Comments on: Fixing a processor with a broken pin

By: Andre

Andre — Sun, 05 Feb 2017 14:01:08 +0000

Hello.. had this too! In fact a blunt needle with a diameter 20% larger than the pin is the best tool especially on desktop chips where the pin(s) are further apart and longer.
It also works for patching up damaged LGAxxxx boards where replacement usually needs an identical board *AND* a new install of windows/reactivation.
Fixing them when they have broken off is very hard but the second attempt (Phenom x4) worked well enough as 8 of the broken pins were replaced.
2 more failed elsewhere so this CPU is probably ruined but it was a useful exercise.

By: Harry

Harry — Sun, 14 Jul 2013 11:06:11 +0000

While rebuilding an old PC with a friend yesterday, my friend quite literally dropped the CPU into the motherboard socket. We turned the system on and got the message ‘no signal’. I pulled the CPU out and 10 pins were bent. I spent and hour bending them back and on the last one it snapped off and went missing. We took it up to PC world, and they could not fix it for us. So, we got drastic, and found some uninsulated copper wire. We cut it to the correct length of the original pin, and dropped it into the corresponding socket on the motherboard. I carefully replaced the CPU and shorted the boot pins on the motherboard, and to our suprise, it booted into windows. We had never been so pleased to see Windows XP 🙂

By: Eddie

Eddie — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 22:24:46 +0000

break of a pin from an old VGA cable and drop it into the socket in exact position where the CPU is missing the pin
I just broke a pin from an AM2 socket CPU. I fixed the problem by inserting a small piece of thin wire in the socket where the missing pin goes. The pin in question was AJ31/MEMDATA[53]. According to MemTest86 and Windows Memory Diagnostic memory is accessed normally.

By: Jack

Jack — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:42:49 +0000

I broke a pin on my Phenom 9500 CPU!
I didn’t even know it was broken..!
If I had memory in the second memory channel the system wouldn’t post..!
I disassembled my CPU in order to send the broken (or so I thought broken) MOBO back to NewEgg and discovered a bent pin on the bottom of the processor!
Sure enough, it was MEMDATA53.. almost certain that pin controls the memory channel!
Tried bending it back into place a broke it 🙁

By: Mike

Mike — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:57:59 +0000

That’s all well and good for a broken pin, but what about a bunch of bent pins? The more I try to straighten one, another becomes bent. Is it worth the trouble to try again, and if so with what tool?

David says:
The pins don’t have to be completely straight. If you insert the CPU gently, the corresponding holes in the socket should guide the pins.
I used a very fine (micro) screw driver and kept looking from all four sides to make sure the pins were all lined up. In my case one pin was broken and four were bent and had to be straightened.
Is it worth it? That depends on the price of the CPU and your budget. For me it was very much worth it!
good luck