----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Venkat Viswanathan" <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 09, 2006 7:29 AM
Subject: Re: [PCBUILD] WEIRD PROBLEM

<snip>

BUT how did it boot with an incorrectly seated heat sink....

tks---Venkat

The heat sink has no electrical connection to the working of the computer.
The computer will run just fine without the heat sink for a second or two
until it either burns out the cpu or overheats the cpu and shuts down.  You
are very lucky if you did not burn out your cpu.  Perhaps the heat sink
drained off enough heat so that when the cpu overheated it did not burn out,
but merely acted flakey and shut down?

When the cpu is overheated, it is possible that its lifespan has been
decreased, but it is also possible that it will last until you no longer
care.

Think of a heat sink like the cooling fluid and radiator of your car.  The 
car will run fine until it overheats.  When that happens, it may sieze the 
engine, completely destroying it, or it may just shut down with unknown 
long-term damage.

Dean Kukral

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