Computer shuts off at random
times indian_head_park
CPU stands for central
processing unit, it's the processor of the computer,
the chip that does all the calculations (and every
operation on a computer is a calculation). When
working it gets hot and if it gets to hot it can be
damaged which is why there's a protection on the
motherboard that shuts the computer down when the
CPU gets too hot.
This is
the heat sink and fans that are on top of the CPU,
hiding it to the view The heat sink helps dissipate
the heat from the CPU and the fan brings fresh air
on it.
This is the real CPU :
http://img.alibaba.com/photo/11403294/Intel_CPU.jpg You won't see it unless you
remove the heat sink and fan. You don't need to do
anything with it unless cleaning the dust isn't
enough and you need to redo the thermal paste
between the CPU and heat sink.
You need to clean any dust you
could see on the CPU fan (black part on first
picture) and any dust there could be between the
heat sink fins (heat sink = grey part on first
picture). Use a can of compressed air for that
purpose. Clean all the other fans and smaller
heat sinks you could see on the motherboard.