Setting your CPU on Fire

[Black Mage]

I learning about how a CPU can go to fast that it actually burst into flames and the pyro side came out in me.

Do you think if I turn off my fans, crank the hard drive to max, and overclock the CPU, remove the heatsink, wipe off the thermal grease, do you think I can set my CPU ablaze in my computer?

[Sslaxx]

But wouldn't you have to buy a new computer?

[Whiffle]

"crank the hard drive to max"?


Of course you can. Why you would burn up a perfrectly good computer is beyond me...

[Flag]

Forward this mail to the mythbusters, they will be glad to try. !!!

[Black Mage]

Thats not one of my concerns. New computers aren't hard to buy/build. I'm thinking about putting this on youTube also.

[Sslaxx]

In other words, you've got more money than sense. More fool you then.

[Whiffle]

Send it to me instead, I know some orphans or maybe some college students that would love a computer..

[Salpiche]

are you gonna record this ? I did it once and my CPU didn't burst on fire, yet it got red then died.

[Black Mage]

are you gonna record this ? I did it once and my CPU didn't burst on fire, yet it got red then died.

It didn't catch fire?
....
The whole point of this "experiment" is to create a combustation reaction inside a computer, and then with that reaction make some smores. So if you tried this and it didn't work then there has to be a better way of insuring that it catches fire....

Btw, don't yell at me for combusting CPU when certain people *cough* can blend iPhones.

[aaaantoine]

Use an overclocked Pentium 4.

I don't think it'll actually catch fire, though, unless there's something flammable in proximity. More likely, it will just melt with a lot of nasty smelling smoke.

[Whiffle]

Use an overclocked Pentium 4.

I don't think it'll actually catch fire, though, unless there's something flammable in proximity. More likely, it will just melt with a lot of nasty smelling smoke.


Well, if its anything like that toms hardware video, it'll throttle down and not burn up, like its supposed to. My heat sink fell off of my P4 once during a game of CS. Nothing happened.

Heres the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNUK3U73SI

[Salpiche]

It didn't catch fire?
....
The whole point of this "experiment" is to create a combustation reaction inside a computer, and then with that reaction make some smores. So if you tried this and it didn't work then there has to be a better way of insuring that it catches fire....

Btw, don't yell at me for combusting CPU when certain people *cough* can blend iPhones.

Nope!

to tell you the truth I have never seen one catch on fire, yet it is still fun to try! :twisted:

[Rhubarb]

I don't think it's possible to "crank the hard drive to max", hard drives go only at one speed. It would be possible to adjust bus speeds, but going faster than a hard drive can handle would mean the hard drive would not be able to communicate, hence you'd get a hard drive that would just spin normally, but won't access any data.

Most CPU's have an in-built temperature sensor, either inside the CPU or mounted in the motherboard socket.
When it gets too hot, it either slows down the CPU dramatically, or just crashes / shuts down safely.

Given CPU's are made from a few metals, aluminium, copper, fibre glass and silicon, it doesn't make for a very flammable mix.

If you're lucky, the best you'll get is a little smoke, maybe a bad smell at worst.
More than likely your PC will just crash / shutdown, and that's it.

PS, via made up a video showing what happens to their C3 processor when you take the heat sink off it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-Qtr0AhOQ

[Salpiche]

I don't think it's possible to "crank the hard drive to max", hard drives go only at one speed. It would be possible to adjust bus speeds, but going faster than a hard drive can handle would mean the hard drive would not be able to communicate, hence you'd get a hard drive that would just spin normally, but won't access any data.

Most CPU's have an in-built temperature sensor, either inside the CPU or mounted in the motherboard socket.
When it gets too hot, it either slows down the CPU dramatically, or just crashes / shuts down safely.

Given CPU's are made from a few metals, aluminium, copper, fibre glass and silicon, it doesn't make for a very flammable mix.

If you're lucky, the best you'll get is a little smoke, maybe a bad smell at worst.
More than likely your PC will just crash / shutdown, and that's it.

