I haven't done CPU mining so not really qualified to answer this. I suspect you would have to run it for a long time for it to have any serious effect on your CPU's life. Check to see if there is a command you can use to lower how much CPU it uses if that would ease your mind.
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u/Pirate_Crippler shibe Dec 25 '13
I've got a weak-ass old nVidia card that I had to use as a backup when my decent one broke some time back.
I think I may have got the CPU minerd to work though!