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Weird smell coming from computer, is it my GPU or my PSU?

Tags:
  • Power Supplies
  • Computers
  • Games
  • Diablo
  • Graphics
  • GPUs
Last response: in Graphics & Displays
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May 4, 2014 12:10:49 AM

I was recently playing a game, Diablo 3, and noticed that there was this weird smell coming from my computer. I didn't think much about it until my computer completely shut off. I immediately thought it was the video card, because I have had problems with it in the past. So I turned it back on, and began to play the game again. I was able to play for another 15min until it happened again. I never happened before I installed reaper of souls.
I thought it was over heating so I did some cleaning with canned air, and let the computer sit off for about an hour. I also replaced one of the fans thinking it might help. I downloaded, GPU-Z and it says my dinky AMD Radeon 6800HD runs at 39c when idle, 57c while playing something like World of Warcraft/Diablo 3 and 42-47c if I'm on Youtube.
I went about two months before it happened, again while playing Diablo 3. (It hasn't done it on any other game, just FYI) That was two weeks ago and I haven't played it since in fear it will happen again. Yesterday, I was just browsing the web and the smell came back, so I loaded up GPU-Z thinking it was about to over heat and it showed me sitting at 42c. I left GPU-Z open for about three hours while I was using my computer and it never spiked past 50c. I left my computer on overnight and the smell was even more pungent then when I went to bed. Before it was just while I was playing a game and it would stop when I was done, now it's constant.
So I started to abandon the idea that it was my video card and my mind went to power supply. I put my hand by the rear vent and tried to push some of its air near my face and it came back smelling like really hot electronics. It's a Xion 700w that came with this PC. (This one does not have a fan, but the reviews of the same type of PSU on newegg show it as a rather shotty PSU, even with a fan.)
So my question is this, what should I be replacing, my video card or my PSU? I don't have a lot of knowledge with this sort of thing anymore. I've been out of the PC building game for 5 or so years and could really use the help.

More about : weird smell coming computer gpu psu

May 4, 2014 12:14:46 AM

Basing on what you said, the smell came from the PSU so that means the PSU is the problem. I don't really know that PSU Brand but basing it on Newegg, it has a 2 star rating. I would recommend you to change your PSU to a Seasonic 700W or Silverstone 700W PSU. :/  Just to be safe and don't try to further use that PSU, it might ruin some of your other components. Try not to risk it.
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May 4, 2014 12:19:07 AM

Dude, Never use bundled PSU that came with your case! Just because it says 700W on the cover doesn't mean it's capable of holding out 700W, Get a PSU from CORSAIR, ANTEC or COOLER MASTER. What is your CPU? so i can calculate the PSU wattage you need.
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May 4, 2014 12:24:13 AM

LazerTechX said:
Dude, Never use bundled PSU that came with your case! Just because it says 700W on the cover doesn't mean it's capable of holding out 700W, Get a PSU from CORSAIR, ANTEC or COOLER MASTER. What is your CPU? so i can calculate the PSU wattage you need.


Core i7 960 3.20ghz
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May 4, 2014 12:38:30 AM

BTDM said:
LazerTechX said:
Dude, Never use bundled PSU that came with your case! Just because it says 700W on the cover doesn't mean it's capable of holding out 700W, Get a PSU from CORSAIR, ANTEC or COOLER MASTER. What is your CPU? so i can calculate the PSU wattage you need.


Core i7 960 3.20ghz


Get a 550W-650W PSU

e.g
Corsair CX600M
Antec HCG-620M
Cooler Master Silent Pro M2
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a b ) Power supply
May 4, 2014 2:51:04 AM

Probably a good move to swap the PSU, they're not good quality and power supplies become less efficient over time-Google 'capacitor aging' if you're interested.
Did you blow out the PSU BTW? Could just be it's full of dust and overheating.
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May 4, 2014 3:14:20 AM

coozie7 said:
Probably a good move to swap the PSU, they're not good quality and power supplies become less efficient over time-Google 'capacitor aging' if you're interested.
Did you blow out the PSU BTW? Could just be it's full of dust and overheating.


I did actually, and the smell went away for almost a day. But when came home today and started playing WoW, it came back about an hour into my session. I literally just did a nose check and there is almost no smell coming from my computer now. On a scale of 1-10, it's about 1.5.
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Best solution

a b ) Power supply
May 4, 2014 3:39:54 AM

Personally, I think it would be a VERY good idea to swap power supplies, it sounds like the existing unit has overheated and is probably damaged, functional, yes, but damaged.
And as a point of alarm: This type of cheap PSU has been know to kill the entire system when it fails so I'd change it ASAP.
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May 4, 2014 4:18:57 AM

coozie7 said:
Personally, I think it would be a VERY good idea to swap power supplies, it sounds like the existing unit has overheated and is probably damaged, functional, yes, but damaged.
And as a point of alarm: This type of cheap PSU has been know to kill the entire system when it fails so I'd change it ASAP.


I am looking at a Cooler Master Silent Pro M2 - 620W Power Supply with 80 PLUS Bronze Certification. I have a 700w (well it says that, who knows if its actually running at that.) but me dropping 80w to the 620w should be ok?
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a b ) Power supply
May 4, 2014 4:36:17 AM

shouldn't be any problem, although some would say a CM PSU isn't that good AFAIK the silent Pro is a decent unit, just don't pay too much for it!
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