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Smoke coming from PC

  • 08-08-2011 9:03pm
    #1
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭


    I've just had a small burst of smoke from my PC, which is a self built one.

    I've taken out the RAM, graphics card, CPU fan, hard drive, disk drive, and the mobo to have a look under it, and can't see any scorch marks at all, haven't found any melted cables, blown up capacitors, anything like that, but obviously the smoke had to come from somewhere.

    Also in taking the CPU fan off I assume I'll need to put more thermal compound on, which I don't have, so can't really turn it on again until I get some.

    I guess it's a long shot but would anyone know what to do from here, if any components are particularly prone to this?

    If it's relevant the PC would infrequently restart itself completely out of the blue, always when I was playing a game, so under load.


Comments

  • #2
    SickBoy
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,537 ✭✭✭SickBoy


    My money would be on the PSU.


  • #3
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Yeah in the absence of any other evidence I'm guessing it must be the PSU too. Still a bit of a guess though :(


  • #4
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Removed the power supply to have a look at it there and still can't find any evidence that it is the problem.


  • #5
    PrzemoF
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,931 ✭✭✭PrzemoF


    I'd look for a broken capacitor - on the mainboard or in PSU.


  • #6
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Capacitors on the mobo look ok, but there's one small spot of discolouration on the underside of the mobo that I've just noticed, wonder if it's that. I think it smells a bit burned too but I'm not sure if I'm just imagining that or not.


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  • #7
    Trevor451
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭Trevor451


    Can you list the specs for me? Was it overclocked?


  • #8
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Trevor451 wrote: »
    Can you list the specs for me? Was it overclocked?

    It's an overclocked bundle from overclockers.co.uk (and it's actually under warranty).

    Core i7 3.40Ghz oc'd to 4.60Ghz
    4GB RAM
    GTX 460
    Corsair 650W TX power supply
    Can't actually remember the mobo, sorry, I'm sure that doesn't help


  • #9
    Trevor451
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,463 ✭✭✭Trevor451


    danthefan wrote: »
    It's an overclocked bundle from overclockers.co.uk (and it's actually under warranty).

    Core i7 3.40Ghz oc'd to 4.60Ghz
    4GB RAM
    GTX 460
    Corsair 650W TX power supply
    Can't actually remember the mobo, sorry, I'm sure that doesn't help

    Is your board manufactured by MSI by any chance? MSI boards are notorious for VRMs exploding/going on fire especially when overclocked.

    http://www.overclock.net/amd-cpus/943109-about-vrms-mosfets-motherboard-safety-125w.html


  • #10
    papu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,357 ✭✭✭papu


    Could you take a picture of the area thats discoloured / burnt? My moneys that the Mobo has gone bust , if its still under warranty Return it !


  • #11
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    The mobo is Asus, I'm just not sure of the model.

    It will certainly be returned if it's the problem.


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  • #12
    danthefan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,770 ✭✭✭danthefan


    Ok, I got back onto the tech support of the place I bought it from, they told me to turn it back on to find what was smoking, the reasoning being if it's the mobo/CPU/RAM that's screwed they'll replace it, if it's the graphics or power supply it'll have to be replaced anyway, so no real harm.

    Turned it on anyway, nothing smoking. I think it's the graphics card though after everything, there's a bit of a burned smell off it I think.

    The PC seems to have gone a bit nuts though, it didn't beep on booting up, it now thinks it's 2004 and the resolution won't go back to what I had it at before.


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