True!

Yet que se joda!! still fun to try! :D ...
the older CPUs just got red and died, I did it with a 333 k6 , no heat sink or fan while blowing hot air on it, the badge just shrank and turned black while the cpu just got a little red then died.... for ever!

yet it was tons of fun :twisted:

Oh! yeah... breaking it just makes for more fun when fixing it, specially when you know that you gonna break it again and again and again...

[tgalati4]

There are several videos on YouTube that show AMD processors pushed to pop. They do so explosively.

[Salpiche]

PS, via made up a video showing what happens to their C3 processor when you take the heat sink off it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P-Qtr0AhOQ[/QUOTE]

Nice!
:lolflag:

[brunolabs]

It didn't catch fire?
....
The whole point of this "experiment" is to create a combustation reaction inside a computer, and then with that reaction make some smores. So if you tried this and it didn't work then there has to be a better way of insuring that it catches fire....


Give the processor an alcohol shower before the experiment. That should do the trick! :)

[ukripper]

Damn i didn't know that ubuntu can make people go crazy!:lolflag:
no offence mate just kiddin

[hyperair]

I remember seeing a video once of a CPU vaporizing. ._. Gotta be one of the older ones I guess. Those that don't automatically shutdown when overheating.

[oldb0y]

Put some flammable fluids in a plastic-cup or whatever on top of it:D

[lespaul_rentals]

I remember hearing about this guy who put a video on YouTube showing Crysis or some game where you can blow stuff up. He had a top-of-the-line gaming computer. He said that if he did not turn his character around to avoid looking straight at a bunch of barrels he was blowing up, his computer would literally blow up because of the demand on his video card and processor. This is not possible, because modern hardware will kill the power if it reaches anywhere close to meltdown point. If you were to circumvent the safety mechanism, or use overclocked, old chips, it might be possible. But on anything newer than 5 years old, it won't work.

And what the heck, man. Why would you waste a perfectly good computer. I don't have enough money for one, you could give it to me.

[hyperair]

Heh I couldn't agree more. My computer's kinda old, but it still works so I'm still using it. But if anyone wants to throw away a computer newer than mine I'll be glad to take it in. xD

[leftorvo]

way to waste more of the world's resources...

[Black Mage]

way to waste more of the world's resources...

Hey, after seeing the IPhone blended and various other electronics, I don't think I'm that bad at wasting resources.....

And I still don't think its a big of a waste as Windows Vista....

[Sslaxx]

Hey, after seeing the IPhone blended and various other electronics, I don't think I'm that bad at wasting resources.....

And I still don't think its a big of a waste as Windows Vista....
The iPhone was a publicity stunt, I think you'll find...

[rune0077]

I doesn't have to be so technical. Just open the lid, pour some gasoline in there and light a match. That should do the trick just nicely.

[Black Mage]

I doesn't have to be so technical. Just open the lid, pour some gasoline in there and light a match. That should do the trick just nicely.

No thats to easy. What happened to being a pyro with class and style? Who cleverly finds a way of causing spantenous combustion?

So I need to find some way to break relatively new equpiement to the sensors don't pick up that its over heating.

[evilghost]

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5393904704265757054

[Cew27]

just having a lack of thermal paste can cause a cpu to catch fire so if you take the heatsink off and all the fans your computer will only get so far before shutting down due to the motherboard sensors being tripped

[rune0077]

No thats to easy. What happened to being a pyro with class and style? Who cleverly finds a way of causing spantenous combustion?

So I need to find some way to break relatively new equpiement to the sensors don't pick up that its over heating.

I hate to say it, but I think you're in over your head here. CPU's are made to be pretty heat resistant, so you could probably accomplish a meltdown, but I doubt it would set the darn thing on fire.

