Delidded cpus: What is Delidding? | Custom PC Builds

What is Delidding? | Custom PC Builds

So, in this article we are going to cover what is delidding of a CPU and its core benefits.

Firstly, anyone who wants a high-quality, personalized PC should consider building their own computer. The process of choosing your own parts and putting everything together lets you have complete control over the end result. It also helps you achieve processing speed and core temperatures that you can’t find in pre-built boxes. 

For example, you can’t find a delidded CPU anywhere on the major commercial market. However, delidding your CPU can help keep temperatures down more effectively. It is considered risky to sell, so most companies simply don’t. If you want to take your liquid-cooled PC to the next level, delidding is the step to take. 

What Is Delidding? 

Delidding your CPU is the process of taking the Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) off of the board. An IHS is a thin copper plate that’s connected to the CPU at each individual microprocessor. It’s designed to keep these single microprocessors on the CPU from potentially overheating and melting things. Instead, the IHS absorbs heat from unusually hot microprocessors and distributes it over a wider area. 

When you delid your CPU, you take the IHS off. This helps you cool the CPU with a liquid system more effectively. Instead of the slow heat transfer from the IHS, you can directly absorb the heat into the cooling system. 

Benefits of Delidding

There are several benefits that you get from delidding a CPU. 

• Overclocking the CPU is easier when it can be cooled more efficiently
• Even non-overclocked CPUs will stay cooler
• Delidding offers the chance to replace inefficient or thick thermal interface materials. 
• Even if you end up leaving the IHS, the process of delidding lets you investigate your CPU’s component parts. 

Delidding isn’t an essential part of building a PC, but it can help you maximize your performance.

How to Delid a CPU

Essentially, you need to very carefully remove the IHS from the CPU. There are two methods: cutting and pushing. Both can be done well, but if you aren’t careful, both can also ruin your CPU. 

Cutting the IHS off of the CPU must be done with a very sharp tool, like a naked razor blade. This is the riskier of the two methods. It takes precisions to separate the glue and the IHS from the CPU. It’s also easy to scratch the CPU if you have unsteady hands. It’s a good choice if you have patience and you don’t want to get specialized equipment. 

On the other hand, you can also use a vice to push the IHS off the chip. By carefully lining up the vice so that one side of the vice touches the IHS, and the other touches the CPU. Then, by slowly and carefully tightening the vice, you put pressure on the glue, until the IHS pops free. 

Of course, delidding a mediocre CPU will not make it a better piece of equipment. Getting better equipment will make the delidding process more effective. Modifying a good piece of equipment yields higher dividends than trying to fix a poor-quality item. Making an investment in quality parts upfront is always your best bet. 

For the best quality & best prices on PC parts, shop with Spartan Liquid Cooling today!

How to Delid Your Processor and Why it’s Worth It

Ah delidding, that old terrifying procedure for CPU overclocking that’s usually only recommended for the elite. For the uninitiated, delidding is the act of separating the integrated heat spreader (IHS) from the top of your processor, and then replacing the stock thermal paste the manufacturer has used, with something a little more premium, usually liquid metal or a better thermal paste.

Once upon a time it used to be quite a terrifying process, involving all sorts of razor blades and clamps, and a myriad of techniques to carefully slice apart your processor from the IHS, hopefully without damaging the silicon underneath (or yourself for that matter).

For the longest time it was rarely ever worth it. As temps on the high end parts remained resolutely below that 70 degrees Celsius mark, even with the weakest of aftermarket coolers, the big question was: “why bother?” Hell, even when overclocking, it was rare to see temperatures shoot past 75-85 degrees before you hit your silicon limits, especially with a decent AIO cooler.

That was then, and this is now, and as the core wars continue to rage between Intel and AMD, both battling for multi-threaded supremacy, thread counts and operating temperatures have begun to skyrocket, especially for those companies sticking to the traditional manufacturing processes they were used to (aka non-soldered chips).

