How To Know If A Processor Is Failing?

Without question, a processor is the key component of a computer system. In fact, it is often referred to as the heart of a computer. And so the failure of the entire system is obvious if the heart is failing. Fortunately, this failure doesn’t happen all of a sudden.

The computer does give you signs before it completely stops responding. There are a few symptoms that can help you determine if the processor of your computer system is on the road to death. Or the processor might already be dead if you didn’t pay attention to the symptoms in the first place.

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Below are listed a few common signs that tell if a processor is failing. So let’s find out what is happening with your processor!

Signs of a Failing Processor

To know if a processor is failing, look out for the following symptoms.

1.    Booting Issue

Typically when a computer is powered on, it gives a beep that indicates a successful start-up of the system. But in case of a failing processor, the computer will give you signs right at the time of booting.

In some cases, the system shows a blank screen that clearly indicates the inability of the processor to perform well. At other times, the computer doesn’t give the beep sound upon start-up.

Other than that, you may also notice that the computer doesn’t respond to any commands. The mouse freezes somewhere on the screen or the system doesn’t respond to any keyboard functions either.

This is a serious indication of a failing processor. It shows that the health of the processor is deteriorating and you gotta do something about it.

2.    Frequent Crashes

Frequent freezing or crashing of the computer system is also a sign of a failing processor. Many times, the computer fails to respond right at the start-up, as mentioned earlier.

At other times, your system may throw a tantrum while you’re in the midst of an important and intensive task. If you experience crashing and closing programs all of a sudden then, you definitely need to do something about your processor.

At times, the computer stops responding for a while i.e. it freezes and does not respond to any commands. In such cases, it is best to leave the computer as such until it recovers.

But for the long-term solution, look for ways to fix a failing processor or simply get a new one.

3.    Beeps at POST Test

A POST test is a Power On Self Test run by the computer itself at the time of start-up. This test helps the system identify any problems and generate alerts for them.

During the regular self-test of the computer, if it starts to beep more than the usual times then, it is a sign of a compromised component in the system.

In the case of a failing processor, the system will give a certain number of beeps to indicate the problem. Typically, technicians are able to identify the issue by counting the beeps and what that number indicates.

Usually, the system gives around 5 to 7 beeps if the problem is with the processor. If you wish, you can count the number of beeps yourself and look that up on Google to find out the possible problem.

4.    Sudden Power Off

Sudden shut down of a computer system may as well be a sign of bad battery health. But if the battery of your laptop is performing well, then you need to look out for other components of the computer such as a processor.

When the system experiences intense heat up, it increases the risk of hardware damage. To counter that problem, the motherboard automatically turns off the system to help the processor cool down and protect it from permanent physical damage.

This happens mostly when the fans are not functioning properly causing the system to heat up, and consequently damaging the processor. So if you encounter frequent power off of your computer, it indicates that the processor is at high risk of permanent damage.

5.    Damaged Appearance

You should look out not only for the internal damage symptoms but also the external or physical damage to the hardware. Physical damage mostly happens as a result of overheating issues.

To find out any signs of damaged hardware, look for charred or burn marks around the CPU. Also, at times, the socket of the CPU may also be intensely burnt. And that indicates that your system has gone through severe overheating.

This type of overheating results in permanent damage to the processor. Physical damage is easier to identify and that is the only upside to this symptom.

Apart from that, physical damages like these are irreversible and require replacement.

6.    Blue Screen

The Blue Screen of Death or the BSoD is the most dreaded symptom of processor failure. And that is because it doesn’t indicate that your processor is failing but rather tells you that it is dead.

And so there’s no solution to counter the blue screen of death. This not only happens in case of a processor failure but generally any failure that renders the PC dead leaving behind no chances of recovery.

Particularly in the case of processor failure, the screen indicates a code 0x00000 that signals the death of the processor. Unfortunately, there’s nothing that you can do at this point except for replacing the system.

Conclusion

The processor of a computer system typically outlives the rest of its components. It is the sturdiest component of the PC because all the functions depend on it. The failure of a processor may be the result of long-term misuse of the system such as overheating issues, overclocking, or unstable power supply.

Early identification of the aforementioned symptoms may help you preserve the life of your processor a little longer. But really a processor rarely fails. And when it does, there’s nothing much you can do about it except to replace it.

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