While "helping" a friend upgrade his computer, we managed to break two pins off of the CPU. I've been looking around for a socket AM3 pinout, so we can determine if by some chance these pins aren't used for anything, but I can't find any such information. Does anyone have access or know where I can find a datasheet that would have this information? Any help is appreciated.

Could it potentially damage the motherboard if we try the CPU with these pins missing? If not, I think it would be worth trying anyway.

I doubt it would cook anything, but I'd be extremely shocked if the thing worked without a couple of pins.

Just reattach them with this

On a serious note though, you're unlikely to damage the MB, for AM3 sockets however the cpu is likely to be far cheaper than the MB so its probably a better idea to just get a new CPU rather than risking anything, (the odds that it will work properly without those pins is very small and the risk of damaging your MB is probably greater than 0)

I've seen very skilled electronics guys solder those pins back on, as crazy as that sounds. It may be worth something as parts, or you may be able to use it if you can find someone with such skills.

If you go the soldering route, get as fine and delicate soldering iron as possible. The connectors are not meant to be soldered directly (that's why there is the CPU socket on the MB), but as Promit says, it is possible. The job also requires a very steady hand, and experience in how the materials involved react to the heat - so if you're a beginner, forget it.

That said, the easiest way would be to just get a new CPU.

Computers could be more robust than one would think. A friend of mine was messing with his system and accidentally started it without a CPU heatsink. Apparently smoke was billowing before he realised the mistake. As he tells the story, he left it cool down, put a heatsink on top of the (blackened) CPU, and it has worked since.

I've always wondered why more systems don't go with a Pad-Pin-Pad setup. I've seen them in a handful of industrial designs, and they were amazing. Bend a pin on something important? Curse a little, toss the plastic pin array in a bin, climb down your ladder, and go grab a spare from the box.

With the ZIF sockets that have been used since the mid-90's, I'm surprised you would ever need enough force to bend or break the pins.

I'd take it as a learning experience and buy a new chip.

Maybe some pictures could help us determine? or it's may just me