With that, It’s not uncommon to see an Intel Core i7-8700K peak at 75 degrees Celsius when under load, regardless of overclocks. And although the company has taken steps to solder some of its high end parts (the 9000 series and Core i9-9980XE respectively), for those still stuck on the last generation Coffee Lake, or harboring a Skylake-X HEDT chip, delidding offers substantial improvements to both a superior overclocking experience, and far lower temperatures across the board.

Don’t believe us? Check out our own testing below.

Intel Core i9-7900X — Temperature Testing

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Idle	Prime95 Burn Test	Prime95 Maximum FPU Heat Test	CineBench R15 Multi-threaded Test	3DMark: Fire Strike CPU Physics Test	3DMark: Time Spy CPU Physics Test
Factory @ Stock	31°	51°	62°	64°	61°	60°
Factory @ 4.4 GHz	30°	68°	DNF	80°	78°	77°
Delidded @ Stock	23°	40°	55°	55°	55°	53°
Delidded @ 4. 4 GHz	27°	53°	84°	67°	64°	65°

Our test bed consisted of an Asus X299 Prime Deluxe, 32GB (4x8GB) of Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. Our Intel Core i9-7900X was clocked at 4.4 GHz across all 10 cores at 1.2V when overclocked. All figures measured in Celsius.

Intel Core i7-8086K — Performance Testing

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CineBench R15 Multi-threaded Test (Celsius)	CineBench R15 Multi-threaded Test (Index)	CineBench R15 Single-threaded Test (Score)	CPU VCore Voltage (Volts)	Maximum All Core Clock Frequency (GHz)
Stock	78°	212	1,446	Auto	4. 3
Overclocked	97°	224	1,682	1.36	5.2
Overclocked & Delidded	83°	233	1,753	1.48	5.4

Our test bed consisted of an Asus Maximus XI Formula, 32GB (2x16GB) of G.Skill Trident Z DDR4, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. Our Intel Core i7-8086K, was pushed to 1.48v on an overclocking test, not something we’d recommend for day-to-day running, just to demonstrate temperature delta.

Delidding Today

As more and more enthusiasts delve into the murky world of delidding their favorite processors, manufacturers have gone out of their way to make the procedure far simpler, and safer than it was in the past. With affordable delidding kits now available for purchase for anything from an AMD Ryzen 3 2200G, all the way up to a Skylake-X Core i9-7980XE and beyond, it really is an accessible tweak, even you can do at home.

And all of that, is what we’re going to show you. However, we must warn you in advance, that delidding absolutely invalidates your warranty, and still does come with an element of risk.

For our demonstration we’re going to be using Der8auer’s Delid Die Mate 2 (Intel LGA1151), and Delid Die Mate-X (Intel 2011-3) delidding kits, available from CaseKing in Germany, Overclockers in the UK, and Amazon.com in the US.

What You’re Going to Need

• Delidding Tool ($43, £30 for Delid Die Mate, or $102, £80 for Delid Die Mate-X)
• Liquid Metal or Thermal Paste (We recommend Thermal Grizzly Conductonaut, or Noctua’s NT-h2)
• Alcohol Wipes or 99% Proof Isopropyl Alcohol
• Thermal Paste Spreader
• Heatproof Glue
• Microfiber Cloth

Delidding A Coffee Lake Processor

First up on the block today is one of Intel’s 1151 Coffee Lake processors. We’re going to be using the Intel Core i3-8350K for our demonstration chip. It’s a fairly well rounded processor, not too dissimilar from the old i5s of Kaby Lake and prior. Although it doesn’t come with a Turbo, or hyper-threading, it’s a fairly sound gaming processor, or overclocking chip for any budget tinkerer.

For this guide we’re going to be showing you how to replace the thermal paste between the chip and the IHS with some of Noctua’s NT-h2 TIM instead. The paste Intel use is typically of poor quality, and with this you can expect to see temperature improvements ranging from 3 to 5 degrees Celsius, dependent on overclock, and load application.

