What is this square box with a fan?

[Fran]

Hi. I want to start learning how my PC work. I opened my Packard Bell today because my CD-ROM drive is dead and I need to replace it.
I could find nothing that looks that the picture of a processor chip. But there is this large black chip(?) with something that looks like a fan on top. Is that the CPU?
Also, what are the few smaller chips that are marked Intel PCI set? I saw several of them.
BTW, is there a way to search the archives of these forums?
Thanks.

[YODA74]

If It looks like this yup that would be the varmit http://www.itreviews.co.uk/hardware/hard11.htm

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What have I gotten my self Into now (ROFLMAO)

[Fran]

Thanks for the link. Yeah! that's the thing.

[setoguro]

Hi Fran. Welcome to the world of computers. The best place to start learning about all those things inside the box is the pc guide also before you go snooping around inside read this http://www.pcguide.com/site/warn.htm . Have fun.

[Paleo Pete]

The CPU is under that fan. The "Square box" you describe is probably the heatsink. (The blue item in the picture) The heatsink is between fan and CPU. The heatsink draws heat away from the CPU, the fan blows air into the heatsink to help dissipate heat.

The smaller square chips you described are the chipsets. Only one is the main chipset, the others are secondary chips. Intel made the i430xx chipset and i440, and a couple of 800 series (810 & 815?). Maybe others. One thing to note, if yours is the i430xx chipset, it will only cache 64MB of RAM, if you try to add more memory you'll actually slow the machine down. In place of xx will be FX, TX, VX or HX.

To search the forums look at the top of each page, you'll see a couple of blue text links to use to post a new topic or a reply. Just under them are smaller links, one is Search. It will search any specific category, or all categories at once according to what you choose in the drop-down box.

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