On an interesting note; recent studies here in Denmark, shows that the number one cause of fires in the home these days, are caused neither by cigarettes nor faulty circuitry, but by laptop and cellphone batteries. The thing is, they make these things to be smaller and smaller, and better and better, which means they heat up quicker and can't handle as much heat as their clunkier predecessors used to. So if you want fire, maybe you need to do it through an internal battery instead of a CPU.

[SunnyRabbiera]

put some explosives in it, like true mythbusters style :D

[Black Mage]

Ok, by the end of this thread, I'm gonna need a shorefire(no pun intended) of hacking hardware so over heating can occur and a CPU will be ignited or vaporized with the use of gasoline.

Any suggestions?
(maybe i need to attent pyro's annoymous afterwards)

[~LoKe]

Your CPU won't catch fire. It'll over-volt and fry itself electrically before you get to that point. However, if you use phase cooling and crank it up, remove the phase, it might "blow up" and shatter your motherboard. But that's still pretty unlikely.

[ukripper]

take cpu out of socket and put it in microwave on full power for 30 mins-1 hr! you will enjoy the blast!
try to put some propane too if it doesnt blast http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5VF5ClqB0g

[Tristam Green]

take cpu out of socket and put it in microwave on full power for 30 mins-1 hr! you will enjoy the blast!

It'll be shiney while it's happening, too!

[Black Mage]

Your CPU won't catch fire. It'll over-volt and fry itself electrically before you get to that point. However, if you use phase cooling and crank it up, remove the phase, it might "blow up" and shatter your motherboard. But that's still pretty unlikely.

Really? How about a CPU than would melt through the motherboard? I'm about to change this topic too "How to Blow Up Your Computer"

[ukripper]

Really? How about a CPU than would melt through the motherboard? I'm about to change this topic too "How to Blow Up Your Computer"

CPU alone can be blown in different ways so let this topic be same! more option to blow your CPU either inside ur computer or outside

[arsenic23]

I've seen ALOT of cihps blow up over the years. Fire is not too likely.

But seriously, unless we're talking about destorying a 133 or something here, your better off just giving your PC away to someone who could use it. Make a youtube video about that.


----------------------
Just in case you want to know: Out of all the fire damage PCs I've seen, almost all of the fires started in the powersupply.

[ukripper]

Yeh you can give it to me if you dont want to use it! :lolflag:

[lespaul_rentals]

put some explosives in it, like true mythbusters style :D

We all know that Mythbusters is very scientifically sound and never makes claims that a 6th-grader could see through... :p

[BLTicklemonster]

If you overclock too much, the cpu will tank too quickly. Overclock it, but not all the way, so that it will cook cook cook, heating up anything near it....


Now build a heat sink out of old popsicle sticks, and paint it silver using an oil based paint. Attach, crank, watch.


maybe.

[Linuxratty]

Heres the vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNUK3U73SI


I really like the music on that video.
Here is a picture of the distortions you get when your machine overheats.and no,I did not smell smoke...I did have to replace the power supply,and the motherboard.

http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j25/Blueroo22/th_snapshot2.png
http://s76.photobucket.com/albums/j25/Blueroo22/?action=view&current=snapshot2.png

[elcasey]

LOL, I don't know where you some of you people come up with your "facts." Same vein as the "I saw it on TV, so it must be true" crowd. :lol:

[amingv]

It will certainly not catch fire by itself. In all honesty I think it's a pointless waste of a computer.

http://www.sick-boy.com/images/ai.gif

Steven Spielberg was right, you are heartless.

[elcasey]

Has Spielberg actually been right about anything since Jaws?

[D-EJ915]

socket-based AMD Athlon, man, those things are smoking, literally. they're famous for burning out and people blowing them up, lol

[amingv]

Has Spielberg actually been right about anything since Jaws?

Spielberg's been right ever since Close Encounters :)

[VMan]

How about setting up a water cooled computer and then instead of using water, use gasoline? . . .:popcorn:

[Vadi]

Just posting so I'm subscribed and get to see the ending video!

