If you have average technical skills, you can learn to tell if your PC has a bad CPU or if its problems stem from other causes. In most cases, a nonfunctional CPU will leave your computer completely unresponsive; in limited circumstances, the CPU may misbehave only on occasion. The CPU is the most active part of a PC, performing calculations and manipulating data at speeds up to billions of operations per second.
The CPU runs your favorite applications, such as media players, word processors and Web browsers, first loading them from the hard drive into memory, then executing the instructions that make up the software.
Without a properly functioning CPU, the computer cannot get data from the hard drive, display information on the screen or run any programs. A computer with a bad CPU won't go through the usual "boot-up" process when you turn the power on. You may hear the fans and disk drive running, but the screen may remain completely blank. The good news is that there are a few preventive measures you can take to protect your CPU from a power surge:.
You might be thinking, why bother troubleshooting a CPU if you can just replace it? While replacing a failing CPU is the most effective solution, you must figure out why it failed. If you note any symptoms of CPU overheating , then:. It could be that your CPU is fine and some other component is failing. CPU's are generally reliable computer components, but that doesn't mean you should completely neglect them. With a few precautionary measures, you can ensure that your CPU doesn't fail on you unexpectedly.
Some motherboards come with proprietary tools for taking temperature readings of your CPU. These are usually accessed via the BIOS and they have user-friendly interfaces for checking heat levels. If your motherboard doesn't have such a tool, then don't worry. You can use Core Temp and similar tools that are available for download online.
Certain heat monitoring software allows you to set temperature thresholds. Setting thresholds and notifications prevents you from having to manually check CPU temperature from time to time. As I mentioned previously, dust can inhibit fans and thereby reduce the system's cooling ability. Hence, I recommend cleaning out your PC once every few months.
Consider doing it more often if you've got a dust problem in your house. Liquid Coolers are much more effective at dissipating heat than air coolers. This is because water is a much better conductor of heat than air. Nowadays, you get all-in-one coolers as well which come with a fan as well as a liquid cooling block. Don't ever place your computer near a heat source, whether it's close to a window through which warm sunrays can sweep in, or a radiator.
Computers thrive in colder conditions because it delays heat buildup. As mentioned above, placing PC towers on the floor can restrict airflow and carpeting exacerbates the problem. Then remove the case cover to expose computer innards, get your user manual and proceed to figuring out if your processor is indeed damaged.
Plug your computer into an electrical outlet and turn it on. If electrical connections work and you can hear and see the CPU fan running but the computer will not boot, remove and reseat your processor to make sure its connections are tight. Although you should refer to your user manual for specific directions, most often this involves unclipping and removing the fan, and then unlatching and removing the processor. Inspect the CPU fan to make sure it is running and if necessary replace the fan.
Fan failure causes your CPU to overheat and your computer to randomly power down, and can result in permanent processor damage. In some cases, a power surge can also damage other appliances. A power line strike by lightning or a power outage are common reasons for an electric power surge.
Just like an electrical power surge, an unstable voltage can also harm your CPU. Several factors may be responsible for this. A cheap PSU can cause irregular voltage running through your system. It may also not be able to protect your other components from an eventual power surge, resulting, again, in permanent damage. One of the main jobs of the motherboard is to connect all your components so that they can communicate. It regulates current and voltage going through all your components, including the CPU.
As you can understand, a bad motherboard can, in certain instances cause other hardware to fail. Up to this point, we have mentioned a few of the common factors that can lead to CPU failure. We have already discussed how overheating can decrease the lifespan of a CPU.
Luckily, we can avoid this by monitoring the overall CPU temperatures. To do this, we can use a third-party app designed to check and monitor CPU temperatures. There are several applications on the web that can help monitor the CPU temperatures. Most of these are free to download.
It is a very lightweight tool. The application is easy to use. Once the app is running it should tell you right away your current CPU temperatures. Check the screenshot attached below for reference. One advantage of using this app is that it will also help monitor the temperatures of your other hardware, such as the motherboard, GPU, and hard drives. Most stock coolers should be able to do the job when it comes to maintaining low working temperatures for your CPU.
In a few instances, however, you may need a little more than that. You can use an aftermarket cooler if the stock one is not good enough for your needs. There is a wide choice of high quality and affordable air-coolers on the market that will help you not break the bank. These coolers have the advantage of being able to transfer heat more efficiently than air coolers.
They come in all forms and sizes but at a higher price tag. A lot of fans in your computer chassis mean more air is being moved in and out of it. This also results, inevitably, in dust entering your PC. Dust will usually find its way into those tight spaces usually found in your heatsinks and dust filters. Once it builds up, it will result in a restricted airflow which will lead to poor ventilation.
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