PC Processors

[Sucsubot]

My computer recently stopped working, so I brought it to Best Buy and the diagnostic revealed that the pre-applied thermal paste hadn't been enough and it evaporated, causing the CPU to overheat and "fuse" to the heatsink. This led to the CPU being removed from the motherboard without unlocking the socket first.

So either from the CPU overheating or from it being removed without unlocking, the motherboard's CPU socket is now broken, confirmed by testing done with a test processor at Best Buy. AMD has already approved the RMA for the CPU, but the motherboard's manufacturer, Gigabyte, hasn't made any communication with me for over a week after the first RMA follow-up email, after I gave them the pictures of the motherboard they requested.

Since their faulty pre-applied thermal paste was the crux of the motherboard being broken, is there any chance AMD would compensate me for a replacement motherboard if I end up buying a new one?

[ScotchFury]

Can always try but if they did I'd be Suprised..

There's no harm in trying but I'm wondering how thermal paste or lack of has killed both.. seems unusual..

Should be able to slap a cooler on the CPU no paste at all and it may run a bit warm, even throttle due to high temps but should run etc. No worries just be down on performance.. 

I haven't & wouldn't recommend it.. but you may even get away with starting it with no cooler on the chip and it should just trigger the critical temp and turn off..?

Someone else might have more experience / idea with that..? But it takes a bit to overheat a CPU to the point of failure assuming those options haven't been disabled or altered ..

Again give them a try, it's Christmas.. you might get someone working there that's feeling charitable.. 

If you paid someone or it was a purchased as a complete system then whomever put it all together should be fixing / replacing it..

[Sucsubot]

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@ScotchFury wrote:

Can always try but if they did I'd be Suprised..

There's no harm in trying but I'm wondering how thermal paste or lack of has killed both.. seems unusual..

Should be able to slap a cooler on the CPU no paste at all and it may run a bit warm, even throttle due to high temps but should run etc. No worries just be down on performance.. 

I haven't & wouldn't recommend it.. but you may even get away with starting it with no cooler on the chip and it should just trigger the critical temp and turn off..?

Someone else might have more experience / idea with that..? But it takes a bit to overheat a CPU to the point of failure assuming those options haven't been disabled or altered ..

Again give them a try, it's Christmas.. you might get someone working there that's feeling charitable.. 

If you paid someone or it was a purchased as a complete system then whomever put it all together should be fixing / replacing it..

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Do you know the correct way to contact AMD for something like this? The only customer service options I can find on this website are specific and my question wouldn't really fall under them.

As for how the lack of thermal paste broke the motherboard, I'm not sure. I also thought that a CPU overheat automatically shut down the computer before any damage would be done, but Best Buy said otherwise.

[elstaci]

Yes, all processors will automatically shut down the computer if it overheats past a certain temperature to prevent damage.

I doubt that AMD will reimburse you for something they would considered to be Customer Error.  Whether it was due to lack of thermal paste or due to the thermal paste sticking to the CPU. 

It is up to the User to be able to find a way to remove the CPU Cooler, it they see it is glued to the CPU, without damaging the CPU or the motherboard.

What happened to you is very common so there are many articles and videos showing how to remove a stuck CPU Cooler to a CPU.

But you can always open an online AMD Service Request (Official AMD Support) from here: https://www.amd.com/en/support/contact-email-form

on the slide down menu pick Processors and then pick either Warranty or Technical Support.

[ScotchFury]

What model AMD chip was it out of curiosity..?

Not sure about your location / country..? But in AUS normally AMD, Intel, Asus etc. require you to return the product to the retailer / seller where they have a quick inspection and arrange the replacement or if questionable if covered arrange for it to be sent to the supplier for inspection and then advise if valid claim or if not provide details as to why they decline it...

Depending on what CPU..? Is it a cheap 3200G etc. Or a top end thread ripper? They may offer a replacement under good will possibly discounted replacement.

Key is to be polite and not get salad over but don't start demanding or threatening this or that as that will just make them dig their heels and offer nothing. 

[ScotchFury]

There should at least be a customer contact number for that area.  Be it US / Canada. Australia. Etc which should be able to advise their warranty process. 

Again here in Australia normally they require it to be lodge through  the retailer it was purchased from especially if basically a D.O.A Or failure within the first few weeks

[ScotchFury]

Go in to it with the expectation of nothing and if they play ball even a little chalk it up a win. Hopefully it wasn't some 2 grand 32 core monster because that would be painful.

YEARS ago while putting together a AMD Athlon dual core..? So long ago can't remember exactly which model but I forgot to remove the plastic peel off sheet they stuck to the top of the chips at the time. Everything else was put together right just had a thin layer of plastic between the CPU & cooler and that **bleep** fried near on Instantly.. 

