Scratch on the motherboard. Dropped screwdriver...
Scratch on the motherboard. Dropped screwdriver...
Hello, I’m working on a build and have usually handled this well, but this time my hand slipped while installing the CPU cooler. I think some metal is slightly exposed. The scratches appear over a large area, and the surface feels different from the rest. It’s located near the top heat sink, which isn’t familiar to me. Any suggestions?
It's acceptable for the purpose. To ensure lasting protection against corrosion, consider applying a protective layer such as nail polish or another sealant over the area.
That area looks like it's one big conductive fill. Sometimes PCB designers will use them like heatsinks. Since it's all connected anyway, there's little chance of it shorting anything. It doesn't look deep enough to reach the inner PCB layers, either. It should be fine. But if you want to, go for it! We don't judge.