Unable to properly seat cpu in socket? (motherboard, sounds, installation)

[walmill]

I am beyond frustrated right now.
New build
Motherboard:
https://www.newegg.com/msi-performan...pro-carbon-ac/
CPU: Ryzen 2700x

These are definitely compatible.

I’ve built PCs before so I’m not completely inexperienced but I still like to follow installation instructions because I never know when something unfamiliar will come up.

According to the instructions, the lever locking the CPU socket must be lifted then the Processor is placed in, and then the lever is pressed down again locking it into place.

I lift the lever.
I am lining up the arrow on the cpu with the arrow on the motherboard.
I place the processor. It “sets” itself into place in the socket.
Now comes the problem:
When I begin to press the lever down I meet a slight resistance and begin to hear a crunching sound.
Some of the pins have actually begun to bend. Very carefully, I straightened the bent pins back into place and reseated the cpu, verifying that it indeed was properly oriented and no debris was in the way.
Once again, I am met with grinding and resistance if I try locking the mechanism.
The processor “fits” if I place it on the socket after locking it, but of course, only being set on there it is not properly seated and locked.
I am obviously not incorrectly placing the processor based on this fact and the fact that the arrows are lined up.

Obviously I will be needing to call support for the motherboard and or the cpu but I am a bit apprehensive because my story seems too absurd to believe yet I am experiencing it. I will likely be told I don’t know what the hell im doing and have damaged the components as a result of my negligence.

Any suggestions ? Is there something else I’ve completely overlooked? Yes, any temporary plastic covers were removed from the processor and the socket.

[markjames68]

Odd.

Assuming you have no bent pins on the CPU, and you have everything lined up correctly, with the lever lifted, it's a matter of placing it in so it's seated (nothing sticking up) and then lowering the lever. There definitely will and should be resistance as it holds the CPU into place.

Bending pins tells me something's either wrong with the CPU, the motherboard socket or how you're placing it in.

When you look at the underside of the CPU you should see a few places where there are no pins - make sure the underside of the CPU lines up with those and isn't 180 degrees opposite (regardless of what the arrows say). But note there is a missing pin by the arrow compared to the other corners so it's pretty fool-proof.

[walmill]

Tinkered with it again this morning. Also tried different orientations, just in case I was hallucinating as to where the arrows/triangles on the chip and socket are. Was never able to get it in properly.
Pins are straight enough (did mention having to straighten some) but upon closer investigation I am seeing that the CPU is not fully seated in the socket and has just a small amount of corner to corner wiggle room.
I've ordered a new cheapo ryzen chip, to test if it will fit and run. Prime same day delivery for today.
After determining whether the problem is this processor or the motherboard I will proceed with returning this new test chip and exchanging the defective part.
Amazon has always had a great track record with me when it comes to returning products. I've verified I would be able to do an exchange, however, since it appears that everything is on back-order I wouldn't get the exchange until well into January.

[markjames68]

Originally Posted by walmill

Tinkered with it again this morning. Also tried different orientations, just in case I was hallucinating as to where the arrows/triangles on the chip and socket are. Was never able to get it in properly.
Pins are straight enough (did mention having to straighten some) but upon closer investigation I am seeing that the CPU is not fully seated in the socket and has just a small amount of corner to corner wiggle room.
I've ordered a new cheapo ryzen chip, to test if it will fit and run. Prime same day delivery for today.
After determining whether the problem is this processor or the motherboard I will proceed with returning this new test chip and exchanging the defective part.
Amazon has always had a great track record with me when it comes to returning products. I've verified I would be able to do an exchange, however, since it appears that everything is on back-order I wouldn't get the exchange until well into January.

Smart idea - you can make sure the board is OK without risking the expensive one first.

[walmill]

Got the new cpu with intergrated gfx today. Went to install it with high hopes. No success. What was happening that was different was that the cpu was actually getting warm. The previous one wasn’t. This to me indicates that at least the cpu is making some kind of connection.
Tried every troubleshooting trick I could think of to no avail so I called MSI tech support. Did troubleshooting via the phone. He was able to guide me to a set of LED lights. The Light next to the CPU was lit which indicated in his words “the motherboard is having trouble communicating with the processor”. A few more troubleshooting tests and some research on his end and he came back suggesting that the MB is likely the culprit and I should return/exchange it with amazon.

Unfortunately, this one also seems to be unavailable so I had to settle for a return/refund. A new (different) motherboard should be arriving tomorrow. I will hopefully have a positive update for this story tomorrow

[markjames68]

Definitely sounds like a bad board. It happens.

[Alec Solano]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VtH0EJRyAc

[walmill]

Misread the amazon purchase page and ended up receiving my item last night instead of the day before that. Installation went smoothly, cpu went in with no issues and was able to boot up right away. Nothing like the feeling of starting fresh with a brand new computer

[Listener2307]

Bummer of a problem.
There is NOTHING quite as frustrating as getting "compatible" parts which are not......

Lawnmowers, computers, automobiles - you name it, I have experienced the problem.
It'll make you crazy.