Liquid-metal is the far superior alternative (one we’ll be showcasing later), but it comes with an added risk factor as it’s conductive, so any spillage on the side of the PCB can cause irreparable damage to the processor. As you can see from our charts above, you can effectively reduce your temps using liquid-metal from anywhere between 8 and 15 degrees Celsius on average, again dependent on clock-speed and workload. So let’s get started.

1. Unboxing The Delid Die Mate 2

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The first thing you’ll want to do is unbox and disassemble your Delid Die Mate 2 delidding tool. In the package, you should find a small CPU retaining holder, a sliding block that fits in it that sits snug against the IHS, a hex bolt, a washer for the bolt, an allen key, and a clamp.

Take all of this apart, and get a good understanding of just how this works.

Once that’s done, you simply need to drop the processor into the device. To do this, line up the gold triangle on the bottom left corner of the CPU, with the triangle marking on the delidding tool. Much like you would install a processor into a CPU socket.

2. Removing the IHS

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Once that’s done, carefully slide the top IHS remover into the device. There’s two rails along the top of the CPU retaining holder that it slides into, once in, make sure the screw thread and the hole in the retaining holder line up.

Then you can secure it in place using the included hex bolt, making sure to keep the washer on the outside of the Delid Die Mate 2. You can do this by hand, and keep going until you can no longer turn it.

Once you get this far, you’ll then need to use the allen key to pull the IHS remover closer. This will push the IHS off the top of the processor. This does require a bit of force, and can be a touch nerve wracking, as it may make a noise as you do this, but you’ll slowly see the IHS move off of the chip.

3. Cleanup and Paste Application

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Once that’s done, undo the bolt, and remove the IHS remover from the device, you should now be able to see that the heat spreader has cleanly slid off of the processor. Carefully take the IHS off of the chip, and remove the processor from the device.

The IHS is the vast majority of a processor’s weight, so be careful when picking the CPU up out of the device.

Once out use an alcohol wipe, or a microfiber cloth and isopropyl alcohol to clean off both the processor and the heat spreader of Intel’s thermal paste. Once that’s done, you can apply your own thermal paste to the chip. To do this, apply a small dot of paste in the middle of the silicon, and then spread it, either with a paste spreader, or an old business card or credit card you no longer use. Make sure you’re using non-conductive thermal paste, that way it doesn’t matter too much if you make a mess, and some spills out onto the green PCB. We’

Once that’s done, we recommend cleaning up the IHS of all of the glue that stuck it down to the chip to begin with. We’ll be adding a fresh layer anyway, but by removing the glue residue from the IHS we’ll be reducing the total height between the heatspreader and the silicon, and improving thermal performance. I personally use a finger nail to do this, although you can do it with a sharp edged blade.

4. Securing Down the IHS

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At this point you have two options. You can, just place the processor into a motherboard socket, carefully put the IHS back down on top, and then use the motherboard’s socket bracket to secure the assembly into position, or alternatively glue the IHS back down and clamp it, so you can swap it in and out of motherboards without worrying later on.

We like to glue ours back down. To do this we recommend you pick up a heatproof and waterproof adhesive. What you’ll want to do here is simply apply a small amount of glue along the remaining glue traces on the CPU itself. Once that’s done, we can reattach the IHS.

It’s important here that you orient the IHS the correct way round. To do this locate the gold triangle on the processor, then make sure it’s aligned with the bottom left of the IHS’s text. Simply drop the heatspreader into position, on top of the glue traces. If you don’t get it right first time don’t worry, simply lift it off and try again, or nudge the IHS into the position using your fingers.

5. Curing

Once that’s done, take the clamp mechanism and carefully maneuver it into position above the CPU. There’s a cut out notch located on the bottom of the Delid Die Mate 2 that the clamp will sit in. Once here, tighten the clamp until it puts pressure on the processor.

In an ideal world, we recommend you leave the glue to cure for 24 hours, just to make sure the glue is set, however you can probably get away with 2-3 hours at a push.

Delidding A Skylake-X Processor and Liquid Metal

Now that we’ve got the Core i3-8350K done, we’ll show you how to delid the slightly more complex Skylake-X series, including how to apply liquid-metal to it as well. You can apply liquid-metal to both, but it is slightly more troublesome to work with than thermal paste, purely due to its conductive nature.

