> Crushing the processor? If you manage that, you didn't read the instructions. The only time I've seen bent pins is when someone didn't read. I've never even h

> Crushing the processor? If you manage that, you didn't read the instructions. The only time I've seen bent pins is when someone didn't read. I've never even heard of "crushing" a CPU while installing it. Last time this happened was back in the Athlon days were CPUs had no heat-spreader, so you could literally chip the edge off the chip by setting the heat sink down on it with an angle. Needless to say, most of the silicon in a CPU is actually needed for it to work :) (For the record - it actually needed a decent bit of force) This doesn't happen with mobile CPUs, which don't have heat-spreaders either, because their cooling units are much, much lighter compared to the coolers of the Athlon era. IIRC there were also some problems with high-end after-market coolers and Skylake (which lowered mounting force tolerance due to a thinner interposer PCB), but it was publicized quickly and manufacturers reacted as well.