I just tried to change out my stock retail fan on my Athlon XP 3200+ with a Spire FalconRock II heatsink to get better temps (it was running mid 60's to low 70's C under load and mid 40's C idle). When I swapped the heatsinks, I cleaned the processor die and new heatsink using cleaner that I know works for processors (cleaned many of them in the past using it). I applied a T725 thermal pad that I bought at Micro Center, so I wouldn't screw anything up. I can't seem to put thermal grease on right - it gets everywhere. Anyway, on to my problem... When I attempted to boot the computer after the heatsink replacement, it went into the part of BIOS where it detects the processor and drives, and I got video just fine (a second or so into booting), then it rebooted about 7 times really fast (about two times a second). I cut it off fast, took off the heatsink, and everything looks fine. I cleaned it and put it back on with another pad, and now nothing works - it just runs the case fans and heatsink fan. I switched back to stock HSF, and it is the same. I tried the proc in another computer, and it won't work. I tried another proc in this computer, and it works. That means I fried the processor somehow. :swear: How did a new heatsink kill a processor when it was running fine? Anybody have any idea what happened? I would like to avoid frying another $150 processor, if possible. I don't think it's a thermal issue, as it only ran about a second. Is it possible the MSI motherboard I'm using shut the computer down repeatedly and restarted quickly until it popped something because the fan speed was too low on the new Falconrock II? I don't think MSI boards have FOC (fan off control), do they? Any ideas about what happened that can keep me from doing it again with the new 3200+ I'm buying will be appreciated...
it sounds to me mate that you have statisezed your processor becasue you might have not earthed yourself correctly. Make sure none of the pins are bent and give them a little spray with WD-40 of another electrical component contact cleaner. i dont think youve fried it mate i think its more static. buts lets hope it dirt. Post back hope this helps Dave :good:
Nope, that didn't do it (I tried cleaning the pins, and no change). It has no bent pins, and I was grounded the whole time.
