My pc recently started locking up. I can smell something like it's burning. I underclocked my CPU and I can still smell it and my pc will run for 20 min and lock up. I'm guessing my cpu is overheating. I have a M AthlonXP 2600+ 45W on a Epox 8R3DA+ cooled with a Dr. Thermal HS with a TMD fan. I have an Antec Sonata case and the side panel is off. The CPU is running around 40C. Can my video card overheat? can the hard drive overheat? If I shut it down and leave the system alone for an hour I can run it again for a short time before it locks up again. I know the Epox has that diagnostic LCD but it doesn't make sense. I get a C1 and an FF. Is my cpu ? it's only a month or 2 old. Will a new HSF be all I need? Thanks in advance.
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locks up, toxic smell
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zoobaby
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Check your power supply. If your temps are around 40C you should be fine. Smell closely and see if you can locate where the smoke escaped from. My bet is the PSU.
One other thing to check: Make sure your big power capacitors are not swollen. If they are, RMA the mobo.
One other thing to check: Make sure your big power capacitors are not swollen. If they are, RMA the mobo.
These are just things I would do but first reseat the CPU and the heatsink, make sure your cpu fan, video card fan and the southbridge fan on the mobo (if you have one) are spinning. Your CPU reading doesn't seem to show it's too hot... hmm maybe PSU is dieing? do you have a spare one you can throw in there for a few days?
yeah like zoo said it's most likely the PSU... the reseating thing can't hurt but doubt that it's the CPU overheating
yeah like zoo said it's most likely the PSU... the reseating thing can't hurt but doubt that it's the CPU overheating
BigBadBiologist
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you don't mention what kind of video card you have. If it has a fan, make sure the fan on it is still functioning. Also, the reccomendation about bad caps is a good idea for something to check.
D
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NEVER use PSU's that come with cases. Its asking for trouble. Seriously though, if your building a top end system whats another $100.00 for a good psu that wont fuck you over later. I would try switching out the PSU and see if that helps.
dandragonrage
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nah, that PSU is ok. Yours may be bad, but that's not one you need to avoid.
FlatLine84
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Yeah, my guess is the PSU, intermitant problems generally are, I bet if somone opened up the PSU (DON'T DO IT YOURSELF IT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IF YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE DOING) there would be a leaking cap.
OEM said:
There is nothing wrong with the Antec True380 that came with his case. It's probably one of the better cheaper PSUs you can get since Antec usually has goog quality especially on the TruPower line of PSUs.
Despite that little rant, I would guess it is your PSU. As others have mentioned, make sure to find out where the smell is coming from. That is more than likely where you problem will be. Besides smelling around the PSU, I would check all power connectors on the motherboard, peripherals, drives and anything else with a power connector. Also check to see if there has been anything spilled on the system.
D
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Phoenix86 said:Greatly depends on what the PSU in the case is... I have seen lots of cases with decent PSs, though more with craptacular ones.
Sounds like the OP let out the magic smoke...
While your right, I still wouldnt trust my system to a "decent" PSU that came with a case.
Sounds like the OP let out the magic smoke...
i always let the magic smoke right outta my lungs!
but back on topic, im thinkin PS as well. i fried a board once cuz it wasnt propertly grounded in the case(least as far as i can figure) everything else was fine, ram, cpu, ps, etc, the board was toasty is all.....anyhow swap otu a PS
i always let the magic smoke right outta my lungs!
but back on topic, im thinkin PS as well. i fried a board once cuz it wasnt propertly grounded in the case(least as far as i can figure) everything else was fine, ram, cpu, ps, etc, the board was toasty is all.....anyhow swap otu a PS
MD_Willington
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Ditto the caps, people have noted that failing caps smell similar to ammonia...zoobaby said:
MD_Willington
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`phlogiston' hypothesis about combustionS1nF1xx said:
http://www.answers.com/topic/phlogiston-theory
lithium726
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so if i were to buy an antec true380 for a lower power system, knowing that antec power supplies are terrificly built, it would magically make it alright since it didnt come with the case? antec makes good supplies. antec puts their good supplies in their cases. this is not a bad thing. Just for the record, a truepower380 is more than enough power to run that rig.OEM said:
id look at the caps on the motherboard, first and formost. if the power supply is letting out magic smoke, i dont think the system would come on for 20 mins and cut off. make sure they arent bulging and leaking, EPoX has a rep for having bad caps on some of their boards.
S1nF1xx said:
WTF when did you BECOME 1337?
Whoa, I didn't know the idea was *that* old.MD_Willington said:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_smoke
"The magic smoke theory is a running in-joke originating among electrical engineers and technicians before more recently being adopted by computer programmers.
According to the magic smoke theory, there is a little bit of magic smoke in every integrated circuit, resistor, transistor, and all other electronic components and it is the magic smoke which makes the device work. The magic smoke is put in at the factory when the device is manufactured. Unfortunately, however, it sometimes can come out under such catastrophic circumstances as high voltages or excessive current being fed to the part. The proof of the theory is, of course, that once the magic smoke has been seen to leave the component, it no longer works, thus demonstrating that it must have been the smoke that made it work in the first place.
A variant on the magic smoke theory is the idea that the magic smoke also travels through wires, and in the event that wires get too hot, they too will leak some magic smoke, again making the circuit no longer work."
Sorry for taking us of topic.
zoobaby
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Here is a smoke refill kit.
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I replaced the PSU with a new Thermaltake Purepower 460. CPU is running at 38C now. I attribute that to the 120 mm fan which is right above the CPU. The Antec had a rear fan and the bottom of the PSU was solid steel, so the heat has someplace to go now. The smells gone, but the lock up still happens althought it takes a litle longer, say an hour. I did notice that the caps just below the DIMM slots are bulging at the top. That is bad, correct? I assumed when you mentioned bulging they would bulge at the sides not the top. My caps are bulging at the top. So I'll try to RMA it. It's over a year old but still should be under warranty but I have no idea. I am looking at new mobos anyway and like the Abit NF7 -S2 but i read a review on Newegg that you cannot adjust the multiplier. I have a mobile Athlon XP so I need to be able to adjust the multiplier. If that's true then I'm looking at the ASUS A7N8X-E Deluxe, Abit AN7, MSI K7N2 Delta2-LSR, or MSI K7N2 Delta2 Platinum.
BigBadBiologist
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they generally buldge at the top, so that is bad. see if you can RMA. They are pretty easy to repair if need be.