[Black Mage]

If you overclock too much, the cpu will tank too quickly. Overclock it, but not all the way, so that it will cook cook cook, heating up anything near it....


Now build a heat sink out of old popsicle sticks, and paint it silver using an oil based paint. Attach, crank, watch.


maybe.

I actually like that idea that I'm going to try that one. A heat sink made out of popsicle sticks. Very interesting.

Well when my friend throws away his old computer to have me build a new one, I will take his old computer and set it up to catch fire. No, no one else is getting it.

I would do the gasoline and water-cooling if I wasn't worried about my house catching fire. Any other ideas?

And keep the ideas classy please. Like Willy Coyote and Road Runner. He could have just shot the road runner but he was to classy for that. So classy and creative that he went to Acme to buy things like giant baseball bats and springs or trying to get the road runner by dropping boulders off a cliff.

Simply putting explosive material inside a CPU just isn't creative enough.

-The Classy Pyro

[Polygon]

most cpus will not catch fire if you take the fan or heatsink off

proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNUK3U73SI

and this is a pretty old video, on my amd athlon xp 3000+, the thermal paste dried up and my computer shut off and would not turn back on until it cooled back down, in order to save the cpu. took me a while to figure this out =P

[alexanderpas]

we might not be able to let it catch a hardware fire... but what about a software fire ;)

http://lxr.linux.no/linux+v2.6.26.5/arch/x86/kernel/cpu/mcheck/p5.c#L26

[MaxIBoy]

I learning about how a CPU can go to fast that it actually burst into flames and the pyro side came out in me.

Do you think if I turn off my fans, crank the hard drive to max, and overclock the CPU, remove the heatsink, wipe off the thermal grease, do you think I can set my CPU ablaze in my computer?The CPU itself is made of silicon and metal, which won't burn. However, it can get very hot.

What you propose is still not easy, because there are defense mechanisms against it. Most recent CPUs will detect that the heatsink and fan are missing and shut themselves off to avoid damage. Others will detect this and downclock themselves to the megahertz range. Some CPUs will additionally underclock themselves if they get too hot, or raise an interrupt to cease almost all CPU activity.

Even if you can coax it into running, an overheating CPU is very likely to make mistakes and errors. If it gets too hot, your programs and OS can crash, bringing any CPU activity to a halt.




If you want a fire in your computer, try opening up your power supply unit and diking out (http://www.retrologic.com/jargon/D/dike.html) a few components. That'll do the trick.

[Skripka]

The CPU itself is made of silicon and metal, which won't burn. However, it can get very hot.

What you propose is still not easy, because there are defense mechanisms against it. Most recent CPUs will detect that the heatsink and fan are missing and shut themselves off to avoid damage. Others will detect this and downclock themselves to the megahertz range. Some CPUs will additionally underclock themselves if they get too hot, or raise an interrupt to cease almost all CPU activity.

Even if you can coax it into running, an overheating CPU is very likely to make mistakes and errors. If it gets too hot, your programs and OS can crash, bringing any CPU activity to a halt.




If you want a fire in your computer, try opening up your power supply unit and diking out (http://www.retrologic.com/jargon/D/dike.html) a few components. That'll do the trick.

Psssssss-this thread is over a year old-the OP probably couldn't afford a new CPU-and cannot access the internets anymore ;)

[nstolar]

I learning about how a CPU can go to fast that it actually burst into flames and the pyro side came out in me.

Do you think if I turn off my fans, crank the hard drive to max, and overclock the CPU, remove the heatsink, wipe off the thermal grease, do you think I can set my CPU ablaze in my computer?

Leave the grease, and leave the fan. You need fuel & air ! Make sure that it is not a teflon based grease, above 600 deg it will create physique gas... and you will take your self out too...:lolflag: Take some pictures maybe you can regroup some of your loss http://ubuntuforums.org/images/smilies/smiley-faces-75.gif

[MaxIBoy]

Even if the topic is old, it's still interesting and worth posting in.





