What can cause a motherboard to die?

I have a Compaq laptop that I purchased in 2005. Last night as my wife was checking her email, the screen suddenly went gray and nothing could be done about it. I shut it down and went to reboot, but it wouldn't boot. Took it down to the local computer shop today and they pulled it apart, said the motherboard is dead.

So what exactly causes a motherboard to die? It's not like I had the computer that long, but then again it has been to Iraq and back and that's definately not the best place for a computer. Regardless of this though, the tech. who's working on my laptop said it isn't that dirty, and doubts dirt had anything to do with it...

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Community Opinion/Answers

Laptop motherboards aren't made of the same stuff as a desktop computer's motherboard. They're a lot more fragile. You can bump the laptop around, or drop it, and that may be all it takes. (Buddy of mine just got back, and said his bag was kicked by the 'handlers.' {You know who I'm referring to} I'm replacing the AC adapter power jack, because of this)
Another major cause are the electrolytic capacitors on a motherboard. Whether it's a laptop, or desktop unit. These components chemically breakdown inside. Let me show you sumpthin':
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN6_-8fYH...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDGjWOabJ...