Does a computer virus destroy the computer hardware???

Most computer viruses will only mess up the software on your computer, or rather modify it and make it work in a way you didn't (and don't) anticipate. Some will actually destroy your data, applications and operating system. It is POSSIBLE for a virus to seriously affect the low-level programming (the BIOS) in such a way that some of the hardware no longer works and it would also be FEASIBLE for it to reprogram it in such a way that some components might overheat and thus permanently damage the hardware. The straight answer, therefore, is that it is not impossible but I can't recall (in my 20 years in IT) any virus that has actually done that. I don't know of any virus which has damaged a single PC or server in such a way that reformatting the hard disk and reinstalling the operating system and software has not been the complete cure.

hi shekhar4uall! there are some rare cases when viruses can destroy computer hardware. if i recall correctly, the infamous Chernobyl virus will damage your BIOS, rendering the entire motherboard unusable. some virus can damage the hard disk's sectors. others, as mentioned by the other respondents, can cause hardware to either overheat or overwork themselves to the extent of malfunction. but i think this is kinda rare, but still possible. examples would be printers printing consistently, CD drives opening/closing/accessing, floppy drive excess accessing, GPU and CPU overload, advanced hard disk wear and tear, etc.

Although is not typical for all viruses some species would destroy the hardware of your computer (especially through heavy use of a certain physical part of your hardware). Let me offer you more accurate information: some viruses are simply infecting your opperating system and start writing (puting infor/deleting info) continuously on a certain hdd cluster/sector. This heavy use of that sector would - after a while result in a "bad sector/cluster". If that sector/cluster is "0" it can ruin your hdd. The binary code is transmited with the help of electrical impulses - 1=impulse, 0=lack of it. Some viruses can ruin a certain chip, by forcing an overload.