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Heat Effects
If the computer is unable to remove the heat created by the internal components or environmental heat, the BIOS of the computer may instruct intensive applications to slow down, thereby reducing the processing capability of the CPU and minimizing its heat output. Additionally, the BIOS may actually instruct various components to shut down in order to avoid overheating and possible damage to the components. This can cause the entire system to shut down without warning and can occur routinely unless a more efficient cooling system, such as a larger, more efficient fan, is outfitted into the computer. A system shutdown is rather commonplace in machines where overclocking has been performed, or in systems where a cooling fan has become damaged.
Often there is no indication to the end user that an overheating condition is occurring, but even this can have severe consequences. Hard disk drives, CPUs, and GPUs are all sensitive to temperature changes. Hard drives in particular can become irreparably damaged by temperature changes due to the expansion and contraction of device components. This can cause read/write errors, or even a complete failure of the disk drive.