Need help

[XLR8]

If a heat sink fan gos out, what parts are usually going to be burnt up. Only processor or MB or both..Sorry to ask but my friends did this and now we can't figure out witch is bad...

[Kuky]

if anything dies it'll be the CPU

[EtherealN]

Yeah, if you are lucky the computer will notice the temperature spike and manage to shut-down in time, but if this fails the processor is probably but a memory. This depends a lot on the model of motherboard - cheaper ones are less likely to have these functions while "enthusiast" motherboards made with overclocking in mind are more likely (but not guaranteed).

 

I guess I could possibly imagine a scenario where parts of the motherboard are damaged as well (heat spreading through the socket and damaging the socket itself), but it is unlikely.

[Feuerfalke]

Depends on a lot of factors, e.g. airflow inside the case.

 

When the CPU takes damage, it may also effect other vital parts, like voltage-related parts and north/south-bridge, depending on how long or how hot the CPU was and what kind of damage it took.

 

But that's rather a worst-case scenario as most of the time the system will crash and deny restart due to computing errors a long time before further damage is done.