Hi, my friend recently was cleaning the inside of his computer and decided to remove the heat sink to dust it, as he was removing the heatsink, the CPU processor that is attached to the Heat Sink with the paste was also removed. We didnt think much of it until we put them back in there place and turned on the computer, when we did that, the computer did not work at all, it gave a blank screen. Can someone give advice on what we can do? Thank you all so much.

He has an Emachines W3510 Computer

Oh and I forgot to mention, when we saw that the CPU was attached to the heatsink we removed the CPU from the heatsink and cleaned the area around the heatsink from all the paste, we didnt remove the paste that was on the CPU connecting to the Heat Sink. Thanks all.

Ouch!

Most CPUs have retention clips to keep the chip in place beneath the heatsink. Strange that one wouldn't.

That being said most CPUs have a keyed corner that needs to be aligned with the socket. In other words they cannot just sit in the socket in any old direction. There is only one way they are meant to sit.

About all you can do is take it out again and first off look at the pins closely to see that there is no damage. Do not touch the pins. Check the CPU and the socket for markings that would indicate the proper alignment.

Also you do want to clean off the old thermal grease and apply new.

Hopefully there is no pin damage.

Hi, thank you so much for the advice, when my friend accidentaly removed the CPU with the heatsink, he noticed some pins were bent slightly, he went ahead and straightened them up, you think it could be the bent pins? I will tell him to check the CPU and socket for markings that would indicate the proper alignment and tell him about the thermal paste

If there is a problem with the CPU, can we buy another CPU processor or you think we should get a new motherboard with a processor together? Thanks a bunch!

you think it could be the bent pins

Ouch! again.

Most certainly.

Might as well try in the proper alignment. Sorry I cannot be more precise but this depends on the CPU type and the socket type. Many Intel have a little diagonal cut out in one corner that matches the same symbol on the socket.

Unfortunately I would think the hopes are not very good for recovery after bent pins but might as well try.

If there is a problem with the CPU, can we buy another CPU processor or you think we should get a new motherboard with a processor together? Thanks a bunch!

Sure you can buy a new CPU. I would not replace a motherboard in an eMachine computer. If you want to start from scratch that is where I would go. New everything. But if you want the old eMachine to work then a new CPU (make sure it is compatible) would work. You might need to reinstall Windows after changing.

Thank you very much for the help jephree, I hope we can fix it without buying another CPU, but if need be than so shall it be thanks again!

No problem. Let us know how it goes.

okay tomorrow Im going to his house and try to fix it again and see how it goes, if nothing happens than were going to order the CPU and thermal glue and see if it will work then. I will give an update within 5 days, promise!

Although they do make Thermal Glue this is not what you want. That stuff is a permanent GLUE!

You want Thermal Paste. Artic Silver is a leading brand.

Many packages of CPUs will have a generic tube as well.

Here is an example of an Intel 775 socket alignment: