Can a computer go bad?

[Andrew911tt]

I was wondering if the processor of a computer can get old or over used and just not work well anymore

[Derek]

Not really, unless you overclock it and let it melt.

[Kip_6666]

Well, it can kinda. I've heard of the cache of the computer becomeing fucked. But its quite rare.

But most of the time is the more machinical things that fuck up.

Mostly fans (specialy graphics card fans) and if the fan of the psu goes, and u don't know about it you can get really wierd issues and then its hard to locate.

Most of the time, if kept cool poperly a cpu lasts for years (even running stressed most of that time)

[Viper007Bond]

There is a hour life on CPUs I believe, but it's like 15-20 years of being solidly on or something.

Realisitcly speaking, your CPU will last forever as long as it stays properly cooled. Heat kills computer components.

[andyhui01]

Originally Posted by viper007bond

but it's like 15-20 years of being solidly on or something.

I don't think I will ever get to that stage at the rate I change my computers which has been every 1.5years

[Buba]

There was the Nothwood Syndrome maybe a year and a half ago... If you clocked them like mad (and, hey, you just could!!!) the leaking currents could kill the CPU...

But anyway, the CPU will be running for about 20 years... At least the ones that are 20 years old... Maybe the modern Heatplants will only stand about 10 years or so... But you don't wanna run a CPU from today in 10 years... Will you??

Buba

[ruuman]

I would say yes, though it's not massively common.

The amount of PC's I have repaired in my time you start seeing thing repeating themselves.

Generally speaking it's rare to have a processor problem. But mother boards breakdown. HD wear out. frequently

If the motor that controls the HD read/write head wear's out the seek time on the HD is dramtically increased. This will give the impression that the whole system is getting slow.
Motherboards do trange things too. I had an old P200 that if you turned it on and booted it straight away it would lockup. if you left it for 10mins on the bios setup screen while all the components warmed up it would boot and run fine!

[ESPNSTI]

My 486 still runs fine, but I had to replace the battery once.
I pretty much don't use it anymore though.

[Marky21]

By the time a CPU starts to go wrong (because of age), the system its on will be referred to as an antique

[IceBone]

WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK? LEAVE THE DEAD ALONE!

[matt2000]

Originally Posted by IceBone

WHAT THE BLOODY FUCK? LEAVE THE DEAD ALONE!

When I read the thread title I was thinking of Terminator. I was going to say that if you fit a gun to your face tracking webcam and windows goes loopy then you can't really complain when you end up with several extra orifi.

[Labcoatguy]

The old HP Omnibooks with the pop-out mouse tend to go bad long before their time, ie four or so years after they've been built. My Omnibook 425 from 1993 just died, completely refusing to start up despite a full charge and hard reset. Probably not relevant to this question though.

EDIT: WTF, three years old thread? Mods, tear this n00b a new one and lock down please.

[WillDAQ]

Before the lock...

Seems that the clock on the chip will drift over time, usually slower. So the chip could be 10-15% slower when 5 years old.

[matt2000]

Hmm I think maybe Viper needs to modify the 'related threads' and 'existing threads' so it only shows threads up to say 3 months old, or at least warns you that they are old.

[NooDle]

well, yes

[Adunaphel]

Had anyone bothered to report this post, it would've been locked 2 days ago.