Skylake-X presents a number of challenges when it comes to delidding, the majority of which stems around the fact it features a raised RFID chip, on top of the processor, outside of the IHS, meaning if you knock it off, that’s game over.

Because of that you’ll need another specialist delidding tool (in our case Der8auer’s Delid Die Mate-X), which does cost around twice as much as the standard tool, however it’s designed to ensure you won’t knock the RFID chip off when you begin to move the IHS off of the processor. We’ll also be using Thermal Grizzly’s Conductonaut liquid metal as our thermal interface material.

1. Delidding the CPU

Image 1 of 4

The Delid Die Mate-X is a far gnarlier looking beast than what we used before on the LGA1151 processor, and it’s all thanks to that little RFID chip located on the corner of each and every Skylake-X processor(something Broadwell-X lacked). Like the Delid Die Mate 2 kit, the X comes with a delidding tool (now one whole unit), a clamp to secure the IHS back down, and an allen key to tighten it.

As with the Delid Die Mate 2, you’ll want to place the chip in the correct way. To do this, locate the golden triangle on the corner of the processor, and line it up with the white marked triangle inside of the Delid Die Mate-X.

Once it’s in, hand tighten the hex bolt until the IHS remover makes contact with the IHS itself.

Now for the scary bit. Unlike Coffee Lake parts, because the IHS is far bigger, it does require some force to loosen the heat spreader off of the processor. Insert the allen key and rotate it until you feel a large click. This will signify the release of the heat spreader from the processor. Loosen the hex bolt and check to see if you can remove the IHS by hand. If it’s still stuck in place, tighten the bolt again and apply slightly more force, moving the IHS until you can pick it up.

2. Clean Up and Liquid Metal Application

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Once you’re done, lift the processor out of the Delid Die Mate-X and get to work cleaning it up. You can either use alcohol wipes or isopropyl alcohol and a micofiber cloth to do this. Once that’s done, it’s a good idea to clean off the remaining glue from the IHS, again either use a finger nail, or a sharp blade.

To apply the liquid-metal, you’re going to want to attach the hypodermic needle end to the syringe, then carefully push out a small drop of it onto the silicon itself. You don’t want too much here, as a small amount covers a surprisingly large area, and as this is conductive any spillages onto the PCB are  going to signal bad news.

If you push too much out onto the silicon, use the syringe to pull the excess back up into it. Start out with as little as you can, you can always add more later. Once you’ve got what you think is enough, use the included cotton bud sticks to carefully spread it across the silicon.

3. Reattaching the IHS

Image 1 of 2

Once that’s done, using waterproof adhesive, place a line of glue across all of the black glue tracks on the CPU, then carefully place the processor back into the Delid Die Mate-X. Once that’s wrapped up, you can then place the heat spreader back onto the top of the CPU.

To make sure it’s correctly aligned, notice that the top of the spreader has to make way for the RFID chip we mentioned earlier. So it’s a little shorter than the bottom part of the IHS. It’s also worth noting that the golden triangle once again goes on the bottom left of the device, with the text starting from the top left.

After that, it’s simply a case of applying the clamp to the device, and carefully pushing pressure back down on to the IHS to secure it into place. Again we recommend 24 hours, but 2-3 hours should be good enough if you’re in a hurry.

Conclusion

And there you have it, two intel processors successfully delidded, with their thermal interface materials reapplied.

Is it worth it though? Well that really depends on your needs and tolerance for risk. If you own an older CPU that doesn’t use solder TIM (any Intel before 9th Gen) and you’re into overclocking or just prefer a quieter, cooler stock operation, delidding can make a significant difference. However, if you don’t need top-of-the-line performance and thermals, delidding may not be worth the cost and the possibility of damaging your CPU.

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As Associate Editor of Tom’s Hardware’s prestigous British division, Zak specializes in system building, case reviews and peripherals, and has a particular penchant for liquid-cooling. He’s also a lover of all things Viking/Scandinavian (thus the poor attempt at a beard).

