I knocked my pc off my desk....

py2006

....and now it doesn't work!

When I picked the pc up I noticed that the cpu fan had come off. I put it back on but now when I go to switch on my pc it wont work!

Well it switches on but it doesn't boot fully and then switches itself off!

Is it fecked?

Cuddlesworth

Does it start booting Windows then restart? If so odds are the cpu fan and heatsink are no longer making proper contact with the chip causing it to overheat.

MunsterCycling

Emmm how exactly did you manage that? LOL

No, it shouldn't be completely broken but you will have to get someone to take a look at it. Does it get to the POST/BIOS screen? if it can get there then you should be fine. If the PC won't POST then open it and reseat the RAM, re-attach the processor fan (you will need some new thermal compound, ensure you clean off the old) and give a check over, then try to boot it again.

Good Luck, hope it starts.


MC

py2006

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Does it start booting Windows then restart? If so odds are the cpu fan and heatsink are no longer making proper contact with the chip causing it to overheat.

Yea it starts to boot windows but only gets so far then shuts off!

Actually before this problem it would always reboot itself after I switch it on. It would start up and do nothing for about 5 mins then restart itself and boot up fine!

But now I have this prob, is there anything I can do?

py2006

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Emmm how exactly did you manage that? LOL

No, it shouldn't be completely broken but you will have to get someone to take a look at it. Does it get to the POST/BIOS screen? if it can get there then you should be fine. If the PC won't POST then open it and reseat the RAM, re-attach the processor fan (you will need some new thermal compound, ensure you clean off the old) and give a check over, then try to boot it again.

Good Luck, hope it starts.


MC

I arrived home drunk last night and fell over!!


Yea it does get to the bios, I even get the message saying that windows didn't start up properly and give me the option to start up in safe mode etc!

Cuddlesworth

You need to remove the fan and heatsink underneath it. Re-attach it making sure it is properly clamped down and making full contact with the cpu. Its not difficult to do, just make sure your pc is unplugged when you do it.

Cuddlesworth

MunsterCycling wrote: »

you will need some new thermal compound

Why, what do you think happened to the old thermal compound?

py2006

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

You need to remove the fan and heatsink underneath it. Re-attach it making sure it is properly clamped down and making full contact with the cpu. Its not difficult to do, just make sure your pc is unplugged when you do it.

Well the fan comes off easily, whats the heatsink? When I take off the fan, there is just the clamp that closes over the processor?

MunsterCycling

Thermal compound is a one use item, you should replace the thermal compound anytime you remove the heatsink. Is it just the fan that fell off or did the heatsink come off to?

MC

Cuddlesworth

py2006 wrote: »

Well the fan comes off easily, whats the heatsink? When I take off the fan, there is just the clamp that closes over the processor?

We should differentiate here, the fan is just plastic. The heatsink is made of metal, normally with fins that air can move through and a metal base. Should have some thermal paste(white/gray gunk on it).

Cuddlesworth

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Thermal compound is a one use item, you should replace the thermal compound anytime you remove the heatsink. MC

If you want to be anal about it then yeah you should. But like most things, most of the time you can make do. It's not that important, since the paste remains in place and when it heats up it will mold back to the heatsink.

MunsterCycling

True true.

MC

py2006

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

We should differentiate here, the fan is just plastic. The heatsink is made of metal, normally with fins that air can move through and a metal base. Should have some thermal paste(white/gray gunk on it).

Ah righ ok, yea the fan and heatsink came off together

Cuddlesworth

py2006 wrote: »

Ah righ ok, yea the fan and heatsink came off together

cool, now what you want to make sure of is that it gets put back on properly good and tight. When you boot up press the button for the bios and look around for the pc temperature. Its should be obvious in one of the menus, normally labelled something like pc health/status. At that stage the most you should really be seeing is 40-45 degrees tops.

If you are sure its on properly and its showing a higher temp then that at bios you will need to reapply thermal paste as Munster cycle said. That will require you to buy some if your not a pc builder.

the_syco

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

If you are sure its on properly and its showing a higher temp then that at bios you will need to reapply thermal paste as Munster cycle said. That will require you to buy some if your not a pc builder.

Termal Paste can be gotten in Peats (Parnell St) or in Maplins (nearby) for under a tenner. A dab of the stuff, but not the whole tube, yeah.

py2006

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

cool, now what you want to make sure of is that it gets put back on properly good and tight. When you boot up press the button for the bios and look around for the pc temperature. Its should be obvious in one of the menus, normally labelled something like pc health/status. At that stage the most you should really be seeing is 40-45 degrees tops.

If you are sure its on properly and its showing a higher temp then that at bios you will need to reapply thermal paste as Munster cycle said. That will require you to buy some if your not a pc builder.

Ah right thanks, I think I have some paste somewhere in the house! If not where would I be able to buy it?

py2006

the_syco wrote: »

Termal Paste can be gotten in Peats (Parnell St) or in Maplins (nearby) for under a tenner. A dab of the stuff, but not the whole tube, yeah.

Ah ok cheers for that, what makes you think Maplins is nearby??

Soundman

syco just meant that Maplins is nearby to Peats, which is based on Parnell Street.

py2006

Thanks guys! It seems to be working now!

It kinda got worse so I took the fan and heatsink out and had to try to wiggle it back in as the pins were a bit bent out of shape!

It eventually went in and now seems to be up and running.

Gadgetman496

py2006 wrote: »

Thanks guys! It seems to be working now!

It kinda got worse so I took the fan and heatsink out and had to try to wiggle it back in as the pins were a bit bent out of shape!

It eventually went in and now seems to be up and running.

So you mean the processor came out too? :eek:

-

MunsterCycling

gadgetman496 wrote: »

So you mean the processor came out too? :eek:

-

Did a proper job he did!!!
lol

Glad you got it back working, just keep an eye on your temps over the next few weeks so that it doesn't fry itself.

MC

py2006

MunsterCycling wrote: »

Did a proper job he did!!!
lol

Glad you got it back working, just keep an eye on your temps over the next few weeks so that it doesn't fry itself.

MC

Ok just had a look at the temps, should I be worried?

CPU Temp = 82 degrees
System Temp = 35 degrees

MunsterCycling

System temp is fine, that cpu temp is, well, a tad high. I'd dig out the thermal compound before the blue smoke arrives.

Forgot to ask what processor this was: AMD / Intel etc?

py2006

MunsterCycling wrote: »

System temp is fine, that cpu temp is, well, a tad high. I'd dig out the thermal compound before the blue smoke arrives.

Forgot to ask what processor this was: AMD / Intel etc?

Its an Intel processor. I must buy some thermal compound!

Adam

py2006 wrote: »

Its an Intel processor. I must buy some thermal compound!

Fantastic! Like a wondrous rags to riches story!

You defeintely need to get yourself some thermal paste, that's a very high temperature, particularly for an Intel I believe. Best to leave the thing off until you're able to finish the repair!