Dead CPU?

[darkeneddays]

My friend called me the other day to take a look at his PC because he said it wouldn't give video signal.The PC was working fine before(Gigabyte mobo(forgot model)/P3 1Ghz/WinXP) but one of his CD drives was acting-up.He said he simply removed the IDE and molex cables from the back of the drive,plugged it back in and got no video.
The video is integrated btw.I tinkered with it and tried to find a jumper for me to reset the CMOS(doesn't exist!?).After doing everything I could(which isn't much considering I can't get any video) I told him to get a replacement mobo since it was still under warrenty.When he went to return it,the store called the day after and said they wouldn't replace it because the CPU was dead,not the mobo. I can't quite understand how unplugging 2 cables can kill your CPU but is there any way to know for sure? Are there distinct signs when a CPU is dead? The machine cuts on...accesses the HDD breifly...then sits there.

If I had a spare p3 I'd try that.So is there anything else that can be done,or does he just need to go ahead and get another CPU?

Any advice is welcome,
Thanks

 

[Migroo]

Ask the shop to try it with another CPU.. obviously if it works with a different CPU then I'd guess that the problem really is your existing one.

I wouldnt do anything else yourself for fear of messing with the warranty any further. (obviously it sounds like they dont support hardware errors that could be caused by you).

With regard to the cables - I dont know, but I wouldnt have thought so.