Signs of a broken processor and how to prevent them

The central processing unit (CPU), also known as the processor, is considered the heart of a computer system. Despite what the title of this post says, it’s very rare for a CPU to fail, and if it does, there’s nothing the average user can do about it, anyway. This post is intended to educate the user on things to look out for rather than specific steps to get a failed processor working again. nine0003

In this post, we will cover the following topics:
1. Processor failure symptoms
2. Processor Failure Causes
3. How to troubleshoot a processor failure
4. How to prevent a processor failure

Processor failure symptoms

By design, modern computers will not boot to the operating system unless a critical component, the processor, is working. In other words, the normal boot process cannot be completed because the POST or Power-On self-test will indicate that a critical component is missing from the system. Other components such as fans, hard drive, and motherboard in general will continue to work, but the boot process will eventually end with a blue screen of death error. However, there are other observable symptoms before and during a CPU crash that you should be aware of. Knowing them will help you identify the problem faster and reduce downtime. nine0003

Overheating just before shutting down the PC

If you notice that your computer had locked instances before the final crash, you should consider a bad processor. It may have overheated, causing the system to shut down automatically to prevent further damage. The processor has a built-in fan that keeps it cool, but if the fan fails for any reason, the processor may temporarily overheat. This is one of the reasons why you should check and clean all fans on your computer once a year. Sometimes dust can clog the cooler. If your processor suffers from frequent overheating, consider cleaning its fan first. If that doesn’t work, check your BIOS to see if you have a way to lower its RPM. This can have a significant impact on performance,

Be aware that prolonged overheating can permanently damage the processor. If you are 100% sure that the processor is overheating (some motherboards have diagnostic tools that allow you to monitor the temperature of the processor), find a way to lower the temperature or consult an expert on how to fix it.

Self test detected hardware failure

As mentioned above, your computer is performing a self test (POST) to check if all peripherals are working or not. If the test detects that the processor is not working, the boot process will be aborted and the motherboard will beep. The beeps are actually codes that help the technician identify the problem, so count the number of beeps. You can then search Google for what the beep code means. nine0003

Charred motherboard or processor

Severe overheating can leave a charred mark on both the motherboard and the processor itself. Try removing the motherboard from and disconnecting the processor to see if this is the case (steps below). If the overheating was severe, the processor could be permanently damaged. In this case, there is nothing you can do about it. Just replace it and get on with your life. Depending on the damage, the motherboard may also be rendered useless, so make sure you troubleshoot the motherboard afterwards. nine0003

Causes of processor failure

Like any other electronic component, the processor can burn out for simple reasons. Below are the items that you should minimize in the system if you want to prolong the life of the processor.

Heat . A running processor generates heat, but if the heat level is outside the normal threshold, the processor can burn out from it. Again, never underestimate the power of coolers. There is a reason why good cooling systems are expensive. If possible, place the computer in an air-conditioned room so that heat build-up becomes slow. nine0003

Aging . Some processors can outlive all other components, but in most cases, you can expect an older processor to simply fail at any time. If you have an older system (over 5 years old), the processor may fail suddenly even if it is taken care of properly. The first component in a CPU assembly that is usually given away is the fan. Over time this moving part just reaches its natural limit and there is nothing you can do about it. There are millions of transistors in a processor and if one stops working, the processor can malfunction if it completes a certain task. It’s hard to test directly, so if you’ve ruled out every possible cause, the only thing you can do is replace the processor. nine0003

Excessive voltage or overclocking . Processors are rated based on their clock speeds. Some processors are designed to provide higher clock speeds for better performance, but it’s worth the price. Overclocking can put more stress on the device, shortening its overall lifespan. In other words, you’re trading CPU longevity for more processing power, which isn’t entirely a bad thing. If you have the resources to buy a faster processor, we recommend doing so instead of overclocking. nine0003

Power surge or unstable voltage . Many of today’s processors are so reliable that they can run continuously for years without a breakdown. However, if you are in an area with frequent thunderstorms or unstable power lines, a power surge can effectively break the CPU, if not the rest of the motherboard components. Avoid connecting your computer directly to a power outlet. If possible, use a surge protector to protect your computer from sudden power surges. nine0003

Faulty motherboard . The motherboard is a complex interconnection of many different components, and sometimes even one faulty capacitor can cause another component to fail. Try a visual check of the hardware on the motherboard and look for a leaking or swollen capacitor. If you find one, there is a high chance that it is causing the CPU crash.

