CPU smoke

Guest · May 22, 2011

Hello,

I have just installed a new heatsink and i followed the instructions in the manual on how to install it and spread the thermal paste. I then started the computer and all the fans were working, then after a few seconds I heard a crackling noise and some smoke started coming from my cpu area. I immediatly shut it down and unplugged it. Im not sure if anything is supposed to crakle or smoke on first use?

Can anyone shed some light on if my computer would be ok to turn on or not?

Thanks

Carl

englandr753 · May 22, 2011

You shouldn't see that so don't try to restart until we find a fix. What is the CPU/ motherboard specs your installing?

Also, if yo apply to much thermal paste and it seeps over the CPU and somehow finds it's way on te socket, you can cause conductivity that could cause what your seeing. Did you install the CPU in the socket, lock it in place, clean te CPU surface thoroughly and the apply a thin coat of thermal paste with something like an old credit card?

Somehow it sounds like you may have thermal paste on the base of the CPU and that's definitely not good.

I recommend you take everything back apart and carefully clea everything and make sure you only apply enough thermal paste to the CPU surface to contact the headship without oozing over the CPU onto the CPU socket...

welshhotty2010 · May 22, 2011

o dear talk about up the perverbial *** creak with out a paddle. it coud b static build up or total meldown u didnt say if it was working after u tried again?

englandr753 · May 22, 2011

Sorry for the autocomplete typos, I'm on my iPhone an it's not east typing on the forums and even harder to go back to correct typos. Headship = heatsink.

welshhotty2010 · May 22, 2011

um yes i agree with the joker . but i would say tho go n pay a pro geek with the c+ , MSCE cert to fix it rather than possibly making it worse

geekapproved · May 22, 2011

Definitely do not turn it back on.

The damage is likely done though. Smoke, crackling and electrical components do not mix.

I can't imagine what happened just from installing a heatsink unless you put on so much thermal paste that it squeezed out onto the motherboard or socket.

What heatsink was it? Did you have to bolt the heatsink through the back of the motherboard?

Unplug the computer. Turn off the psu. Press the power button a few times. Then open the computer and inspect the motherboard for damage with a flashlight. (black marks, thermal paste, discoloring, bulging capacitors, burned chips, etc).

If you don't see anything, then check the psu. Smell it to see if it burned up.

halfcalf · May 22, 2011

Get marshmallows and a long stick.

englandr753 · May 22, 2011

There's probably at least 200 YouTube videos that demonstrate the proper procedure for installing thermal paste on your CPU. Search for your specific socket type and go from there.

Watch 2 or 3 so you can be sure you get consistently accurate information...

Guest · May 23, 2011

Thanks everyone for your help.
I tried my PSU in another PC that I have and as soon as I started the PC the cable between the PSU and the motherboard started smoking at both ends quite badly.
I think that this may be the cause but I will check my CPU and Heatsink for damage. Just in case.
My PSU and CPU are very close together so that is why I think I thought it might be the CPU. (being worried as it is the i7 Extrene Edition costing nearly £800)

Has anyone had a problem with the cables burning?

Thanks for the help

Carl

geekapproved · May 23, 2011

englandr753 :

Actually, you don't.

You read the directions that came with it, because they are all different.

geekapproved · May 23, 2011

Thanks everyone for your help.
I tried my PSU in another PC that I have and as soon as I started the PC the cable between the PSU and the motherboard started smoking at both ends quite badly.
I think that this may be the cause but I will check my CPU and Heatsink for damage. Just in case.
My PSU and CPU are very close together so that is why I think I thought it might be the CPU. (being worried as it is the i7 Extrene Edition costing nearly £800)

Has anyone had a problem with the cables burning?

Thanks for the help

Carl

Never. Is it a rocketfish?

spentshells · May 23, 2011

Thermal paste in the cpu socket (I got $5 on it)

13thmonkey · May 23, 2011

geekapproved :

+1 what brand of PSU?

spentshells · May 23, 2011

I believe he said CPU area, this might help us find out why smoke is coming from the CPU AREA

Guest · May 23, 2011

geekapproved :

Rocketfish?

Guest · May 23, 2011

Sorry, I realise you meant the make rocketfish. No it's an iCute 850w. Never had a problem before with it.

englandr753 · May 23, 2011

geekapproved :

It's essentially the same pertaining to the thickness of the thermal paste and the way it's applied. The only real difference I'm assuming your suggesting is the way the heatsink is installed...

N

AcridGosling · May 23, 2011

To me this sounds like you used a metallic based thermal paste that spilled over either into the socket, or onto the motherboard itself. Nowadays, especially with GPUs, there are a lot of transistors/electrical components that are very close to the die.

Check out this article for very good tips/tricks/instructions/explanations:

http://www.techpowerup.com/printarticle.php?id=134

13thmonkey · May 23, 2011

spentshells :

Then later he said that the PSU is very close by and the psu cables were smoking at both ends, sounds like the PSU could be involved. If it were a Thermal interface materialissue then the power problems would have occured onboard first, not at the cables.

I tried my PSU in another PC that I have and as soon as I started the PC the cable between the PSU and the motherboard started smoking at both ends quite badly.

Icute weren't even listed in the recent toms article so they are not a major player, i'm 80% certain its a PSU issue.

diellur · May 23, 2011

If the heatsink wasn’t seated correctly, the worst you’d get is an automatic shutdown with the possibility of having damaged your CPU. Given the symptoms you describe, there’s something else interacting with the computer. I’ve no knowledge of what excess thermal paste would do to a system (thankfully!) so I defer to others in this.

What you said about the PSU cable is interesting though – are you talking about the 24-pin ATX power cable that plugs into the motherboard? It could well be a PSU issue – hopefully for your wallet, it is! Best bet is clearly trying another PSU for starters in your second system. If this is OK, then put it in your first system. Before you try powering it up, though, have you removed the CPU and heatsink from the machine that was smoking and inspected it? If it looks undamaged, clean the CPU of the thermal paste, reapply as per directions and try to power the machine back up.

jsc · May 23, 2011

This is the best guide that I have found for allying thermal compound:
http://benchmarkreviews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=170&Itemid=1&limit=1&limitstart=1

geekapproved · May 23, 2011

spentshells :

You must have missed the part about the psu cables smoking. Can I have my $5 now?

geekapproved · May 23, 2011

englandr753 :

They are all different. Some say a bb size amount. Some say pea size amount. Some are made of ceramic, some of metals, some of god knows what.

geekapproved · May 23, 2011

spentshells :

Again, please pay attention, he said the smoke was coming from the psu cables.

13thmonkey · May 23, 2011

+1 I've given up...

CPU smoke

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