strong unpleasant smell from PC, where is the problem

brannsiu

Distinguished
Apr 20, 2013
1,064
3
19,285
It's a desktop PC. I built it three years ago. It's my first build ever, I am very inexperienced. From time to time, the PC gives out STRONG UNPLEASANT smell , I don't know where it starts, but pretty sure it's from the PC , not from anywhere else.

Now it still running fine with windows 10, but it also gives out strange smell like burning charcoal

After a few minutes (and sometimes few hours) the smell goes
and after another few months, the smell happens again

Where is the problem???? I'm so worried
 
Solution
Let's not forget that it could also be capacitors on a component that are celebrating their age by blowing up.

Or a spider.

I've seen that before.

PC cooked spider.

GameFreak01048

Honorable
Feb 17, 2016
694
0
11,360


Hello!

It could be dust build up and when your pc gets hot, the dust...cooks.

But if you have cleaned it out completely then it could be a cable or a component burning, does it smell like burning or something else?
 

brannsiu

Distinguished
Apr 20, 2013
1,064
3
19,285



yes, like burning smell... very unpleasant and unhealthy smell

I don't know exactly where it is. But 100% sure it's from the PC chassis, not somewhere else


by the way, as I said, I had a Dell Inspiron that used for 8 years and NEVER cleaned dust, it NEVER gave out any smell. Why??Brand PC has better air flow??
 

GameFreak01048

Honorable
Feb 17, 2016
694
0
11,360


Burning... yep that's a dust build up for sure.

Unplug the PC completely making sure it's off first of course, take it outside somewhere completely dry and blow out the pc with compressed air do not use a vacuum cleaner.

Then after that the burning smell should go.

With pc's they suck in air from around them to cool themselves, dust is in the air so when dust gets inside of a system it clogs up stuff and gets everywhere so it's always important to keep your PC clean.

I blow out my pc with compressed air every weekend depending on how much I use it, if i'm on my pc all week after work I'll take an hour on saturday to clean it out, although my PC is a performance PC but because yours is an office PC, you could get away with cleaning it out once a month to keep the parts happy :)
 
Sounds excessive. :)
Maybe get yourself a new pc case - with dust filters
and you won't need to clean it more than once in 4-6 months.

Edit: If your case is Corsair Carbide Air 540, I can't really believe it gets full with dust in just a week, that you need to clean it.
 


Seconded. twice a year is enough.
 

brannsiu

Distinguished
Apr 20, 2013
1,064
3
19,285
Hi all . My computer case is a Fractal Design Mini imported from Sweden. I believe it's a decent chassis. I can't understand how the problems happen

It's also surprising that while it gives out strong unplesant burning smell it still works fine.
And it's also funny to know that the smell only gives out from time to time, but not always
 

GameFreak01048

Honorable
Feb 17, 2016
694
0
11,360


I've got to say out of everything I have seen on this website this is definitely an odd one, I can't help but chuckle a bit :D

Did you give your PC a good clean? It has to be dust or something because although incredibly advanced, I don't think a PC can get a case of bad wind :D
 

GameFreak01048

Honorable
Feb 17, 2016
694
0
11,360


Well that's dinner sorted then, cooked spider :D

That end bit "PC cooked spider" that killed me :D

But in all seriousness yes that's likely, depending on the age of the motherboard the capacitors could be slowly burning and failing.