 2008 05:27:31 -0700 (PDT), markdibley
<markdibley.DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:

>On 17 Mar, 04:31, john.....DeleteThis@verizon.net (John Lewis) wrote:
>> On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 23:33:08 GMT, hgold....DeleteThis@mpcs.com (Howard Goldstein)
>> wrote:
>>
>> >On Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:12:27 -0700 (PDT), markdibley <markdib....DeleteThis@gmail.com> wrote:
>> > : Any suggestions would be welcome.
>>
>> >Did you by chance forget to reconnect the four pin EPS cable?
>>
>> Thanks. I forgot to ask the obvious in my reply to the OP. However, it
>> is still vitally important that he re-apply a suitable amount of new
>> thermal paste before firing up the PC again.
>>
>> John Lewis
>
>I have reconnected the 3 pin fan cable but I didn't have any paste so
>I am relying on what is there (there is a very thin layer). I thought
>this would be enough. I am surprised that it heats up and detects that
>so quickly. It cuts out before the fan even starts to turn.
>
>I am wondering if the fan is broken - if it is could this prevent
>start up?
>
>I am also going to try starting the machine without the cpu seated. I
>should get error messages (apparently it talks to me) saying there is
>no cpu. at the moment i get no beep or visual error message.
>
>Thanks for your suggestions.
>
>Mark
 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start 

On Mar 16, 3:12 pm, markdibley <markdib... DeleteThis @gmail.com> wrote:
> Hello
>
> I wonder if anyon has any advice. I noticed my PC was running quite
> hot so I removed the fan and heatsink and noticed the paste was quite
> thin. I put it back together again while I planned to buy some paste
> or even a new, quieter fan. However, now the PC won't start at all. It
> is a P4P800 and the mobo light comes on and the fan turns for half a
> second and then stops. No drives start up or anything. When I try to
> switch on again even the fan won't turn, but will if I remove the
> power and reconnect.
>
> Does anyone have any advice or experience with this. I am sure there
> is power going to the board and everything has been reseated.
>
> Any suggestions would be welcome.
>
> Thanks
>
> Mark

Mark,

Make sure you've plugged the heatsink fan into the CPU_FAN Header on
the motherboard and not one of the other (CHA_FAN, PWR_FAN1, PWR_FAN2,
etc) fan headers.
 >> Stay informed about: Reseating CPU and now PC won't start