Is it Dead?

[Bubba]

If your processor is dead would you still be able to boot with a boot disk and run fdisk, or would the computer not start at all?

[theflyingrat]

In short, no, you would not be able to boot. Even commands from a floppy disk (fdisk, format, etc) need to run through the southbridge, then through the CPU, then back out to their destination in order to get accomplished. The machine will turn on (this is a mechanical function of the motherboard, not controlled by the CPU), but you will get nothing. Nothing will happen at all.

[Bubba]

Thank you!