How to troubleshoot a processor failure

The processor either works…or it doesn’t. When properly installed, the processor will run until it dies, unless something drastic happens, such as a power surge, lightning strike, serious damage to the motherboard. However, if the processor is no longer working, the best thing you can do is to replace it..0003

Check if the system is overheating . Before considering physically removing a processor and testing a new one, you should double check for signs of overheating in the system. Here are some of the specific steps you can try:

Make sure the airflow is free . Sometimes extra cables inside the case can block important openings. Keep the number of coolers under control. Too many coolers doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. nine0003

If you can still access BIOS make sure it has the latest firmware installed. The upgrade process depends on the board you are using, so be sure to check the documentation that came with it. You will usually find out the BIOS version by checking the BIOS string that appears during boot. Other motherboards may show their firmware version differently, so do a little Google search or follow the manual.

Check fan or heatsink . This step is applicable only if you know how to remove and replace the processor. If you do, make sure the push pins are in the correct position and that the heatsink is properly attached to the motherboard. At the same time, it is necessary to check whether there is a heat-insulating material on the bottom of the radiator. If they are not present, this may be the cause of the computer overheating.

If nothing happens during boot, i.e. the display remains blue or black and you suspect a processor failure, you should follow these steps:

• Make sure the power indicator on the motherboard is on or off.
• If the LED is off, check the motherboard or power problems.
• If the LED is on, check if the processor fan is spinning when the system is turned on.
• If the CPU fan is spinning, you must run the test using another running CPU. Make sure other devices are working properly.

How to prevent a processor failure

Although reliable, you want to make sure your computer’s processor is running at full capacity. Since overheating is often the most common cause of CPU failure, here is what you should do to prevent it.

Monitor processor heat levels . High-end motherboards provide a tool to monitor CPU temperature and fan speed in the BIOS, so be sure to use it. Again, how the monitoring tool is implemented depends on your motherboard, so use the accompanying documentation for reference. The monitoring tools in the BIOS are designed to be user friendly, so you can even use a mouse. Temperature readings are often displayed in a simple way for you to understand, and if you’re lucky, there may be an indication of what’s normal and what’s not. nine0003

In case you cannot set the base temperature, you must determine it yourself by noting the CPU temperature when it is idle. After that, you need to boot the processor so you can also take note of its operating temperature. If you run a motherboard monitoring program, set reasonable tripline values ​​for temperatures and set the program to notify you when these temperatures are exceeded.

Use good CPU coolers . Processors bought from retail stores include stock coolers, but if you can afford quality third-party coolers, go for it. Standalone coolers tend to be more efficient than stock coolers, but they can also be noisier, so make your choice based on your needs. If you are installing a cooler, make sure you properly clean the surface of the CPU before applying thermal paste. Also make sure the heatsink is tight against the processor. nine0003

Clean housing regularly . That speaks for itself, but then again, we can’t really stress the need to minimize the dust inside. Dust can clog the vents, reducing airflow to the processor and other components.

Use thermally enhanced housings (TAC). The TAC is a buzzword for a more advanced case designed to dissipate extra heat from the internal (outside) components. TACs can be expensive, but they can be an effective method of minimizing heat inside the case. .

Location, location, location . Placing a computer near a heat source in any form is a big problem. A cool, dry place is well much better.

Processor malfunction signs and symptoms

Table of contents

The central processing unit (CPU), also known as the processor, is considered the heart of a computer system. despite the topic of this article, the processor very rarely fails. And if that happens, then there’s nothing a normal user can do about it, anyway. Now we will consider all processor malfunction signs and symptoms .