Was the first & only CPU I've had die. 

Needless to say my Dad wasn't impressed that he was down an extra $350 or so to get another but wasn't too pissed as even with another CPU cost on the build it still came out $50 cheaper and higher spec'd than the prebuilt he had originally planned on.

Learnt a good lesson that day.. even if you've done a few builds if it's a socket type or unfamiliar build take a few minutes to glance at the instructions.. 

Was a stupid method having a white layer almost thermal paste in appearance with no big REMOVE FIRST or anything.. just plain white.. thankfully they moved away from that fairly quickly  ;-)

[elstaci]

Unfortunately that would be considered to be, in my opinion, Customer Error and not covered by Warranty.

It wasn't Gigabyte's fault that you improperly removed the CPU from the motherboard and damaged the socket.

You should have been careful when removing the CPU Cooler from the CPU. IF you saw that it was glued to the CPU then you should have found ways to unglue it without removing the CPU forcefully from the motherboard's CPU Socket.

You were lucky in that when you removed the CPU forcefully from the motherboard's socket you didn't bend or break any of the CPU's pins otherwise AMD would not cover your processor under Warranty anymore.

[benman2785]

mh, do you live in a desert and have no airconditioning?

what you write is HIGHLY UNLIKELY - in so many ways...

1. the CPU whould have to be constantly BSOD or freeze due to high temps
2. for the socket to melt you need maybe 180°C - i HIGHLY doubt that "no thermal paste" would bring a CPU that high - without frying the CPU or crashing anything
3. usually its the CPU die that breaks at high temps - not the socket

i suspect it is a production error of Gigabyte
i also suspect you run some hard AVX load without ANY cooler at all - because even with no thermalpaste at all it shouldnt reach 180°C (as PC would simply shut down before, or CPU would fry and shut down PC, or PC would freeze etc)

really - you are the first one i read this from, and that in 25 years of working and building PCs...

ps just for testing if BIOS flash worked i also sometimes apply no cooler and just boot into bios (and shut down fast after it) - but i NEVER fried my CPU or socket...

[benman2785]

or do you mean your CPU was stuck at the heatsink?

just TWIST (just some small rotation) the CPU Cooler a little when its still in the socket - this will free your Cooler from your CPU...

1st rule of PC building - NEVER use force
2nd rule of PC building - think before you use force

[Sucsubot]

Judging from the replies, I don't think I was clear enough in my original post. For clarification:

1. The whole troubleshooting process was conducted by the Best Buy Geek Squad, including the removal of the CPU. They did eventually get the cooler off of the CPU (only after they forcefully removed it from the motherboard).

2. The CPU's RMA request had already been accepted and the CPU has been shipped. My question is specifically about the motherboard, which I have been told was determined to be faulty after the Geek Squad tested it with a store used processor. And, what I said in my original post about the motherboard being faulty due to the CPU overheating or its forceful removal is just what I've been told by the employees at the Geek Squad.

3. I did not overclock or otherwise run the CPU outside of normal intended use.

[elstaci · Accepted solution]

If Best Buy GEEK Squad was the one that removed the CPU Cooler while stuck to the CPU and damaged the Motherboard then Best Buy is responsible to replace your Motherboard not AMD or Gigabyte.

The Geek Squad, in my opinion, doesn't train nor hire good techs. They were the ones that should have known the correct process in removing a stuck CPU Cooler to a CPU without damaging the CPU or Motherboard.

Best Buy was the one the made the Customer Error so they are the ones liable. The Geek Squad is just trying to cover themselves by blaming it on the motherboard manufacturer or AMD to avoid being responsible for their error.

[Sucsubot]

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@elstaci wrote:

If Best Buy GEEK Squad was the one that removed the CPU Cooler while stuck to the CPU and damaged the Motherboard then Best Buy is responsible to replace your Motherboard not AMD or Gigabyte.

The Geek Squad, in my opinion, doesn't train nor hire good techs. They were the ones that should have known the correct process in removing a stuck CPU Cooler to a CPU without damaging the CPU or Motherboard.

Best Buy was the one the made the Customer Error so they are the ones liable. The Geek Squad is just trying to cover themselves by blaming it on the motherboard manufacturer or AMD to avoid being responsible for their error.

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I do believe that the Geek Squad suggested I go the warranty route due to being out of stock of the CPU and motherboard at their location. But thank you for reminding me that getting compensation from Best Buy is an option, I think that's what I'll try to get if Gigabyte denies my request or still hasn't responded in the next day or so.