Computer Smells Like a BBQ, Won't Run

[foolish_sagacity]

I just went to use my computer and the small room it was in smelled like a BBQ pit. When trying to turn it on it blinked it's lights really quick and then nothing happens. If I push the power button nothing at all happens. If I toggle the Power Supply switch in the back and try to turn it on it blinks the lights and the fans turn for 1 second and the mobo lights up for 1 second. Then nothing again.

The BBQ smell seems most strong around the PSU, though I'm afraid because the GPU smells funky too. This could be the fact it's right abve it. The Mmobo shows no sign of burns. Same with the GPU, though it has an inner area I can't see.

A look into the back of the PSU though it looks like something serious happened. There is a bunch of dried white gunk that looks like dried caulk everywhere. All the copper-looking coils seem to have possibly leaked this substance. It was also choked with cat hair in there. I've been keeping up with dusting the comp monthly bt it looks like my cats rubbed against the PSU's grate and got tons of fur in there.

I'm not an expert, but it seems to me my PSU must have shorted something fierce. My question is what are the chances it took anything else out with it? Replacing a PSU isn't too expensive, but if it took a mobo and a GPU with it that'd be catastrophic. It was an Antec that more than exceeded the comuputer's needs, I believe it was 650 to 700W.

This is a self built computer and it's worked awesome til today.

 

[foolish_sagacity]

Best answer selected by foolish_sagacity.

 

[foolish_sagacity]

Thanks for the quick answer. Although i know I shouldn't have, I tried starting it several times before unplugging it. sort of the brainless desparation that "maybe it'll be OK." Like I said I see no burn damage anywhere else in the system. I guess I'll just have to hope I'm only replacing a PSU. It's only a year old

I guess I feel a bit better now that Antecs *usually* don't take a system with them.

I'm looking at this PSU currently...thoughts?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

I know Corsair is highly recommended, and I think I'd prefer to get a very high quality and high output PSU even if it's more money, just for peace of mind. Is this perhaps more money than I need to spend?

I've 4gb of Kingston RAM, sadly forget the other details of them. Besides that I have a Sapphire Radeon 4850 or 4870 or some such. Gigabyte somesuch mobo and an AMD Phenom II X4 black edition processor. Sorry for the very scatterbrained recollection of my parts, I think my loss has addled me currently.

 

[foolish_sagacity]

Alright, thanks again for the help. It's going to be a nerve wracking few days waiting to see if my new PSU is all I'm going to be ordering. Damn those cats are lucky they're cute or they'd be so homeless right now.

Thanks again for the help. It made me feel a little better that my whole PC may not be gone.

 

[shovenose]

btw, the dried caulky stuff you saw is supposed to be there. it holds all the components into place. howver, if ther was exploded capacitor, then, then you will see brown stuff oozing out of a bulging capacitor