The CPU is generally themost durable component in a system. But there are still rare occurrences where the CPU dies.

Some will show signs likerandom crashes,freezing, andBSODs. While, other times the CPU may suffer somephysical damage(e.g., bent pins) and can stop working abruptly.

When the CPU dies like that, use thediagnostic indicators during POSTto check whether theCPU is detected or not.

Swapping the CPUfor a known good one will also help you confirm whether it’s your CPU orsome other component that’s dead.

Diagnosing Dead CPU

A CPU that’soutright deadis easy to diagnose.Your PC will be stuck at POSTas it can’t boot without a functional CPU.

At this point, use the methods shown below to confirm whether the CPU is the problem.

Debug LED

TheCPU LEDon the motherboardstays lit if your system can’t boot due to CPU-related problems.

These problems include general CPU issues likeinadequate powerorbent pins. So, check the verification section further below to ensure the CPU is actually dead.

POST Codes

If you have adebug port, it’lldisplay different hexadecimal codesto indicate different boot problems. For CPU problems, you’ll usually see the following codes:

Refer to the verification section for further steps.

Beep Codes

If you’ve installed amotherboard speaker, it’llplay audible beepsin the following patterns to indicate CPU problems:

Refer to the verification section below for further steps.

Verifying CPU Status

As stated, thePOST diagnosticswill only indicate whether there are any CPU-related problems. Theycan’tdirectly tell whether the CPU is dead or not.

To verify this,test your CPU on another system, or try a known good CPU on your system. Either way, you’ll figure out whether the CPU is the problem.

Signs of a Dying CPU

Before CPUs completely die, they tend to show signs of degradation such as:

If your system is showing such symptoms, check for bent pins. As the CPU is still partly functional, I expect that only a few pins are bent, whichyou can probably repair.

If that doesn’t help and the crashes persist, at least you’ll be ready toreplace the CPUwhen the time comes.