CPU Issues

The CPU is the single most complex and expensive IC on the motherboard. It is responsible for processing every instruction and virtually all the data in memory at one time or another. While CPU failures are somewhat rare, there are some possible symtoms that you should be familiar with. When you suspect a CPU problem, make the following checks before proceeding:

• Check the socket. Make sure that the CPU is inserted completely into its socke. For a ZIF socket, make sure that the lever is closed completely and latched.
• Check the motherboard jumpers. When you are upgrading a CPU, make sure that the motherboard is configured properly for the specific CPU type and clock setting.
• Check for heat. Make sure that the CPU's heat sink (or heatsink/fan assembly) is attached securely to the CPU. If there is a fan on the heat sink, make sure that the fan is running. You may need to reattach the heat sink using thermal grease. Thermal grease (also called thermal gel, thermal compound, thermal paste, heat paste, heat sink paste, heat transfer compound, or heat sink compound) is a fluid substance, originally with properties akin to grease, which increases the thermal conductivity of a thermal interface by compensating for the irregular surfaces of the components. In electronics, it is often used to aid a component's thermal dissipation via a heat sink.