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My computer went SKREEEE-pop and now it smells bad (update: super-dead)
Synthetic Orange
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
...and it wont boot up.
When I went to turn it on at the wall point this morning I got a shock when it sounded like I'd stepped on a few dozen mice. That sound cut out after a few seconds and was replaced by the smell of delicious roast chemicals.
The smell seems to be coming from the PSU. Anything I should check before just buying a replacement unit?
FWIW, the PSU was an Antec. It doesnt really seem to have lasted much longer than any other PSUs I've bought, branded or unbranded. Every single one I've bought over the last decade have lasted only 2-3 years. Am I doing something wrong here?
When I went to turn it on at the wall point this morning I got a shock when it sounded like I'd stepped on a few dozen mice. That sound cut out after a few seconds and was replaced by the smell of delicious roast chemicals.
The smell seems to be coming from the PSU. Anything I should check before just buying a replacement unit?
FWIW, the PSU was an Antec. It doesnt really seem to have lasted much longer than any other PSUs I've bought, branded or unbranded. Every single one I've bought over the last decade have lasted only 2-3 years. Am I doing something wrong here?
Synthetic Orange on
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But yeah, if the PSU went, it most likely signed a suicide pact with the mobo, and possibly the ram too.
Good luck.
> turn on light
Good start to the day. Pity it's going to be the worst one of your life. The light is now on.
No no no no no no no no no no.
If there's one thing you absolutely don't want to skimp on, it's your PSU. Don't buy a cheapo, no-name PSU unless you're ok with running the risk it's a piece of shit and will take everything else out with it.
Saving $40 might cost you another $400 in new parts.
Regardless of what site you're on, you're still on the internet. There will always be retards - ThisGuy
I shut it down normally then shut off the power point at the wall because a whole bunch of other stuff is hooked up to that point too, printer, external drives, etc because I hardly use the desktop. Maybe once in a week or so. Just keeping the power bill down.
What I want to do is check which parts are working. Then break up everything that works for parts and sell it off. I'm not using it much anymore and think it might be time to get rid of it.
Don't you mean CHEAP PSU's? You have to find a reasonably quality one and be willing to pay 75-125$ for above average components.
The cheap PSU in my P2/P3 HP tower is still going fine from 1999. All PSUs newer than early '08 have died here. The PSU in my roommate's new HP has died 3 times now, and has popped (but is still working right now) a 4th time.
What happened here is one of the OP's capacitors bit it, the computer should be fine.
Hp's and Dells are notoriously shitty machines.
I always tell people to get a UPS. Anything to avoid a hard voltage drop or spike is a good thing. I can't believe some people still run their machines without a surge protector. It is a must.
Overloading and underloading the PSU always reduces its lifespan. 2-3 years depending on usage is about average. I turn my computer off to reduce wear and tear and to reduce the chance of some sort of issue while I'm away.
Personally, I try not to skimp on the PSU since its the one thing that is usually the first to fail and likely to take other components out when it does. That and modular cabling is very sexy to install.
I don't think there's any reason to think modern one's are different. I only worry when I buy what's reported to be a quality unit, but it doesn't have any heft to it. Hardly a professional way to analyze PSU's, but I sure have noticed that cheap PSU's tend also to be featherweights.
edit: already said, but a UPS is such a good investment if you actually like your computer. They're also pretty affordable these days. Just research your available purchases before buying.
one of their forumers have compiled a list of PSU's that you should NOT buy. Most are off brand/cheap crap.
http://www.hardforum.com/showthread.php?t=974240
DO NOT USE PSU'S that come with cases. These are usually THE WORST KIND OF PSU to buy. You get what you pay for.
If I were going to go get a PSU tommorrow? I would likely go and snag this.
http://www.hardocp.com/article.html?art=MTQ0NSwzLCxoZW50aHVzaWFzdA==
For the most part this is true, but Antec generally makes pretty good PSUs and bundles them with their pretty good cases.
I mean, you can do better in either department by buying separately but Antec has the only bundles that I'd actually use.
The motherboard's power indicator is on, so it's getting juice, but it refuses to start up. Checked and rechecked all the connections to no avail.
Right now I'm going back out to get an IDE casing so I can at least get all the stuff off the hard drives and transfer them over to my laptop.
There's still a few components, 2gbs of memory (4x512), Silent 8600gt, wireless card, dvd burner, etc. Is it worthwhile ebaying them or are they likely to have been trashed in the burnout as well?
I know you said you checked and rechecked the connections, but are you sure you plugged the ATX12V or EPS12V connectors into the motherboard? A surprisingly high number of people overlook that step even though they swear they hooked everything up right.
As for PSU brands, I like (and recommend) PC Power & Cooling.
Guy at the store recommended stripping the computer back down and removing the motherboard battery for awhile to reset the uhm, thingy. We'll see how that goes before I hop back down there for the IDE cases.
Thankfully the second HDD is alright, and that's where all my data is stored. Small mercies eh?
edit: Son of a fuck, the motor starts up but it looks like it's completely screwed too.
I did make backups... but how long ago?
And a lot of porn. Damn do I feel bad. So bad.
Losing porn is the hardest thing a man can live through, You have my sympathies.
Man what. Don't do this.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
Marking it clearly that it's broken is fine, people buy and sell broken stuff on there all the time, hoping to be able to fix something and therefore get it cheap.
I always err on the side of caution.
I should still be concerned right?
Might have been over heating and cooked the dust in the heatsink that caused the buttsmell.
Unless the heatsinks clean.
I would like to believe that's all it was, but it is quite new, so dust is minimal. Plus the whole popping noise. Like an idiot I'll probably just keep using the computer and eventually I am sure I will find out what went wrong.