Have I damaged my motherboard?

[JMFruitSalad]

hey forum, I tried posting this before but for some reason the page crashed and now I have to type this all over *sigh* today I tried installing a 3rd party cpu cooler, the CoolerMaster 212 plus onto my EVGA x58 motherboard. I wasnt sure how tight the nuts on the backplate should be so I just kept going untill I felt sum resistance, I didnt want to crack the motherboard but I thought tighter would be better then lose.

Anyway, once I had finished installing the backplate I went around to the front of the board and this is what the stand-off bolts looked like:

Im no expert in cooling solutions but even I can tell something is wrong with this picture, it looks like the bolts have literally churned up the silicon board, if that peice of real estate on the PCB serves any purpose (it looks like a fairly complex area between memory and central processor) then I think Im going to need a new board :| *sigh* does anyone have advice for me, shuld I even bother installing the rest of the cooler? thanks forum

 

[one30eight]

that is painful to look at!

 

[crucibelle]

Eep... that looks really bad! I'm just surprised that you didn't feel any "resistance" until the bolts were digging trenches into your mobo. At least you'll know what not to do next time.

 

[one30eight]

Is it brand new? Not that you could return it or anything, just wondering.

 

[JMFruitSalad]

yep.. brand new.. they really shuld supply some kind of "washers" to cushion between the bolt and the board.. first my new gtx480 was damaged in transit, fedex basicaly threw an elephent onto the box and now this.. Does anyone here think I shuld actually take the time to install the rest of the cooler, even if it booted I just know something is going to be very very wrong..

 

[one30eight]

I wouldn't. I am not sure what I would do, but it would not be connecting the rest of my parts to that board. I am not trying to make you feel bad or anything, but I have never seen a pic of that happening.

I was once bearing down on a screw on a DFI NF4 and the screw driver slipped and scratched a line about 1/2 an inch long. I could never get it to post and gave it to someone who thought they could fix it. Not sure if he ever did.

 

[SOSTrooper]

My condolences go out to you and your wallet.

 

[one30eight]

I just looked at the pic again... did you do that to all 4 of the holes??? If you did that to more than one of those holes I would sell off the parts you currently have, maybe see if you can get something from someone who could salvage some parts off of the x58 and buy a pre built system. Unless you have lots of cash to play around with.

 

[crucibelle]

I just looked at the pic again... did you do that to all 4 of the holes???

On that last pic OP posted, I see damage around at least 3 of the bolts. D:

 

[pcgeek11]

yep.. brand new.. they really shuld supply some kind of "washers" to cushion between the bolt and the board.. first my new gtx480 was damaged in transit, fedex basicaly threw an elephent onto the box and now this.. Does anyone here think I shuld actually take the time to install the rest of the cooler, even if it booted I just know something is going to be very very wrong..

That board is now " FruitSalad ". Buy a DELL.

 

[Martimus]

You can see the traces that you dug up. I am sorry to say but it looks like you may have done some irreperable damage to the board. Whether those traces were particularly important, or just extra ground lines, will decide whether it will work properly or not.

 

[daw123]

Holy sh*t. You will be very lucky if that motherboard still works. Its more than likely fubar.

Why aren't there rubber washers or something similar in the HSF retention mechanism kit to prevent this from happening? Seems like a very bad design to me, although I would have thought the OP would have realised something wrong, long before the nuts dug a deep furrow out of the motherboard.

 

[crucibelle]

Seems like a very bad design to me, although I would have thought the OP would have realised something wrong, long before the nuts dug a deep furrow out of the motherboard.

My thoughts, exactly. I think OP just got a little over-zealous with the tightening.

 

[Arsynic]

Damn, I could imagine how your heart sank when you saw that. I hope you're a rich motherf***er. A mishap like that would have set my build back a month.

 

[JMFruitSalad]

sooo.. does anyone want a used EVGA x58? :sneaky: Its GREAT for spares lol and yeh my heart did sink a bit, like most people on these forums ive been building my own computers for awhile now, but ive always used the stock cooler.. So I feel like a complete dumb ass D: I think the reason I didnt feel much resistance was because I used a wrench instead of the little hexagonal screw driver adapter, you would be surprised just how much you can keep turning with a wrench.. as I have proven here today..

R.I.P motherboard, you were black and shiny and brand new, taken away from us before you even had a chance to post :'( another month of saving and I can probly afford to replace you.. tbh im really anxious about trying this cooler again on a new board, im not sure I even want to anymore.

 

[crucibelle]

OP, everyone makes mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over it. As for the cooler, you could just try using some of those soft rubber washers next time. However, I can understand your reluctance to try the same cooler again. Take it easy, a month will pass before you know it.

