ever seen a cpu "gradually" fail?

[txgeek]

HP G4 1016dx

I put an SSD in this guy a few months ago as the old drive was failing. (Freezing OS)

A month later, I had power, fan, but no POST, just a black screen. Tried all diagnostics. Removed. CD rom. RAM. Battery. Power reset. External display. Etc. Nothing. Ruled it out as a dead mobo.

Bought a used one off ebay. Installed with the previous CPU. All is well again.

30? Days later SAME PROBLEM.


I've narrowed it down to a power/battery/voltage issue or the cpu.

But im a bit stumped. Part of me is wondering if the cpu has been the issue all a long instead of the drive and now two mobos. Ive never read or seen a gradually failing cpu. A used cpu is is on the way regardless.

What do you guys think?

FYi All capacitors look fine on both boards.

 

[txgeek]

- I should mention the battery holds zero charge and had a warning everytime on bootup to be replaced. Again, never heard of a factory OEM battery affecting a mobo, but theres always a first.

- I also cant help but notice that the last time it shut down, it had finished a win 10 update. (conspiracy conspiracy hehe)

 

[txgeek]

That it's an ancient piece of junk not worth spending much time or money on? That you should keep the SSD and put it in a real computer?

Anyway...

Are you using the same "coin-cell" lithium battery from the original motherboard or a new one? Your problem description matches a dying CR-2032 to a T.

Original from the 2nd mobo.

Measured 3.1V

 

[Mercenary Roadie]

Does it measure 3.1 loaded or just when you have it out of its holder?

Best to just replace it as they're cheap.

 

[ComputerRepairTech]

Not like what your describing, what your describing to me sounds like a power/voltage issue damaging the board to me but nearly every tech here has more hardware experience than I do at this point.

As far as CPU's gradually failing, I have seen plenty of times where an overclocked cpu required additional voltage increase after a few months/years but not just flat out become unbootable. Is it possible for a cpu to damage a motherboard slowly? I suppose in theory but that seems highly unlikely.

 

[txgeek]

Does it measure 3.1 loaded or just when you have it out of its holder?

Best to just replace it as they're cheap.

Without load. But just put in a new one, no change

 

[txgeek]

Not like what your describing, what your describing to me sounds like a power/voltage issue damaging the board to me but nearly every tech here has more hardware experience than I do at this point.

As far as CPU's gradually failing, I have seen plenty of times where an overclocked cpu required additional voltage increase after a few months/years but not just flat out become unbootable. Is it possible for a cpu to damage a motherboard slowly? I suppose in theory but that seems highly unlikely.

This is my theory. Unfortunately.