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Burning smell, no video output?

Tags:
  • GPUs
  • Computers
  • Burner
  • CPUs
Last response: in Systems
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July 23, 2014 11:43:47 AM

Hi!

I offered to fix a computer for a friend and he said that the PSU broke. He also said that when it stopped working, the computer swtiched off suddenly and he could smell burning.
So I replaced the PSU, I took it off of a working system a while ago. The lights on the front of the case come on and the PSU and CPU fan come on. There is no video output via the on-board graphics. I can also smell a plasticy burning smell. I'm not sure of the specs.

Any help is much appriciated.
Thank you!

More about : burning smell video output

July 23, 2014 11:57:01 AM

If the PSU failed spectacularly, it could have fried other components... You hope - and buy good PSUs with the expectation - that when they fail, they won't send too much juice to your sensitive components, but it sounds like that may have happened. Did you do a visual inspection of the MoBo? Any capacitors or anything blown?
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July 23, 2014 12:01:10 PM

Enthusiast Builder said:
If the PSU failed spectacularly, it could have fried other components... You hope - and buy good PSUs with the expectation - that when they fail, they won't send too much juice to your sensitive components, but it sounds like that may have happened. Did you do a visual inspection of the MoBo? Any capacitors or anything blown?


I had a quick look before posting but I couldn't see anything that was blown.
There was a small dark area on the old PSU that he took out (he opened it up) but I don't think it looks like any sort of burning as its only about 1-2cm wide.
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July 23, 2014 3:49:02 PM

I'm not sure what else I can tell you...you know its not the (new) PSU. All you're trying to get is the thing to do a POST... if it won't, something is really wrong.
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July 24, 2014 1:16:48 AM

Enthusiast Builder said:
I'm not sure what else I can tell you...you know its not the (new) PSU. All you're trying to get is the thing to do a POST... if it won't, something is really wrong.


Okay.
Thanks for the help.
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Best solution

July 24, 2014 7:05:23 AM

Really sorry I couldn't help more.

Just to confirm, you heard no POST beeps, right? I mean, lights go on, fans on, but the BIOS isn't loading.

We think the PSU is good, so if you're not hearing any POST beeps, its mean that the CPU is an issue, the MoBo is an issue, and/or the RAM is an issue. Any one of those three (or more) would result in no POST beeps (there is a small speker on teh MoBo, right?).

I don't see any point in trying to replace the CPU...all that effort to remove the cooler, install a new CPU (which might be hard to find for compatibility with an older socket) and then its no gaurantee it was the CPU. You could get the same result, because, lets be honest, if a power overload damaged the CPU, it went THROUGH the MoBo and probably damaged it too... That said, you'd think you'd see blown capacitors or other visible damage...

I think you salvage the case, start him off with the PSU you're already giving him, and tell your friend he needs to purchase a new MoBo/CPU/RAM. I heard RAM might be a little more hardy, so if the RAM was newer, maybe you can try it in the new MoBo before you have to buy new stuff.

You can also try the video card (if there is a discrete card) and the fans - salvage those.

And this is why you should REALLY have a surge protector on your electronics, and shouldn't skimp on the PSU.
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