▷ How to know if the motherboard or processor fails

The motherboard and processor are two of the most important hardware components within a PC. The various pieces of hardware within the PC communicate with each other through the motherboard circuits, while the CPU stores and executes the programming instructions. Both the motherboard and the CPU can be expensive to replace, so it is important to diagnose the hardware failure on your own can reduce possible repair costs.

However, diagnosing a faulty CPU or motherboard is not rocket science, as both hardware components exhibit similar symptoms when they fail.

Currently it is very rare for a processor to fail, as this component implements a multitude of security measures to avoid problems, although it is not impossible that it has been damaged. Most likely, the failure is due to the motherboard, although nothing can be taken for granted without first doing the corresponding checks. The motherboard includes a multitude of electronic elements, many of them are extremely sensitive to heat or a sudden rise in electrical voltage, making it one of the components that breaks down most often.

How to diagnose a motherboard or processor failure

To diagnose a fault in the motherboard or the processor you can follow a series of very simple steps, we detail them below.

The first step to diagnose the failure is to access the inside of your PC, to do this, turn off your PC and disconnect the power cable from the back. Then unscrew and remove the lid from the box. If you have an anti - static wristband, put it on, otherwise touch a bare metal surface, such as the PC chassis, to discharge any possible static energy, which could damage your components. Reconnect the power cable, and then turn on the PC. Listen to the internal speaker for a sequence of beeps that the motherboard produces when the system detects a problem with a critical hardware component.

We recommend reading our post on Best processors on the market

Open a browser with another PC or a mobile device and navigate to the motherboard manufacturer's website. Find your motherboard model and review the documentation to find out which device is responsible for the beep code, if applicable. Confirm that the device is properly installed on the motherboard. If replacing the hardware in question doesn't fix the problem, you may need to replace the component.

Turn off the PC if it doesn't emit a beep code. Disconnect the power cord and all attached peripheral components. Remove all hardware from the PC except the motherboard, CPU, power supply, hard drive, and video card.

Loosen and remove the brackets that hold the processor heatsink and fan to the motherboard. Rotate the heat sink back and forth to weaken the seal that attaches it to the top of the processor. Remove the heatsink, if it is too hot to touch for more than a couple of seconds, the CPU may overheat with prolonged use. Updating the heat sink will improve cooling and stop sudden system blackouts.

Release the lever that secures the CPU to the motherboard. Lift the CPU off the motherboard and verify that the surface of the component is not bent or broken, indicating that it needs to be replaced. To snap the processor back into place, align the triangle on the edge of the processor with the triangle in the slot in the processor to replace it. Place the CPU in its socket, and then press down on the bar to lock the component in place.

Reconnect the power cord and press the power button. Check the power indicator light and listen for the system fan to spin. If the indicator light remains off and the system fan does not turn on, the power supply may be defective. Replaces the power supply; If the PC still doesn't turn on, the motherboard may be at fault. Flash the motherboard with a flashlight and check for damaged chips, damaged capacitors, burnt traces or cracks or fractures. If the motherboard has been physically damaged, it must be replaced.

This ends our post on how to know if the motherboard or processor fails, remember that you can leave a comment if you want to make a contribution. You can also share the post on social networks so that it can help more users who need it.