CPU Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Rick's Daily Tips

Q&A: What’s the safest way to straighten bent pins on a CPU?

Posted on March 28, 2017

Question from Byron J.: Hi Rick. I have a serious problem and I need your help.

I bought a new Intel Core i7-4790K CPU the other day to go in a gaming rig that I’m building.

I removed the CPU from the packaging and placed it on the table. As I was working I dropped a screwdriver on the CPU and bent several of the pins.

None of the pins are bent really bad, but I’m afraid I might break them off when I try to straighten them out. As you know, this is a very expensive CPU and I don’t think I’ll be able to return it if I break a pin off.

Can you tell me the best way to straighten bent CPU pins without breaking them off?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: What would prevent a home-built computer from powering up?

Posted on January 30, 2017

Question from Aaron P.: When my PC died I decided to build my own computer instead of buying one off the shelf to replace it.

This is a list of the parts I used in the build:

Sabertooth 990FX R2.0 Motherboard
Athlon X2 5200+ CPU
Kingston HyperX FURY 16GB RAM Kit
GeForce GTX 1050 Ti SC Gaming Video Card
2 Crucial MX300 1TB SSDs
Thermaltake Smart DPS G 750W 80Plus Gold Power Supply
Windows 10 Home Edition

After the parts arrived I put everything together but I can’t get it to power up. The screen stays blank and there are no beeps or sounds of any kind except for the case fans and PSU fan noise.

I’ve double-checked everything I know to check. Any ideas?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]

Q&A: Which is better, a PC with a faster CPU or one with more memory?

Posted on July 17, 2015

intel-core-i7-cpu Question from Eric B.: Rick, I’m getting ready to buy a new laptop for my son to use for his schoolwork, and I need some advice on a matter that is puzzling me.

I’ve narrowed down my choices to two models: One has a 2.2 Ghz CPU and 8GB of RAM. The other has a 2.4 Ghz CPU but 4 GB of RAM. Which of these laptops do you think will offer more bang for the buck given that the cost is virtually the same?

Rick’s answer: [Read more…]