Did I screw up my computer?
 

I took apart an old PC and wanted to clean the fan and the heat sink (if that's what that metal thing is called) and the processor was glued to the sink, but I accidentally un-glued it, then put it back and now the PC won't start. It powers up and the CD ROM, mouse, keaybeard, etc. all blink, but nothing comes up on the screen, so I guess the processor it isn't working?

Not a biggy, but I want to know if I should keep trying to fix it or simply take the HD and use it with another PC?

The thing that got un-glued is square and has like hundred tiny pins, which go into another square thingy (on the motherboard) with a hundred tiny holes.... I might take a few pictures if I decide to take it apart one more time....

that 'glue' = probably cool paste.
that square thing = processor.

how exactly did you 'clean' it?

what exactly do you mean by "un-glued"? Nothing in the pc is glued. If you mean the heatsink on the cpu it was probably just thermal paste. Of course, without seeing exactly what you're talking about it's hard to say what happened. If you took the cpu out and put it back in the wrong way you may have bent/broken pins on the cpu. The square "thingy" is the cpu. Also, make sure that the heatsink is seated properly on the cpu. If not, your pc will not boot properly or at all.

It's the CPU you are talking about and the glue is paste, so unless you went and washed the CPU in soap or with water, I'd get some new paste - add it and apply it.

The paste is used to connect the CPU to the heat sink, if you are lucky, your CPU didn't fry and just shut down the computer cause it can get instantly overheated w.o. the paste.

All depends on the type and how you cleant it.

I cleaned the dust off the fan and the heat sink, nothing else.

The processor was stuck to the heat sink and I took the two apart; then I put them back exactly as they were supposed to be, so on pins were damaged, etc. but the heatsink is now simply "sitting" on top of the processor and not "glued" as it was before. So, everything is the same as before apart from the processor and the heatsink being "stuck" together, yet the PC is not booting up.

Not to be an ass but you have no business using anything more than a can of compressed air. If you want to save it, take it to a shop.

Like Markul said, if you are lucky then the processor is shutting itself off to prevent overheating, you'll need to clean off all the "glue" and reapply thermal paste (the glue) to see if the processor is still working.

I have five or six old PC (just like the one that I allegedly butchered) that I haven't touched in more than a year; I just wanted some files from the HD and I am trying to figure out what would be easier - fixing this one or moving the HD to another one....

Move the HD to the other machine. Its quick and easy. Radio Shack sells heat sink paste.

Just move the hard drive to another computer. If it's an IDE hard drive set it to slave, plug it in, boot up your pc and once in windows you can just grab the files from the old hard drive and move them to the newer one. It's very simple actually.

On a closer inspection, I did damage the pins - one broken and a few bent, so it's time for plan B....

I kind of figure that it would be that.. Plan B is now the only option.

wtf? you used a crowbar to get the thing out or something? those pins are not that easy to break.... :1orglaugh

:1orglaugh:1orglaugh

love when retards work on computers

Next time if you want to clean one up just use a clean paint brush and a can of air. Like someone else said if it is IDE (not SATA with typically a small red wire) then set the little jumper on the end to slave and plug the IDE ribbon cable into an open slot on your destination PC (with the PC unplugged) and then connect it to the power supply. An alternative route would be getting an external hard drive enclosure for about $30 and you just slide the old drive in and connect externally to a USB port. Static is your enemy when working on a computer so don't scoot your feet around on the carpet while wearing socks.

paintbrush sounds like a bad idea, it will probably create static which could damage the electronics... :2 cents:

:1orglaugh:2 cents:

moron................................

I've never had a problem with it in years. It is good to get in the crevices of the heatsink on a really gunked up one. Usually air alone is fine unless you smoke or have cats.