Urgent Help needed with silly (dead?) P4

[heythere!]

Hey,

I got this P4 in June from a friend, and put it in my computer. It worked OK, actually I didn't like it so much (noisy fan, average performance, the fact it was a P4 that I got in trade for a C2D.) Then in early August I got back a Core 2 Duo E4300 I had before and used it in place of the P4. I put the P4 in an ASUS P5LP-LE and left it down ever since. Today, I was thinking about building up a computer with those parts, I did, but after I press the power button, it comes on for like 10 seconds and then shuts down completely. No matter what, even if I go into the BIOS it cuts off. I tried everything, it doesn't work. It's not a problem with other parts. I put it in my current PC (Biostar T-Force 945P,) the same thing happens. Any ideas what's wrong? It was working when I last used it. Or did it die. If it died I'll really just break it and dismantle the fan and heatsink. Oh and no warranty.

 

[seanc]

Have you installed the heatsink and fan properly? What socket does this P4 use LGA775? Are any of the pins in the socket damaged?

 

[heythere!]

Yes, I think. I should try it again because I hadn't clamped down the fan, I just rested it on because it was temporary (as I was trying to solve a problem). I did that because I did the same with my Core 2 (not clamp the heatsink and fan) and it worked. Also it's a LGA 775 and I tried it on two different boards, both on which the C2D worked.

 

[kimsland]

Have a look at ArcticSilver Instructions
Here's some of the compounds there.
Also use isoprophyl alcohol to clean the CPU first

 

[heythere!]

But, I don't have Arctic Silver! Just stock. Also if I clean the CPU I'll have no more paste and the country I live in it's hard to get those nice things.

 

[CCT]

The key thing is to READ the instructions for application before fastening the heatsink. No matter what thermal paste you use, the AS instructions apply.

If you don't have an even, thin, layer of paste on the cpu/heatsink surface, you may get hot spots due to poor contact (the paste essentially just fills gaps and micro-scratches, you do not need LOTS of it).

It may be possible to re-spread the existing paste using some thin plastic on your finger tip (I use Saran Wrap and it works well to keep my finger oils off the surfaces).

 

[heythere!]

What instructions! My (weird) friend used it before me. He just gave me the processor assembled on a board, in a socket. It worked, then I put it down, in another board. And now, when I put on the board (or PC it was in) it just shuts down after ten seconds. Also, the paste is not even at all. Do you want me to upload some pictures? Thanks.

 

[CCT]

Um, in post #4 Kimsland gave you the link for Arctic Silver Instructions - thus, those would be the instructions.

I do not need pictures - I already explained one method to 'resmooth' your existing paste.

 

[heythere!]

I didn't use Arctic Silver. It is what came with it.

 

[heythere!]

Oh is Saran Wrap like Glad Wrap or something? I have no idea what it is.

 

[DaMak420]

Oh is Saran Wrap like Glad Wrap or something? I have no idea what it is.

Slow down!

Yes it is like glad wrap.

Scroll up... arctic silver is a thermal paste compound. Following those instructions, will work perfectly for *ANY* thermal paste compound.

It definately sounds like your heatsink isnt seated properly... in fact you mentiond that it wasn't as you were trying to fix something else.

The heatsink MUST be seated correctly for you to operate you computer. It will continue to shutdown, in order to protect itself.

if you must, *TRY* to reuse the thermal paste you have... but i would recommend cleaning off the cpu, and heatsink with rubbing alcohol(i would recommend 90% but I think as low as 80% is ok) and some q-tips. Then re-apply the new thermal paste and seat the heatsink.

What country are you in, that doesnt have thermal paste? IMO - its better to order some and wait a few days than to rush, and risk damaging/destroying your cpu.

 

[heythere!]

Slow down? I said urgent in my topic. After seating the heatsink properly, I had the same problem. I hope reusing the paste doesn't make me lose any. And I live in the Caribbean, worst place to find these things and my parents won't buy anything online, if I find anything on the ground they'd take a year to buy it. So buying new is out of the question, besides, what if it doesn't work still? That's a lot of wasted money that could have gone to my ASUS Striker Extreme II Mobo.

 

[DaMak420]

Should have been more clear..... I meant slow down, as in read the entire replies. it apeared you were skimming them, and missing the meat, the links to the directions, the reference to them more than once... etc. if not, my bad.

Thermal paste is relatively cheap, it would be an cheap guess and check, and it shouldnt cost much to ship either.

I am sorry your folks dont wanna order over the net! Good Luck!

 

[DaMak420]

Try one of these...... I know SOME are in the US... but maybe ur folks will let you do a phone order?
http://www.caribbeanyellowpages.com...+Supplies/mcid-21555/page-1/yellowsearch.html

or maybe one of these.

http://www.google.com/Top/Regional/.../Business_and_Economy/Computers_and_Internet/

Good Luck

 

[heythere!]

Thanks

Thanks everyone for your help. I just re-clamped the heatsink and it worked. Everything is working fine now.

 

[heythere!]

Aahh!!!

Aargh! It stopped working! Only when the Windows loading screen goes, it either gets a BlueScreen™ or it just restarts. However, I installed a fresh Windows on another HDD, and it is working! So it has gotta be a heat problem. The other Windows are probably SO bloated (and one is x64) they cause the stupid processor to overheat. Maybe I really need the thermal paste? But I can't get it! And I tried the smoothening, and the paste is hard as ever. Trying hard to smoothen makes the paste come off. I even tried taking from another, old processor and putting it on, but it didn't work. I am the point of giving up and cracking the processor in two, and pelting the fan all over the place, and putting the heatsink in the microwave. So, anything cheap or anything else I could do? I am

 

[kimsland]

Yes you need new HeatSink thermal paste

Old thermal paste won't work (umm you found that out I see)
Dry is bad!
Hard is bad!
Exposed to air for a few hours (sometimes even minutes) is bad!

Soooo
According to the above support replies (which will stop if you decide against taking the support on)
Clean the CPU and HeatSink (actually remove all the dust from everywhere too)
with alcohol (as mentioned earlier)

Then purchase new HeatSink Paste (do you actually get mail there?)
Also a support guy offered links to that

Put on a very small amount (I think my original links describe this in detail!)
And secure the HeatSink firmly down, and clamped.

There is nothing else to say!
Maybe give it to someone to do for you. (ie a 10yo, there pretty cluey these days)

 

[kimsland]

Also, the paste is not even at all. Do you want me to upload some pictures? Thanks.

Actually yes

Does it look similar to this:



Because that would be the problem, I suspect

 

[SNGX1275]

I did some housecleaning and reopened the thread because it doesn't appear based on the remaining posts that the problem ever got fully resolved.

If you guys take the thread back to the reason Julio closed it then I'll reclose it. Hopefully the tempbanstick won't have to be used.

 

[heythere!]

Yeah, I guess it was basically fixed, the only thing is time so yeah thanks everyone.