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How to Fix Bent CPU Pins

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  1. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Assess the damage: step 1, image 1 of 2 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Assess the damage: step 1, image 2 of 2
    • Assess the damage and the amount of bent pins by gripping the CPU by the edges and peering down the straight rows of pins to check for abnormalities.

    • Hold the CPU gently and be careful not to bend more pins accidentally with your fingers.

    • Check each row—from both directions—so you have a good idea of which areas you need to work on. For example, look down the pins north to south as well as east to west.

  2. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Insert the blade between two rows: step 2, image 1 of 2 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Insert the blade between two rows: step 2, image 2 of 2
    • A conventional trapezoidal utility razor blade (like one you would find in a box cutter) fits perfectly between the rows of pins. The thickness of the blade matches the necessary gap between the rows.

    • Don't push down into the substrate with the blade, as this could mar the surface.

    • Gently slide the utility blade between two rows of pins.

    • If bent pins block the blade's path, gently bend them upright using the sharp corner of the blade, going one at a time.

    I like to use a pocket knife blade. It’s stiffer and you get better control (the razor blade is more flexible at the pointy end. Also the knife handle allows better control over force as you are rotating, rather than levering.

    Martin Doehring - Reply

  3. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Begin to straighten the pins: step 3, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Begin to straighten the pins: step 3, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Begin to straighten the pins: step 3, image 3 of 3
    • Once the blade can make it down a full row, tilt the blade side to side to straighten the pins on each flanking row.

    • This motion doesn't require too much force, and should only be used to bend each pin row slightly.

  4. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Straighten pins in the opposite direction: step 4, image 1 of 2 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Straighten pins in the opposite direction: step 4, image 2 of 2
    • Once pins in a row are straight in one direction, they won't necessarily be straight in the other direction.

    • Rotate the CPU 90˚ and slide the blade down a row in the opposite direction.

    • As you push the blade along the row, rock it back and forth, straightening pins along the way.

  5. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Work on hard pins: step 5, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Work on hard pins: step 5, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Work on hard pins: step 5, image 3 of 3
    Tool used on this step:
    Tweezers
    $3.99
    Buy
    • If any pins are severely bent, you may need to use a pair of sharp angled tweezers to coax them up to an angle where they can be accessed by the utility blade as you work your way down the row.

    • If you're really in a pinch, you can modify a pair of tweezers to have a slightly curled tip.

    • If you don't have any tweezers handy, you can empty the lead out of a 0.5 mm mechanical pencil and slip the empty tip over a pin, using the pencil body to bend the pin back up into place.

    • Be careful using too much force—the long pencil body will give you more leverage than you realize.

    I actually have a device designed for single pin that is very similar to the mechanical pencil, My problem is that it has such a long lever arm that it’s easy to apply too much force, If using that, grab the pencil as close to the chip as comfortable for better control of force and distance.

    Martin Doehring - Reply

  6. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Repeat until the pins are mostly straight: step 6, image 1 of 1
    • Repeat the last four steps until all rows are as straight as possible.

    • Caution: CPU pins are extremely fragile, and although malleable, can only be bent a finite number of times before they easily break.

  7. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lift the socket locking arm: step 7, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lift the socket locking arm: step 7, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lift the socket locking arm: step 7, image 3 of 3
    • On your motherboard, lift the socket locking arm out around the locking clip and up to its vertical position.

  8. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Match the small triangles: step 8, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Match the small triangles: step 8, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Match the small triangles: step 8, image 3 of 3
    • Match the corner of the CPU with a gold triangle to the corner of the motherboard socket that also has a triangle.

    • Grip the CPU by its edges and align it over the socket.

    Ich weiß noch nicht ob die CPU funktioniert . Aber die Anleitung ist wirklich gut Habe das unter einer beleuchteten Lupe gemacht .Die Pins waren an den Ecken verbogen. ( Ebay Transport ? ) FĂ€llt wie von selbst in den Sockel und kann verriegelt werden . Danke

    Thomas Schwartmann - Reply

  9. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lower the CPU into the socket: step 9, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lower the CPU into the socket: step 9, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Lower the CPU into the socket: step 9, image 3 of 3
    • Lower the CPU into the socket, ensuring that all pins fall into their matching holes.

    • The pins do not have to be perfectly straight for this to happen, but they have to be close.

    • The CPU should fall into the socket without any pressure. Do not push the CPU into the socket.

    • If the pins don't find their holes immediately, or if only one side goes in, remove the CPU and check its pins again.

    • When installed correctly, the CPU will sit flush with the edges of the socket. There shouldn't be any gaps.

  10. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Close the locking tab: step 10, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Close the locking tab: step 10, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Close the locking tab: step 10, image 3 of 3
    • Once the pins on your CPU are straight enough to allow it to be installed into the socket, close the locking arm by pulling it down, around the locking tab.

  11. How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Open and close the locking tab: step 11, image 1 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Open and close the locking tab: step 11, image 2 of 3 How to Fix Bent CPU Pins, Open and close the locking tab: step 11, image 3 of 3
    • Without touching the CPU, repeat the locking/unlocking process on the socket four to five more times.

    • When the socket is locked into place, it "grips" the pins, further aligning and straightening them.

    • That's it! Close the socket's locking arm and proceed with your PC build.

    My pins are on the motherboard! 😭😂

    Steve Dave - Reply

Finish Line

23 other people completed this guide.

Carsten Frauenheim

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14 Comments

Thanks so much!

julie breland - Reply

Ce tutoriel est aussi valable pour les sockets Intel Ă  “matrice de pastilles” (Land Grid Array) sauf que dans le cas d’un socket LGA les pins Ă  relever seront sur le socket plutĂŽt que sur le processeur, mais le principe est le mĂȘme, j’ai pu sauver une carte mĂšre avec un socket LGA 1155 comme ça.

Exemple de socket LGA ou les pins sont bien visibles : https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...

Les pins sur les sockets sont trĂšs petits, mais avec une pincette de prĂ©cision (visible dans ce tutoriel) comme celle d’iFixit c’est faisable.

Brendan - Reply

It's a valuable guide for those who get into trouble with bent CPU pins.

I have encountered and dealt with such a problem several times. It's not an easy task.

This guide gives readers the knowledge and tool to fix the struggle problem. Especially, step-by-step instruction with clear photos will encourage readers to overcome the problem.

Hsien-Ching Chung - Reply

Thank U :) I’ll fix it.

Klaus Hyr Hansen - Reply

using a razor blade is brilliant. worked perfectly

Silas McCord - Reply

Life saving fixit! thank you!

Jim Mac - Reply

Worked 30 years ago on the first 386 I built and worked last week on a Ryzen 5600g that I dropped. All be best fixes for high-tech screw-ups involve low-tech ingenuity.

Bryan Brooks - Reply

Thank you so much!

Andrew Wilt - Reply

gerade zwei ryzen cpu vom neffen erfolgreich gerade gebogen, 1000 dank!

Riz Vienna - Reply

15 min to 2 hours 650 pins and 6 hours later

Wyatt Langholz - Reply

I'm too scared to do it myself.. are pins easily broken?

María José Ravioli - Reply

Thank you for this brillient idea of using a blade, it's actually does work

RiGgWe1rB - Reply

This helped so much thank god I was able to save my CPU

charlie malelo - Reply

first try cpu wouldn't fall in but turned out a few of the pins were bent, tried to straighten and thought they were pretty straight but still no go on falling in. A real bummer

NerdyMom - Reply

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