Can a damaged processor still POST?

[Lioness]

I'm going to crosspost what I posted at somethingawful.com and ask for some clarification of the answers I got there. Basically, I want to know if a processor damaged by overheating to 81C could possibly still POST?

I just want to be sure of what to do about my problem because I can't afford to spend any unneccessary money.

Now, here's my problem.

I went to a hockey tournament last weekend, left my computer running as I usually do. When I came back on Sunday it was off. I figured the power had blinked out or something as that isn't terribly uncommon in my apartment complex, so I just started it back up. After about 5 minutes, it shut off. I repeated this one more time, and then went into the BIOS when I turned it on again and saw that the processor temp was 81C (it is a 1.4 GHz Athlon T-bird, about 5 years old). I opened the case and the sound of the processor fan making horrible noises and barely running assailed my ears. So my fan was broken, right? No problem, I bought a new HSF and it works great (the temperature after a few attempts at startup was a much more reasonable 45C) but the PC shutting itself down problem still exists.

Other hardware in the system:
IDE Primary slave: 40 GB WD hard drive, has been good for me.
IDE Primary master: 200 GB Maxtor hard drive, just added 2 weeks ago.
IDE Secondary master: TDK CDRW drive, older but never had a problem
512 MB of DDR 2100 RAM, generic
MSI K7N2V motherboard, same specs as here http://www.msicomputer.com/product/...atinum&class=mb
GeForce2 GTS video card, not sure of manufacturer

Running: Windows XP Professional

When the computer shuts off:
At first, it shut off while I was in Windows. The next day, it wouldn't even boot to that and when attempted safe mode, it stopped at the file Mup.sys. I booted from the Windows XP CD and it gets to the first "Now starting Windows" screen (still in the beginning of the CD, after it looks for all the drivers and such) and just shuts off. When it shuts off, it sounds like the hard drive is stopping, then starting again, then it powers down.

What I have tried (all with the same result):
I swapped out the HSF to a working one.
I unplugged all system fans and everything unnecessary to operation (everything but monitor & keyboard).
Installing Windows on the old HDD as master with the new one disconnected.
Changing the HDD cables.

An interesting note:
In the BIOS, it lists my processor as running at only about 1000 MHz. It used to run faster.

So I guess my question is whether I should be thinking about getting a new processor, and if that could be the problem here, or if I am just wasting time/money with that? I need to conserve all the money I can. Gotta love being a poor college student!

ps hi guys it's been awhile

 

[rseven]

I have an XP 2400 that is shot, but it will boot sometimes and then go dead, but the system doesn't shut down. I'm not saying it's not the CPU, but it could be something else like the PSU. Try to swap out a PSU with someone just to test it. You would know pretty quickly if it made any difference. Good luck with it.

 

[FSBxtreme]

I think you' may have hurt your processor after you put it through many shut-down temperature.

 

[karl pell]

After an event like that, I would suggest that you consider all settings and components suspect ...

time consuming, but I would take it all down and start as if with a new build: basic system (mobo, 1 stick mem, video, floppy), reflash BIOS, reset BIOS settings for default optimal, add hd with reformat and clean install of win or whatever, then start adding in other components one at a time.

 

[Jakalwarrior]

Have you examined it for signs of physical damage?
anywho, maybe you could trade your new HD to somone for a mobo cpu combo. I looked a prices for T-birds and they werent too great comapred to the new ones.

 

[Lioness]

Have you examined it for signs of physical damage?
anywho, maybe you could trade your new HD to somone for a mobo cpu combo. I looked a prices for T-birds and they werent too great comapred to the new ones.

My motherboard will work just fine with an Athlon XP so I wouldn't need to replace both unless the motherboard is indeed shot as well.

I guess I'll need to do a lot of diagnostic stuff, thanks for the replies.

 

[Lioness]

After an event like that, I would suggest that you consider all settings and components suspect ...

time consuming, but I would take it all down and start as if with a new build: basic system (mobo, 1 stick mem, video, floppy), reflash BIOS, reset BIOS settings for default optimal, add hd with reformat and clean install of win or whatever, then start adding in other components one at a time.

Honestly this is all that is IN my system anyway. Flashing the BIOS is the only thing I really do need to try that could make any sort of relevent difference, and thanks for reminding me to make a floppy for that while I've got access to a computer at the library (being a college student is a good thing in THAT aspect). I unplugged everything but the monitor, keyboard, old HDD and floppy and got the same result.

The only thing that's troublesome is being able to reformat my HDD. I don't know how I'm going to swing that not having access to a stable system. I guess I could try using a boot disk, I really haven't done much with the floppy thus far. This is just really frustrating and I have no idea how to handle it all.

 

[Lioness]

you can reformat from the win install cd ... see this thread. post 7

Read my post. I can't reformat from the windows install CD because my computer won't stay up long enough to do so.

 

[bobmanfoo]

i had 2 crushed resistors on my winchestor and it still worked fine

 

[maelstromracing]

Check the motherboard for blown or buldging capacitors. I had similar problem with an old gigabyte board.