 

[nitromullet]

sooo.. does anyone want a used EVGA x58? :sneaky: Its GREAT for spares lol and yeh my heart did sink a bit, like most people on these forums ive been building my own computers for awhile now, but ive always used the stock cooler.. So I feel like a complete dumb ass D: I think the reason I didnt feel much resistance was because I used a wrench instead of the little hexagonal screw driver adapter, you would be surprised just how much you can keep turning with a wrench.. as I have proven here today..

R.I.P motherboard, you were black and shiny and brand new, taken away from us before you even had a chance to post :'( another month of saving and I can probly afford to replace you.. tbh im really anxious about trying this cooler again on a new board, im not sure I even want to anymore.

Yes, that is your problem right there. If I have to use a tool, I usually just use a socket without the ratchet or small screwdriver. Finger tighten first, and then give it a quarter turn with the socket or screwdriver just to make sure it's snug.

OP, everyone makes mistakes. Don't beat yourself up over it. As for the cooler, you could just try using some of those soft rubber washers next time. However, I can understand your reluctance to try the same cooler again. Take it easy, a month will pass before you know it.

Yep, well said. We all make mistakes. Live and learn, right?

 

[blastingcap]

If it's any consolation, I think I did the same thing (with the same cooler no less!) to my old mobo. I didn't use a wrench, but I was overzealous in tightening things with a screwdriver. It was a cheaper AM3 DDR2 mobo but it still sucked, and I had to make an emergency trip to Fry's AND get new RAM since the only decent mobo I could find was DDR3, not DDR2.

 

[JMFruitSalad]

oh wow, perhaps I went for the wrong cooler? But the CoolerMaster 212 is sorta the benchmark for price/performance in aircoolers, as far as I know.. I took the board out today and tried removing the backplate, a chip actually FELL OFF the board and onto the ground :\ it isnt as bad as it looks once the bolts are removed, but nevertheless im still screwed.

The x58 SLI LE isnt sold anymore I dont think, they have the new FTW3 and Classified boards for MUCH more, about $500 in Australia. The exchange rate is 1AUD = 0.9901USD so we are almost at parity, MUCH better to ship from the US if you live here but since FedEx damaged my gtx480 im not so sure anymore..

 

[blastingcap]

The cooler is okay, just don't over-tighten it next time. It's working out fine with my new mobo.

oh wow, perhaps I went for the wrong cooler? But the CoolerMaster 212 is sorta the benchmark for price/performance in aircoolers, as far as I know.. I took the board out today and tried removing the backplate, a chip actually FELL OFF the board and onto the ground :\ it isnt as bad as it looks once the bolts are removed, but nevertheless im still screwed.

The x58 SLI LE isnt sold anymore I dont think, they have the new FTW3 and Classified boards for MUCH more, about $500 in Australia. The exchange rate is 1AUD = 0.9901USD so we are almost at parity, MUCH better to ship from the US if you live here but since FedEx damaged my gtx480 im not so sure anymore..

 

[CurseTheSky]

With the exception of motherboard standoffs and a few odd screws, "finger tight" is good enough for just about anything inside a computer. Unless you're taking something off (and even if you are in most cases), if you have to break out a screw driver with a bigger handle to get more torque or a wrench to hold something tight, something is VERY wrong.

I feel for you. I've made my share of mistakes, and it always sucks. But hey, you live and learn. At least something similar didn't happen to a brand new $20k car, right?

 

[0roo0roo]

Lol a wrench,...yea that'll do it.

 

[Arsynic]

With the exception of motherboard standoffs and a few odd screws, "finger tight" is good enough for just about anything inside a computer. Unless you're taking something off (and even if you are in most cases), if you have to break out a screw driver with a bigger handle to get more torque or a wrench to hold something tight, something is VERY wrong.

I feel for you. I've made my share of mistakes, and it always sucks. But hey, you live and learn. At least something similar didn't happen to a brand new $20k car, right?

Yeah, there's really no reason to overtighten screws on a motherboard. Hell, my H50 is really connected using only three screws. I had no choice because either I have one faulty screw or one faulty standoff where the screw just won't go all the way in. Let's just say the cooler is cooling just fine. It's hard pressed getting over 50C on load.

 

[one30eight]

Yeah, there's really no reason to overtighten screws on a motherboard. Hell, my H50 is really connected using only three screws. I had no choice because either I have one faulty screw or one faulty standoff where the screw just won't go all the way in. Let's just say the cooler is cooling just fine. It's hard pressed getting over 50C on load.

While you should not over tighten, neither should you do it half assed. - Abraham Lincoln

 

[JMFruitSalad]

Does anyone know if you can buy the backplate and mounting bolts seperately from the cooler?