CPU: the Everything Guide

A CPU is the electronic circuitry within a computer that carries out the instructions of a computer program by performing the basic arithmetic, logical, control and input/output (I/O) operations specified by the instructions.

• CPU Socket Type: The cpu socket is where you will be installing your cpu. You simply need to make sure to match your motherboard socket type with your cpu socket type to ensure that they are compatible.
• Core: This indicates the core that the cpu is based on. More recent cores will usually bring increased performance, reduced power consumption for the same performance compared to an older core, along with new features.
• Multi-core: So, the rule of thumb is that the more core, the better, but keep in mind that more cores will increase power consumption too. Sometimes, less cores, but higher frequency, is the best solution.
• Frequency: the most important factor in performance for today’s cpus, the frequency represents the speed at which the processor runs, in GHz (1GHz = 1000MHz). Video games performance is very dependent on frequency, to the point where a fast dual-core processor will outperform a slower quad-core processor in most video games.
• FSB: The speed at which your processor communicates with other components in your system, such as the memory for example. A higher speed means higher bandwidth, or in plain English, your system will be able to move more data in a given time, increasing performance in specific cases.
• L2/L3 cache: Cache is really quick on-board cpu memory, much faster than RAM, that your processor use to store data that is about to be processed and/or is used often. The more cache you have, the more data your processor can store for ultra-quick access and the more performance you’ll get out of your processor.
• 64-bit support: n order to be able to use more memory in our computers, we are now switching to 64-bit, in order to lift the 4GB memory limit of 32-bit.

Step 1: Labeled Diagram of Components

• ALU: a digital circuit used to perform arithmetic and logic operations. It represents the fundamental building block of the CPU of a computer.
• FPU: Floating point unit, also known as a math coprocessor or numeric coprocessor, is a specialized coprocessor that manipulates numbers more quickly than the basic microprocessor circuitry.

• L1 cache: A memory bank built into the CPU chip. It is the fastest memory in the computer and closest to the processor.

• L2 cache: A memory bank built into the CPU chip, packaged within the same module or built on the motherboard. The L2 cache feeds the L1 cache, which feeds the processor. L2 memory is slower than L1 memory.

• Control Unit: a component of a computer's central processing unit (CPU) that directs operation of the processor. It tells the computer's memory, arithmetic/logic unit and input and output devices how to respond to a program's instructions.

• Instruction Unit: central processing unit (CPU) is responsible for organising program instructions to be fetched from memory, and executed, in an appropriate order. It is a part of the control unit, which in turn is part of the CPU.

• Registries: is one of a small set of data holding places that are part of the computer processor. A register may hold an instruction, a storage address, or any kind of data.

• Input-Output management unit: a memory management unit (MMU) that connects a direct-memory-access–capable (DMA-capable) I/O bus to the main memory.

Step 2: Proper Maintenance and Care of Your Cpu

Physical care of your CPU:

• Don't restrict airflow around your computer. A computer can generate a lot of heat, so the casing has fans that keep it from overheating. Avoid stacking papers, books, and other items around your computer.

• Always run your computer on a UPS as this will help protect it from electric surges.

• Pay special attention to the CPU heat sink and CPU fan. Hold the fan still while spraying it as you can cause it to spin out and on reboot it may have more noise.

• Underclock your CPU for the ultimate in longevity. This lowers things like voltage to give your processors a break when doing things. It may sacrifice some computing power, but the extra years are worth it.

Software care of your CPU:

• Uninstall programs you no longer use, and delete music you no longer listen to. The more free space your computer has, the faster it will go.

• Hot CPU Tester - Great tool for testing a computers motherboard and CPU. Easy to run and use to look for failures with your computer. Hot CPU Tester also includes a burn-in feature for new computers or computers with a new motherboard or CPU.

• Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool - If you have an Intel processor the Intel Processor Diagnostic Tool is a great free utility for testing variety of Intel processors.

Step 3: How to Diagnose, Troubleshoot, and Repair the CPU

The effects of a CPU failure normally falls into one of two categories:

Catastrophic failure: this is fairly simple to diagnose -as the PC will usually not even boot up. If your PC is not booting at all - and you suspect the CPU:

• Normally, the motherboard will emit a number of "beeps" when the PC powers up: note the number/frequency of beeps and compare this against the list given in your motherboard manual to see if this indicates the problem component

Random failures: intermittent problems that occur every so often

Having traced the problem to the CPU, the most common reasons for it to suddenly start misbehaving are:

• Heat problems: the processor is getting too hot and overheating. To repair this, Reduce the heat generated by

  Remove components that are no longer required. An example being old cards. Make sure the air supply to your PC case is not restricted: PCs are often placed in room corners, with the fan up against a wall: this will restrict the amount of air available for cooling and allow the hot air to accumulate inside the case. Place your case to maximize airflow - and keep it away from other heat sources such as radiators. Adding additional fans to your case, You may be able to reduce the CPU temperature by reducing the clock speed, Adding an uprated fan to your CPU.

• Power problems: the PSU is supplying too little or too much power, or cannot maintain a constant supply. Check that the min/max values lie within the tolerances for your CPU, otherwise it could lead to problems. If you find that a constant voltage is not being maintained, you can either try removing some of the other components (-if they are not essential) to lighten the load. Otherwise a new PSU is required.
• Motherboard problems: a motherboard component (-e.g. Northbridge ) that communicates with the processor is damaged or misbehaving. Motherboard failure is very rare: if it does occur it is often due to either static damage during installation or from a power surge

Step 4: Multimedia Component

I made a narrated screen recording of Intel's CPU Diagnosis tool to test the component.