Desktop computer smelled like smoke- now will not power on. Already changed Power supply?
June 2, 2011 4:24 AM Subscribe
Desktop computer smelled like smoke- now will not power on. Already changed Power supply?
I tried a new power supply, but when I power it on, nothing comes on screen. No POST/BIOS, no display, nothing. Fans run, and hard drive/video card fan spin. System seems to run except no display. Tried another video card, didn't work. Tried onboard video- no go. I'm guessing its a fried motherboard AND power supply. Could everything else be fried too?
I tried a new power supply, but when I power it on, nothing comes on screen. No POST/BIOS, no display, nothing. Fans run, and hard drive/video card fan spin. System seems to run except no display. Tried another video card, didn't work. Tried onboard video- no go. I'm guessing its a fried motherboard AND power supply. Could everything else be fried too?
This, a thousand times this.
Start by pulling your hard drive and plugging in into another computer, back up your data, then look into buying a new computer.
posted by titanium_geek at 5:28 AM on June 2, 2011
Start by pulling your hard drive and plugging in into another computer, back up your data, then look into buying a new computer.
posted by titanium_geek at 5:28 AM on June 2, 2011
It's likely your motherboard that has gone up. Do you see any signs of burn damage or bulging capacitors? Definitely do not attempt to turn it on again until your important files are backed up off the HDD. Usually burnouts like this are isolated, hopefully your other components are still in working condition.
posted by samsara at 5:40 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by samsara at 5:40 AM on June 2, 2011
Yeah, sounds like a motherboard burnout. With a little luck, your other components are intact.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 5:59 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by Salvor Hardin at 5:59 AM on June 2, 2011
Pull out the memory and power it on. Do you get angry beeping? Put it back, do the same with the processor. Still no beeping? Odds are bad motherboard. If it begins to beep when you pull a component, you raise the odds to 50/50 that it is that component or the motherboard.
It is probably the processor voltage regulator area of the motherboard, and if you look at the board near the processor, you might find burnt things. Possibly one of the large transistors that are possibly screwed to a heatsink.
If it IS bulged capacitors, they can be replaced and you may well be able to go on your way happily.
posted by gjc at 6:09 AM on June 2, 2011
It is probably the processor voltage regulator area of the motherboard, and if you look at the board near the processor, you might find burnt things. Possibly one of the large transistors that are possibly screwed to a heatsink.
If it IS bulged capacitors, they can be replaced and you may well be able to go on your way happily.
posted by gjc at 6:09 AM on June 2, 2011
(Caps can fail in two ways- if the short out, the machine won't power up. If they fail open, the machine runs hot and flaky. This failure is actually worse, as continued operation can ruin other things.)
posted by gjc at 6:10 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by gjc at 6:10 AM on June 2, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks, I will try the swapping of memory, etc
posted by l2yangop at 6:33 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by l2yangop at 6:33 AM on June 2, 2011
When I woke up to a mostly-dead computer and the smell of ozony-smoke, it was a fried CPU/Motherboard.
posted by muddgirl at 6:53 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by muddgirl at 6:53 AM on June 2, 2011
gjc: "Pull out the memory and power it on. Do you get angry beeping? Put it back, do the same with the processor."
Not all motherboards behave this way. I can definitely think of a few that simply do nothing if there's no processor or RAM inserted.
posted by schmod at 7:07 AM on June 2, 2011
Not all motherboards behave this way. I can definitely think of a few that simply do nothing if there's no processor or RAM inserted.
posted by schmod at 7:07 AM on June 2, 2011
A couple of years ago my Dell computer stopped working. It was 2 years past the warranty but I decided to call Dell to see if they could help.
I got on with a tech and told him that the comp was out of warranty and told him what the problem was. He had me open the computer case and do some random hardware shutdowns and restarts. After about an hour on the phone, free, mind you, I told him that I smelled an electrical burning odor. He had me shut down the computer and took my name and address. He told me that he'd contact some of his peers to see what could be done. I didn't hear from him again.
3 days later, FedEx showed up at the door with a new Dell computer. Seems they had a run of bad computers that had faulty motherboards and they made good on the computer.
No, I don't work for Dell and never have nor do I know anyone connected with them. I'm a retired Teamster carhauler, just in case you're wondering.
posted by JohnE at 7:59 AM on June 2, 2011
I got on with a tech and told him that the comp was out of warranty and told him what the problem was. He had me open the computer case and do some random hardware shutdowns and restarts. After about an hour on the phone, free, mind you, I told him that I smelled an electrical burning odor. He had me shut down the computer and took my name and address. He told me that he'd contact some of his peers to see what could be done. I didn't hear from him again.
3 days later, FedEx showed up at the door with a new Dell computer. Seems they had a run of bad computers that had faulty motherboards and they made good on the computer.
No, I don't work for Dell and never have nor do I know anyone connected with them. I'm a retired Teamster carhauler, just in case you're wondering.
posted by JohnE at 7:59 AM on June 2, 2011
N'thing the pull the hard drive and look into a new computer crowd.
What model computer is it? Always worth looking for a recall check. I'm not sure of a major computer manufacturer that hasn't had some bad batches of motherboards in the last few years. HP had runs of bad laptop motherboards, Dell had the Optiplex issue with bad capacitors. Its worth looking into.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 8:19 AM on June 2, 2011
What model computer is it? Always worth looking for a recall check. I'm not sure of a major computer manufacturer that hasn't had some bad batches of motherboards in the last few years. HP had runs of bad laptop motherboards, Dell had the Optiplex issue with bad capacitors. Its worth looking into.
posted by Mister Fabulous at 8:19 AM on June 2, 2011
Response by poster: I built it myself. Its an asus mobo
posted by l2yangop at 9:18 AM on June 2, 2011
posted by l2yangop at 9:18 AM on June 2, 2011
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Start by pulling your hard drive and plugging in into another computer, back up your data, then look into buying a new computer.
posted by mhoye at 5:21 AM on June 2, 2011 [3 favorites]