# How long can a processor last without the fan.



## willmon18 (Apr 22, 2006)

I have this computer that has a broken processor fan but the heatsink is still there. I was wondering how long it would last without burning out and the computer no longer working. I remember of this very old computer I had that didn't have a heatsink or a fan on it. Eventually I put a small processor fan on the processor without a heatsink and the computer worked for the longest time it never died on me either except the computer seemed slow at times well what can you expect with a little less than 500MHz. But anyways even though it never died I got a new computer and I trashed that one. But I am wondering how long a computer can work with just the heatsink. It has a BIOS temp thing and it told me that the CPU was getting over 100 degrees farenhiet when I turned off my fan that I put right next to it and I don't mean a processor fan I mean a fan people use to keep cool. But when I had that fan on it stayed below 90 degrees farenheit. How long can it last with the heatsink with the computer closed up and running for a full day.


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## ebackhus (Apr 21, 2005)

Without a fan you at LEAST need a heat sink on there. I've seen P3's at 550Mhz with just a sink perform fine over long periods of time.

FYI: Most cooling fans are 60mm if you need a replacement. I think the smaller ones come in at 40mm.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Simple answer - no. The CPU will overheat in minutes (maybe even seconds depending on how good a thermal connection you have with the heatsink). You may get lucky and have the CPU shutdown when overheating but the more likely outcome would be a fried CPU. *NEVER* run a CPU without a proper (and working) heatsink and fan!!


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## willmon18 (Apr 22, 2006)

So I can't run a 733MHz processor just with the heatsink. I have had a processor without a heatsink and just a little processor fan hovering over it cooling it off and it ran all day. The computer may of slowed down at times but it worked fine. I tried pulling the processor fan out when I turned of the computer and it was burning hot but still working great. I put that processor fan in the ice box and put it back in the pc in a couple of hours and it still worked great and it never went out on me at all.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

This is your first mention of a 733mhz CPU - but I still stand by my original reply here. As it shipped with a CPU fan then it will need one (manufacturers don't do anything for no reason). It will probably run for a while without the fan but will eventually fry.


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## willmon18 (Apr 22, 2006)

Well can you suggest somewhere I can get one cheap it is a socket 370 if it will make some difference. And it is for the school.


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## 8210GUY (Aug 29, 2006)

I would say if you are prepared to bin it, and maybe more (worst case scenario which could be an electrical fire) then fine, BUT, as mentioned running without is suicide TBH, always assume the worst and you rarely go wrong, and given a fan probably costs a few penny's it seems crazy to not get one IMHO.


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

willmon18 said:


> Well can you suggest somewhere I can get one cheap it is a socket 370 if it will make some difference. And it is for the school.


You *should* be able to get a replacement at any good computer shop - just take the dud one with you. If that gives no joy then ask your friendly local computer repairer if he/she has a secondhand one that works.


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## willmon18 (Apr 22, 2006)

Well my computer teacher is crazy he is saving all the grant money he can so he can install fiber optics thoughout the whole school which is a small school and has a ag building that already has it but is being shared through out the school. He says that he is going to do this so he can get a 1000 MB connection for each computer. Is this true if you run fiber optics everywhere in the school?


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## kev1952 (Dec 2, 2006)

Probably - but where are we going with this thread? Are we fixing your modem problems or is this all about something else?


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## willmon18 (Apr 22, 2006)

Just telling you about my greedy computer teacher. He is really stuck up and might be pulling too many strings if you know what I mean.


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## BeastlyKings (Nov 13, 2006)

OK, this is completly hypothetical but, how long would a 3ghz CPU that has been overclocked to 3.5 - 4.0Ghz last WITHOUT a heatsink or fan?
EDIT: O, and it is being pushed to the limit with "CPU BURN".


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## crazijoe (Oct 19, 2004)

I thought I add this since it is more along this topic.
This is an article that Tom's Hardware did a while back on running different CPUs without the heatsink. There is a nice video at the end that you can download.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2001/09/17/hot_spot/index.html


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