kamikaze7

The motherboard I have shows a red light by the CPU when something is wrong with the CPU.
When I unscrew the heatsink/fan from the CPU seating and boot up, I don't get the red light, and the motherboard cycles through the codes on the LED display like it should.
When I screw the heatsink/fan to the retention bracket, however.. the red light comes on, and the code stays at FF.
I know for a fact that it's the seating of that heatsink/fan that's my problem. I guess I'm a noob at seating it. Either that, or it just can't be compatible with my motherboard.. but I don't think that would be it.

Think you guys could give me a pointer or two?

GoHigh

Umm... Never heard of heatsink causing bootup problems, but I guess there is first for everything. Am I to assume that you have already reset your BIOS after you've installed a new CPU? Are the fans connected to the CPU Fan header?

kamikaze7

Sorry, I'm new to system building, so I don't really know what else I should point out.
I did reset the BIOS. But, I took the CPU chip out from its seat. Should I reset it again?
And I'm not sure what you mean by the CPU fan header. The one fan on the heatsink is connected to the top of the heatsink, though.
And I think it's the way the heatsink is screwed in. The retention bracket is an x-pattern, and the screws have springs on them.. so maybe there's a lot of pressure or tension built up. And I don't really know how tight it should be, or what method I should go about screwing it in..

vwgti

Is there a pad on the backplate between mobo and bracket? If its just a metal bracket with no foam pad it could be shorting. You could also be tightening it down way too much.

Socom

FF means Fully Functional unless you have updated your bios (which I don't think you have), try not making the heatsink super tight, just snug.

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GoHigh

You can't really over screw them, unless you've modded the screws or retention system (AKA washer mod). Try using a stock heatsink, and see if it boots up.

One thing I can think of is that make sure your X-Bracket has a guard of some sort (usually a thin piece of plastic or foam) that will protect the back of the motherboard from making contact with the bare metal of the X-Bracket. It will short out your motherboard.

And when you take off the heatsink, am I to assume that the thermal grease or paste IS spreading on the CPU? I have heard of defective units that doesn't screw down all the way, therefore the heatsink doesn't make contact with the CPU, making the heatsink useless.

Also, unseat one of your memory sticks and try booting with just one.

The way that you screw the heatsink in is usually with a cross pattern, meaning screw one in first, go diagonal and screw the second one, and so on. Like a X.

kamikaze7

I think it's supposed to cycle past FF, though, it always does when the CPU isn't having a problem.
I had the computer booted up and running in the setup earlier, but temps climbed up to about 65 celsius and I shut it off, because it kept advancing in heat.. I cleaned off the top of the CPU and the heatsink, where it makes contact, then reapplied a small amount of thermal grease. Now I'm having trouble with re-seating the heatsink. I have no clue what the problem could be.
There's no pad between the bracket and the mobo, but if it shorted, wouldn't that mean my whole mobo and everything on it would be rendered useless? That didn't happen when I had it on before, so I didn't think it'd be a problem. Do you think I should put a foam pad between them anyway? I have a small square foam pad that my CPU was shipped with.
I also don't have a stock heatsink. I bought the CPU and the heatsink/fan used from a forum member.
The heatsink does screw down all the way. I spread the thermal grease myself, but only used one layer. I think some people use multiple layers..? Or am I wrong? Should I just put a blob of the thermal grease on the middle of the CPU and let the heatsink spread it itself?

NorthWoodPecker

Remember to tighten it in a diagonal pattern, to avoid tension build ups. - Like when tightening a wheel on a car for instance.

If there's springs on the screws, I would think you should tighten them so the springs are 1/3 compressed.

But make sure, as Vwgti states, that the bracket isn't shorting the mobo.

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kamikaze7

I'm paranoid about shorting the mobo now.
There are springs on the screws. How will I know if they're 1/3 compressed? Should I tighten one screw to where it's 'snug,' then move on to the next screw on the opposite side?
What can I put between the bracket and the mobo?

kamikaze7

I stuck a piece of foam between the mobo and the bracket. But I noticed the holes for the screws are elevated from the bracket itself, and that it the majority of the bracket doesn't touch the mobo, only the actual holes that slip into these slots designated for those holes.
I also did a little test with the tension on the screws.. I tightened two screws, opposite from each other (like one / of an 'X') and turned on the mobo. Got the red light, stayed at FF. Unscrewed one screw, left the other as tight as it was, turned it on again, and no red light, cycled past FF. Unscrewed the tight one to a reasonable tension, screwed the other screw to about the same, turned on, same result: no red light, cycled past FF. I guess I should do this with all four screws, but, won't that mean the heatsink won't have good enough contact with the CPU to actually serve its purpose?