AMD troubles

I just got a brand new load of parts in for a computer I'm building.

I ordered a Gigabyte GA-7N400-L1 Motherboard and a AMD Athlon XP 2500 Processor.
I just got done putting it all together but when I turn the power on I get five beeps then the computer shuts down. According to the manual it says its a CPU problem.

I hope I didn't ruin it but I might of:( when I installed the heatsink which is a Coolermaster HAC-V81 Skt A/7/370 Copper Core Fan on it.

Theres a little sticker that goes over the bottom of the heatsink, and you put the thermal paste on top of the sticker. I then put the heatsink with the thermal gel on top of the processor. After I received the beeps I took the heatsink off to check the processor, and there was some of the white paste on top of the processor a little bit below the four rubber plates on the corners whre the heat sink sits, and a little paste right in the middle of the processor around a chip that the heatsink also touches.

I guess my question is, is it alright for the paste to acutally be on the top of the processor?
I know some people are probably lauging at me right now, but I wanna make sure I didn't ruin it. I'm hopeing that maybe its just a bad processor that I can return for another one. Or maybe the socket on the motherboard is bad?

btw: it is a ZIF socket. I believe I put it in right because it slid right in with now assistance from me.

Quote:

---

you put the thermal paste on top of the sticker.

---

I believe that the sticker IS thermal compound.

Usually you peal off the sticker to expose a small amount of thermal compound which contacts the cpu. You only need apply additional compound if the cpu and heat-sink are seperated ... in that case you would gently scrape off the old, apply new, and re-seat.

Quote:

---

I guess my question is, is it alright for the paste to acutally be on the top of the processor?

---

probably not, but I have never seen it hurt it. You do not want the thermal compund anywhere except where the heat-sink and cpu meet; excess which spills over could actually act as a blanket and cause excess heat build-up.
just gently clean it off.

Unless you cracked the cpu when installing the heat-sink ( which is done frequently, and usually causeses some nasty smoke ) you would not notice a thermal problem immediatly upon turning it on, it would take some seconds.

Here are some links for cpu installation: Socket A AMD Processor and Heatsink Installation Guide and Processor and Heatsink Installation Videos

Did you remember to set the System Jumper (CLK_SW) to "on" which is the auto setting? ... default is "off" wich uses 100MHz instead of the 333MHz that that chip uses.

Also, make sure you read through the manual to get the correct bios settings ( I did not have time to go through them all )

Good luck, looks like a great combo.

I'm gonna double check the clk_sw, I haven't been able to get to the bios as the computer shuts off after five beeps. I'll try to scrape the the excess paste off of the processor gently.

I don't think its cracked, as there was no smoking, but I'll double check it when I work on it again today.

According to the directions that came witht the thermal paste , it said to choose teh correct template for the heatsink which I did, It said to put the sticker on the bottom of the heatsink, apply a little past and use a scraper that they give you to spread it over the sticker. You then remove the sticker which leaves you with a little sqare sticker in the middle of the heatsink.

I'll have a better look at it today because I didn't start working on it till midnight last night.

Thanks for your help.

Ok same problem still. I just got done cleaning off what I could of the gell from the top of the processory. I also took the tape off of the heatsink and cleaned any gel from that. I only used a plastic scraper that came witht the heatsink so I didn't scratch or damage the processor any. I didn't see any signs of cracking on the processor.

I put the heatsink back on the processor, and turned the computer back on, but still the same problem. Five beeps then the computer powers off.
Whats the chance that it might be a bad processor? I've put these things in before and have never had any trouble.


[update] I just swapped the processor out with another processor Athlon XP 2200, but I didn't do anything with this processor. I just put it in the slot and turned the computer on. I got the same problem. Five beeps then the computer shut off. Could this be a motherboard probelm instead of a CPU problem.? [/update]

With two different processors failing in it it is sure looking that way.

Just in case they screwed up the translation of the manual when converting to English, double check everything else; memory seating, etc. Maybe five beeps is really low power or low rpm on the case cooling fan or something like that. Would not be the first time.

bummer having problems like this

Sounds like a m/b or BIOS chip problem to me also. Double check the seating on your RAM, then consider sending back the m/b.

Already in the process of sending it back :)