Yes, a Mobo chipset can overheat and cause the PC to shut down.
Yes, a Mobo chipset can overheat and cause the PC to shut down.
Sure, that's correct. Generally, chipsets produce very little heat.
Your recent setup tends to shut down occasionally, but CPU temperatures seem normal. Since you lack a GPU, that’s unlikely the cause. The PSU appears to be the main concern—check its temperature. The only component showing heat is the motherboard chipset. Adding a small fan might help, but test it carefully to avoid crashes.
Understanding the specific board helps determine if it's the issue. The only situations where the board gets hot are during heavy input operations like file transfers or network tasks. Generally, whether a chipset needs a heatsink depends on the power level; most boards require a VRM solution unless they're high-end models such as 990FX and X570. If overheating appears on a motherboard, it's usually the VRM rather than the chipset itself. Additionally, many boards include temperature sensors on both the chipset (often labeled PCH) and the VRM, which can be checked via HWInfo before installing a fan.
The motherboard model is p8b75-m, quite old. The thermal paste seems to be in good condition. After installing a random case fan and directing it toward the heat sink, the PC experienced random crashes temporarily. It looks like the issue may have been resolved. I'll check again if it happens again.