My core i7 processor scratched, should I be worrying?

Hey guys, yesterday when I removed the heat sink off the processor, I noticed that it has a few scratches on the side and the center. It looks like an uneven surface of the heat sink pressed very hard on to the processor die and caused the damage. Now the problem is, should I be worrying about the scratches and will it causes the processor to die faster?

As you can see clearly, there's one whole line of scratches and one deep scratch in the center.
HD shot below.

 

Bumping up and down now.

 

Could you post a picture? I think I know what you're saying, but it's hard to tell.

 

Are you using ICD 7? If yes, the scratches are normal.

 

I will get those pictures up when I get back my camera. The scratches were quite deep for such a small processor die. I can no longer see the mirror-like surface from the processor. Should I be calling Dell about this?

 

I wasn't using ICD7, I used thermalfusion 400 and It wasn't just light surface scratching. It was like uneven surface from the heat sink pressed deep down to the processor and I can actually see the shape matching the heat sink.

 

Are you sure, you removed the thermal paste residue completely? Just curious, as it's highly unlikely that you could scratch the crystal that much with the heatsink.

 

I am pretty sure it was completely cleaned. I think I will call up Dell again.

 

Is there a chance to see a pic?

 

Yes, a pic please. I've never seen a processor scratched by the heatsink.

 

I just got back my camera. So, the pictures coming soon. Stay tuned.

 

Bumping! I got the pictures in the first post. Check it out guys.

 

wow, your heatsink looks like a surface of a hockey game - that by itself is not good as it does not have good contact with the CPU surface which causes higher temperatures.
As for the CPU, the picture is not in focus so it's hard for me to say anything really. If i were you i would definitely contact dell about it and demand a new CPU and heatsink.

 

Yeah, the heat sink looks like it has been to hell and back. I will upload another better shot for the processor.

 

I've uploaded another closer look at the processor. Check it out guys.

 

If it isn't cauing any problems with performance and temperatures then I don't think it's a problem.

 

So far it runs ok. But I haven't done anything hardcore yet. Just some light gaming and stuffs. Do you think the scratches can shorten the lifespan of the processor? I do not want it to fail after my warranty ends.

 

I honestly can't answer that for you. If you are very concerned then I would call dell to explain the situation but they in turn may ask why you were opening up and messing with the cpu. If it was me I would run OCCT and stress it out now to find its temperature range and you can keep track of fluctuations as time goes on. Since the heatsink and cpu have scratches, I recommend a single drop of high quality thermal paste like MX-3 or OCZ Freeze on the CPU and then press the heatsink firmly onto the CPU (lining up the holes to the screws as best you can). Hope this helps.

 

They don't look deep enough to damage anything, its just the outer casing, the scratches shouldn't of damaged the actual processor.

 

That isn't exactly true. Desktop CPUs do have a outer casing of copper covered with zinc (or was it AL? Pretty sure it's zinc) that protects the actual CPU die. On a laptop CPU the die is exposed, likely for better thermal managment, and can suffer from damage and failure if handled roughly.

Basically the gist of it is, be careful lol.

 

Ohhh, I thought they were the same as desktops when it comes to things like that. My mistake

 

I don't know if they were always made like this but I believe all or most modern laptop CPUs have exposed dies. I've read people lapping (for those who don't know, lapping is sanding the casing down to the copper for a smooth finish) their laptop CPUs so I believe there are some out there that do use "protection" lol.

 

Point is, you'll never get maximum heat conductivity with such a scratched heatsink and cpu. i'd push for a change.

 

The only way contacting Dell will work successfully is proving there is a problem through Windows. Telling them you removed the processor will void your warranty. Scratches on the die are not an issue, thermal paste is there to help with the imperfections.

 

^^Speaks the truth.

 

I know i'd contact dell and say my temperatures are high. No way thermal paste can compensate that much so there wouldn't be a difference between a cleanly polished CPU and heatsink surfaces and this case.

 

If the high temps don't work, try telling him the last LED(i think its the scroll lock) is Blinking. It happened to my system, and the tech said, it meant there was something wrong with the CPU.

 

Thanks for all the advices. I am stuck in between asking Dell for a replacement or not. So far it didn't show any sign of overheating or problem. But I am just afraid it will happens after some time. Like you said, they can void my warranty blaming that I did the damage but I can also make up a story to force the change, so, do you think it is worth the hassle? I really wish to know such scratches would actually do any damage to the processor? Even just minor damage?

 

I have a theory. I had a friend once who used a flat-head screwdriver to scrape off a thermal pad and this is almost exactly what it looked like when he was done... Makes you wonder huh?

 

Well, to be honest, I use only micro fibre cloth together with isopropyl alcohol to clean the heat sink and the processor and I notice all these scratches the first time I opened it up as I saw my temp was quite high for idling ( 61c to 65c ). After I applied the paste, the temp went down to 40c to 50c. So, do you think I should call up Dell and tell them about this issue?

 

See what your temps under load are-if they're fine, then it shouldn't be a problem.

 

I just ran the Intel Burn Test from some guru website. The temp went up to 85. I think it is normal but I am not feeling happy with such a scratched up heat sink ( it definitely looks refurbished or even used ) and a damaged processor all in under an over 2 grand machine. In fact, I have no excuses to explain why I opened it up and they can end up blaming me and void my warranty.

 

Try and get them to change the system, but do not say you opened up the system!

 

I bet what I can do is, call them up and make up a nice story telling them that my system went bad and so on... But the truth is, it is not. It still runs great. And now I think I should keep an eye on the temp every time I use it.

 

well, i just ran Intel Burn Test too (my cpu is the same as yours) and the hottest core went to 75 degrees max. Just and FYI, because i don't know how an M15x handles cooling vs m17x....

 

That doesn't sound good to me. I guess, I really should spend some time making up a story.

 

The M17x has the less spectacular cooling system, not that it isn't great already, but since everything (the components) is hidden under the keyboard instead of exposed at the bottom like the M15x, things heat up a little more.

Also, when comparing, you can't throw out temps like that without including your ambient too lol...just saying.

 

True. I will do like a few hours of burn test and see how it goes.

 

you are right, my ambient temp is around 24-25C.

 

Thanks mfractal. Hope I didn't come off snobby lol. I like info to be thorough.

Waiting on Alienewbie's ambient now.

 

don't worry about it villosa, you were right, and i corrected myself.

 

Alright, my ambient is 25c. Now I just set up the burn test to run 50 times with maximum stress level and 8 threads. Let's see how that cooling goes.

 

i made it run 5 times with 8 threads, with very high stress level.

 

So far I think it runs ok. Max temp is 81 now. Ambient went up to 26. I think I will run the test for the whole day, and may be I should go out for a break since today is Sunday. LOL! Damn! I shouldn't have changed the paste as I would be happier if I didn't notice it.

 

Dang, that looks bad. Did you get the advanced warranty? If you did just back up your data, pour some coffee on it, throw it down a flight of stairs, let a dog chew on it, leave it in a thunder storm, light it on fire, take a turd on it, drop a 20 inch CRT monitor on it, rip of all the keys, stab it a few times, hide it in a stack of boards for a karate guy to break, use it has a bottle rocket launch pad, and then ask for a new one. (Don't do all of these things, just your favorite two or three)