How about setting up a water cooled computer and then instead of using water, use gasoline? . . .:popcorn:It would probably cool more effectively that way, but you had better pressure-test your cooling system first, because the gas will evaporate and build up vapor pressure. Chances are it'll leak hot gasoline. So what? The stuff won't spontaneously combust. It'll just smell bad.

[benj1]

ive seen a cpu boil an egg in a pan of water.

as for setting it on fire im guessing theyre heat resistant considering newer ones generate the same heat as an electric hob

another factoid
if cpus keep getting more powerful at the same rate, within the next 20 yrs theyll be genereating more heat than the sun

[Mehall]

most cpus will not catch fire if you take the fan or heatsink off

proof:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxNUK3U73SI

and this is a pretty old video, on my amd athlon xp 3000+, the thermal paste dried up and my computer shut off and would not turn back on until it cooled back down, in order to save the cpu. took me a while to figure this out =P


You can replace your thermal paste with sun block, just make sure it doesn't have too many ingredients.

There was a guy who did that, found one with only one or two additional ingredients or something. It was better than the expensive thermal paste he normally used :lolflag::lolflag:

[Skripka]

You can replace your thermal paste with sun block, just make sure it doesn't have too many ingredients.

There was a guy who did that, found one with only one or two additional ingredients or something. It was better than the expensive thermal paste he normally used :lolflag::lolflag:

Meh, thermal compound is pretty cheap. A $10 syringe of ArcticSilver5 off NewEgg will last many many computer builds-it also happens to work the best of any OEM compound....of course, you cannot use it for sunscreen unfortunately.

[chriskin]

on the original subject, this video is your answer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCD5b2ZEjDM

[beercz]

Hmmm - instead of trying to get the CPU to catch fire, why not go the whole hog? (http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=1019203&postcount=45)

[Ericyzfr1]

It didn't catch fire?
....
The whole point of this "experiment" is to create a combustation reaction inside a computer, and then with that reaction make some smores. So if you tried this and it didn't work then there has to be a better way of insuring that it catches fire....

Btw, don't yell at me for combusting CPU when certain people *cough* can blend iPhones.

Try not to burn down your house in the process!!

[MaxIBoy]

ive seen a cpu boil an egg in a pan of water.

as for setting it on fire im guessing theyre heat resistant considering newer ones generate the same heat as an electric hob

another factoid
if cpus keep getting more powerful at the same rate, within the next 20 yrs theyll be genereating more heat than the sun
iMax projectors already run hotter than the photsphere of the sun.

Anyway, by then we'll have moved on to better semiconductors, especially organics, which run cooler, and diamond, which runs cooler and is more tolerant of heat.

[Mehall]

Diamond processors are expected inside of a few years.

The experimental, random testing versions they have in labs can easil clock 81GHz (single core) with standard air cooling.#

see: My Blog about diamond processors (http://blog.mehall.co.cc/?p=68)

[CharmyBee]

Older CPUs I know of that can easily overheat without overclocking, you can easily damage these without much to do on them:

Intel Pentium 60/66
Cyrix 6x86MX
AMD K6-2 300+ (even with thermal paste and fans these suckers can reach 150F)
AMD Athlon Thunderbird (Slot A)

[Gizenshya]

hmm... I have an old K6... I've tohught about blowing it up before

if you want fire, you're going to have to add something flammable. Try some magnesium (go get one of those fire-starters from wal-mart or camping supply store), just scrape lots of it into a pile with a knife, an then get a sparkler (firework) and bend the stick/metal so the stuff falls off, and then pile all that up over the sink-less CPU. Or, if you REALLY want a cool show, use crushed up rust and aluminum, and add a bunch of that in with your pile. Make sure you do it outside with some sort of extension cord, though. And make sure you're over ground and NOT concrete, asphalt, or anything link that as it WILL melt through it like a hot knife through butter. ohh, and have a hose-pipe ready. it won't put out the fire, but it will keep it from spreading until it burns out.