Thanks to our post, you will note what are the signs of a processor malfunction and which way to look in order to fix all the problems. The processor is a rather complicated thing, on which almost everything depends. And if he starts to act up, then it’s a disaster. So, let’s begin.

Processor failure signs and symptoms

Processor failure symptoms

By design, modern computers will not boot the operating system if an important component such as the processor is not working. In other words, the normal boot process cannot be completed because the POST or Power-On self-test will indicate that a critical component is missing from the system. nine0003

Other components such as fans, hard drive, and motherboard in general will continue to work, but the boot process will eventually end with a blue screen of death error. However, there are other observable symptoms before and during CPU crashes that you should be aware of. Knowing them will help you identify the problem faster and reduce downtime.

Lockup and overheating just before shutting down the PC If you notice that your computer had locked instances before the final crash, you should be aware that your processor is junk. It may have overheated, causing the system to shut down automatically to prevent further damage. nine0003

The processor has its own cooling system — it has a fan with a heatsink that provides cooling, but if the fan fails for any reason, the processor can overheat quite quickly. This is one of the reasons why you should check and clean all fans on your computer once a year.

Dust can sometimes stop normal ventilation, so storing it regularly can destroy the system. If your processor suffers from frequent overheating, consider cleaning its cooling system first. If that doesn’t work, check your BIOS to see if you have a way to lower its RPM. This can have a significant impact on performance,

Be aware that prolonged overheating can permanently damage the processor. If you are 100% sure that the processor is overheating (some motherboards have diagnostic tools to monitor the temperature of the processor). Here — just find a way to lower the temperature of the processor or consult a specialist to find out how to fix it.

Common symptoms of a processor failure

Beeping on startup . As mentioned above, your computer is performing a self-test (POST). Just to check if all peripherals are working or not. If the test detects that the processor is not working, the boot process will be aborted and the motherboard will emit an appropriate beep. The beeps are actually codes that help the technician identify the problem. And so make sure you notice how many beeps and what signals you heard. You can then search Google for what your sound code means. nine0003

Charred motherboard or processor . Severe overheating can melt or create a charred appearance on both the motherboard and the processor itself. Try to remove the motherboard from the mounts and disconnect the processor to see if this is the case.

If the overheating was severe, the processor may be damaged, specifically and permanently. In this case, there is nothing you can do about it. Just replace it and everything will work as it should. Depending on the damage, the motherboard may also be rendered useless, so make sure you consider and troubleshoot the motherboard you may have. nine0003

Processor failure causes

Like any other electronic component, the processor can die for simple reasons. Below are a couple of things that you should fix in the system if you want to extend the life of the processor.

Heat and superheat. A running processor generates heat, but if the heat level is outside the normal threshold, the processor may be damaged by overheating. Again, never underestimate the power of fans. There is a reason why powerful cooling systems are quite expensive. If possible, place the computer in an air-conditioned room so that heat build-up is slower. nine0003

Aging . Some processors can outlive all other components, but in most cases, you can expect an old processor to simply fail, at any time. If you have an older system (over 10 years old), the processor may suddenly stop working. Even if everything else is in order and the computer was monitored.

The first component in the CPU assembly that is usually covered is the fan. Over time, it simply reaches its natural limit. And there’s nothing you can do about it. There are millions of transistors in a processor. And if one of them stops working, the processor may malfunction if it is performing a certain task. This is difficult to check directly. Therefore, if you have ruled out all possible causes, the only thing you can do is replace the processor. nine0003

What else can cause the processor to crash

Excessive voltage or overclocking . Processors are designed to work based on their clock speeds. Some processors are designed to provide higher clock speeds for better performance, but it’s worth the price. Overclocking can put more stress on the device, shortening its overall lifespan.

In other words, you’re playing with CPU longevity for more processing power, which is not entirely a bad thing. If you have the finances to simply buy a faster processor, we advise you to upgrade instead of overclocking. nine0003

Power surge or unstable voltage . Many of today’s processors are so reliable that they can run continuously for years without a breakdown. However, if you are in an area with frequent thunderstorms or unstable power lines, a power surge can effectively stagger the processor, if not the rest of the motherboard components.

