Questions about CPU socket retention

OK, I ordered a new mobo and an I5 4690. I got them both on the third. I installed the mobo and cpu in my case and no boot. After disassembling everything I noticed that there was obvious damage to the socket bending some of the pins. Here is a post about the issue. After RMA'ing the mobo to Gigabyte I was getting my stuff together in one place and looked at the CPU. What I see is that the sides of the CPU are indented? Is this normal? Because I am new to Intel, I can't tell if the indentions are supposed to happen by the retention bracket. It does not make sense, to me anyway, that I had damaged the socket pins by simply installing the CPU and yet the retention bracket made deep dents in the in the sides of the CPU. What do you think?

Meh I don't think it will harm a thing. Copper is pretty soft metal compared to the retention bracket...... But I don't think it'll harm anything.

The indents aren't really normal, but I don't think you have to worry bout' anything as long as the retention bracket holds the cpu in place and the processor doesn't move around as if it where loose.

I just looked at 2 of my cpu's and both have the same marks, so I would wager it's normal.

The retention bracket should hold the processor down by those metal tabs, not just at a singular point. It is hard to tell from the pictures, but how deep is the gash? Either way, I really doubt that is going to cause you issues. Worst case scenario is that you lose some mounting pressure within the socket.

Spawn-Inc said:

I just looked at 2 of my cpu's and both have the same marks, so I would wager it's normal.

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Thanks, I didn't know if it was normal or not, just seems that the socket may have been to tight and caused the pin damage. I still don't know what I did wrong to damage them. I just wanted to be sure that it was not an issue. Hopefully Gygabyte will replace the socket for me at a reasonable cost and I can get this rig up and running.

Stupid question, I know, but are you sure your CPU was made for the socket family board you were putting it in? The bent pins in the socket cause me concern in that regard.

trents said:

Stupid question, I know, but are you sure your CPU was made for the socket family board you were putting it in? The bent pins in the socket cause me concern in that regard.

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Assuming it was the z97x ud5h then yes they are the same socket.

Spawn-Inc said:

Assuming it was the z97x ud5h then yes they are the same socket.

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It is indeed the Z97x UD5H, an 1150 socket.

trents said:

Stupid question, I know, but are you sure your CPU was made for the socket family board you were putting it in? The bent pins in the socket cause me concern in that regard.

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Me to, that is why I was asking if the marks were usual on the CPU. I did install an H100I on the CPU, however it was looser than the AMD setup. I had actually dine a search on the H100I bracket being to loose and found that many folks had to add washers to the pins to make it tight enough for good contact. The H100I is the only thing that could have damaged the socket but I don't think that could have been it.

I straightened some of the pins and put the CPU back into the socket, not only did it re-bend some of the pins I had straightened but some pins broke off and more seemed to be bent afterwards. It is hard for me to accept that I caused the damage and have no idea how.

Yes, this is normal. I have LGA1155 and LGA1366 CPU's that are the same way, and have seen others with same markings.

The funny thing is I read about someone returning a CPU once because of these marks in the IHS, claiming the CPU was damaged because of these marks. This was after they had mounted the CPU, and they never even powered the PC on, just assumed the CPU was defective.