Found some marks on the new CPU heatsink screws.
Found some marks on the new CPU heatsink screws.
Left a mark on the motherboard close to the CPU heatsink openings. Attempting to power on the PC caused the fan light to flicker briefly before the system failed to boot. The debug LEDs on the motherboard remain inactive. Note: My PC isn't turning on, only the front panel fan light briefly activates for a split second. This might be because of improper connections, but I want this noted.
It seems you've disturbed key signal or delay-sensitive traces connected to your RAM slots. Make sure they're not touching and that the RAM modules you're taking out won't interfere with the system.
It seems these two traces with longer scratches on the left have been damaged. You can attempt to separate them by gently scratching off a small portion using a needle or box cutter directly at the surface, being very careful and only at the top layer. This should prevent further harm beyond what has already occurred.
I don't think you're entirely confident about the method, would you? I can help create additional visuals to clarify whether those scratches are indeed shorted adjacent traces, showing the metal spreading and connecting them instead of just being reflections.
Use a tool to gently scrape a small amount between the highlighted traces. Ensure no conductive material is present. All green and yellow areas should remain intact, without deep cuts that could damage the traces. If you have a multimeter in continuity mode, lightly remove any protective coating over each trace and check for continuity. If no connection is found, apply solder using a soldering iron with flux to bridge the gap. After soldering, cover the cut sections with electrical tape or Kapton tape to prevent interference from external sources. Avoid touching them with standoffs or heatsinks.