CPU Problem?

[armpit]

Well recently i pulled my CPU out of the mobo and cleaned everything up including the heatsink... when i replace it and boot up it starts up but only for 5 seconds then boom it powers it self off.... Everything is installed correctly.... Any ideas?

 

[halo71]

Did you reapply thermal paste?
What prompted you to remove it for cleaning in the first place?

 

[nickslick74]

Make sure the HSF is installed correctly and the power is also connected. Also, as halo71 mentioned, did you reapply thermal paste?

Yay, I made Booster!

 

[armpit]

umm what prompted me was about a pound of dust lodged in the heatsink and by removing the heatsink it exposed the very dusty/grimy CPU

 

[sllewe]

But did you reapply thermal paste?

BTW congrats Nickslick!!

 

[armpit]

nope...could that really be the problem though?

 

[halo71]

yes it very well could be the problem! The CPU and HSF may not be making good connection.

 

[nickslick74]

Oh yeah, that is the problem right there! Your cpu is overheating and tripping its thermal protection, causing the shut down after 5 seconds. You need thermal paste (or a thermal pad) to make good, non-conductive contact between the HSF and CPU. You can see what is happening without. You can get some at any local computer store or places like Best Buy or CompUSA.

You don't say if you have an AMD or Intel, but applying thermal paste is fairly simple. First make sure that both surfaces are clean. You can use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol to clean both. Then apply a small amount of thermal past on the center of the processor (about a grain of rice size drop) and no, more is not better. Place the HSF on the cpu in its correct orientation and fasten down.

Above all, make sure you are grounded when working with computer components!

If you have any question let us know.