Avoid connecting the computer directly to a power outlet. If possible, use a surge protector to protect your computer from sudden power surges. nine0003

Bad motherboard . The motherboard is a complex interconnection of many different components, and sometimes even one faulty capacitor can cause another component to fail. Try to visually check all the parts on the motherboard. And watch out for leaking or swollen capacitors. If you find anything, there is a high chance that it is causing the processor to crash.

How to Troubleshoot Your Processor

Your processor either works… or it doesn’t. When properly installed, the processor will run until it fails, unless something drastic happens. Such as power surge, lightning strike, serious damage to the motherboard. However, if the processor is no longer working, the best thing you can do is to replace it. Essentially, that’s all. nine0003

Check if the system is overheating. Before considering removing the processor and installing a new one, you should double check for signs of overheating in the system. Here are some of the specific steps you can try:

• Make sure the airflow is free. Sometimes extra cables inside the case can block important openings.
• Keep your fans under control. I’m talking about their number. Too many fans doesn’t necessarily mean it’s better. nine0006
• If you can still access the BIOS, make sure it has the latest firmware. The upgrade process depends on the board you are using, so be sure to check the documentation that came with it. You will usually find out the BIOS version by checking the BIOS string that appears during boot. Other motherboards may display their firmware version differently. And so do a little Google search or use the guide.
• Check fan or heatsink. This step is applicable only if you know how to remove and replace the processor. If you do, make sure the push pins are in the correct position. And that the heatsink is properly attached to the motherboard. At the same time, it is necessary to check whether there is a heat-insulating material on the bottom of the radiator. If they are not present, this may be the cause of the computer overheating. Thermal interface material often comes in the form of thermal paste. nine0006

If there is silence during boot …

Processor malfunction signs and symptoms. If nothing happens during boot, i.e. the display stays blue or black and you suspect a processor failure, you should follow these steps:

• Make sure the power LED on the motherboard is on or off.
• If the LED is off, check the motherboard or power problems.
• When the LED is on, check if the processor fan is spinning when the system is turned on. nine0006
• If the CPU fan is spinning, you should perform a swap test using another running CPU. Make sure other devices are working properly.

How to prevent processor failure

Despite its reliability, you want to know for sure that your computer’s processor is working at full capacity. Because overheating is often the most common cause of a CPU failure. And here’s what you need to do to prevent it. nine0003

Monitor processor heat levels . High-end motherboards provide a tool to monitor CPU temperature and fan speed in the BIOS, so be sure to use it. Again, how the monitoring tool is implemented depends on your motherboard. Therefore, for reference, use the accompanying documentation.

The monitoring tools in the BIOS are designed to be user friendly. Therefore, you can even use the mouse. Temperature readings are often displayed in a simple way so that you can understand them. And if you’re lucky, there might be an indication of what’s normal and what’s not. nine0003

If you cannot set the base temperature, you must determine it yourself. Just noting the temperature of the CPU when it’s idle. After that, you need to boot the processor so you can also take note of its operating temperature. If you’ve run a motherboard monitoring program, set reasonable tripline values ​​for temperatures. And configure the program so that it notifies you when these temperatures are exceeded.

CPU cooler

Use good CPU coolers . Processors bought from retail stores include stock coolers, but if you can afford quality third-party coolers, go for it. Aftermarket coolers tend to be more efficient than stock coolers. But they can also be noisier, so make your choice based on your needs.

If you’re looking for good performance, go with the original coolers. If you are installing a cooler, make sure you properly clean the surface of the CPU before applying thermal paste. Also make sure the heatsink is tight against the processor. nine0003 Processor failure signs and symptoms

Clean the system unit regularly . This speaks for itself. But then again, we can’t really emphasize the need to minimize dust inside the system unit. Dust can clog the vents, reducing airflow to the processor and other components.

Use thermally enhanced chassis (TAC) .