so with the holidays i was able to purchase all my components. Im opening up the motherboard box, a msi z77a g45, when i noticed tears in the antistatic bag. There was no cushioning on either of the large sides of the mobo, so it got tossed around. I wiggle one of the heatsinks, and its loose. I can easily fix it by tightening the mounting screws, but im afraid ill short out the mobo. Should i ground myself and use the ole metallic tools or should I buy plastic tools?
thanks and happy holidays.
mobo:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130687
message edited by thatnewguy
I assume it comes without a cpu heatsink as per the pic, below:
https://www.fcomputer.dk/images/0x0…
Hard to tell, but the chipset sink may only be held by clips and spring pressure, the others (if that’s what they are) around the edge of the boards ; difficult to see from the pic how they’re fixed.
Nothing to rattle around on there that I can see, unless they included and loosely attached a cpu sink.
Probably no need for the extra support you suggest, assuming it came in the original MSI packaging.
If you are unduly concerned and suspect damage, send it back. Otherwise no harm in giving a heatsink screw a tweak if that’s what’s needed and your observation is correct..
Such an operation wouldn’t normally warrant a surgical approach. Just take the usual care, as you would in handling any mobo, graphics card or RAM.