My comp died out of nowhere. Something blew up and started smoking. Very nervous. Need help. Please.......

[faceplate]

Hello everyone. I have a problem that I am kinda nervous to even mess with. Last night I left my computer on like always. This morning when I woke up it was off. I tried to mess with it. I tried pressing the power button, disconnecting the power cable, disconnecting the motherboard power cable, all to no avail. Sometimes when I waited a little while after disconnecting some cables, then pressed the power button I would notice the fans would spin for a moment then stop. I had an other power supply so I decided I will try and use it. I connected the power cable to it, and only connected it to the motherboard. When I turned it on, the CPU fan started spinning, but then I heard a snap. I dont know where it was from. I think it was close to the CPU though. It could have been the cpu, the cpu fan, or a nearby capacitor. I also noticed a small amout of smoke. That is when I disconnected things, and came to an other computer to write this. Right now I have no clue what to do. I am pretty darn lost.

My motherboard is an ECS K5S7A, the first power supply is an 300W Enlight, the second was a 300W deer, my CPU is a thunderbird 1.1 ghz. If you need any other info just ask.

Man, this is the first time something started to smoke so I am pretty nervous. Well thanks.

 

[teddymines]

Electronics works on smoke. When you let it out of a circuit, things stop working. 😉

You may have overheated your core. Did you have a heatsink applied with some thermal paste? Maybe the paste dried up. Can you pinpoint the source of the snap?

 

[faceplate]

Thats pretty funny teddymines. I tried taking of the heatsink on my cpu. The cpu looks ok. The paste is super thin and looks very dry, but thats is how is usually has looked for me after a while. I cant really notice any damage. Are there any specific signs I should look for. The only thing I notice is this. There are 3 sets of capacitors and such by the cpu. I think they are 3 different phases of regulating the voltage or whatever. Anyway, in those different sets there are decent size black squard with 3 leads. I think they are power transistors. Anyway, the leads on these things look brown or kind of rusty. But other than that, I cant notice anything else. Thanks

 

[Chadder007]

Let it cool down for a bit of course....unplug all cables, uninstall all cards and take all drives off the PS. Just have the mobo, Video card, CPU and RAM in and the PS plugged up to the CPU fan and mobo......see if it will post at all.

 

[Yobbo]

Are you sure it was smoke and not dust?

I've had some dust stuck before in when I blew on it, my fan picked it all up and threw it all over the place...I didnt even see the dust until it flew all over the place...


Also, my friend had a PSU blow right in front of me, could a cap have popped in the PSU and that be the problem?

I suggest you try and see if it POSTs, like that other guy...

 

[faceplate]

I tried to see if the comp would post with only the mobo, cpu, memory, vid card. All the drives were disconnected. The fans would move for only a moment and stop when the power button was pressed. I tried it with the other power supply, and had the same result. Can anyone tell me what this means. I am assuming this could be the result of the cpu, power supply, memory, mobo. I do have a MSI Pro 2a. Man I had so many problems with that I just threw it into the corner, and got my current mobo. I guess I will see if it posts on that. I am assuming if that works, I need to RMA my mobo. I might as well RMA the other one too. Is there anythings else anyone can tell me. Thanks for all the help I have already recieved.

 

[clarkmo]

Short circuit. Make sure the case connections are clean. The screws holding the mobo not overlapping anywhere. No metal shavings or parts lying around. Good luck. It may be too late and rma time.

 

[Adul]

well try the other mb assuming it still works. you ruled out the power supply already. time to start the process of elimination.

 

[Dolemite76]

I've had similar troubles... your PS doesn't sound like the problem... sounds like it might be your cpu, ram, or video card (i don't think it's your vid card)... take out the vid card and check to see if the same happens with the fans... other than that... i suggest borrowing a vid card and testing it on your system... hope you're up and running soon...

 

[buleyb]

Agreement here, not your power supply. If it turned on briefly when you plugged it in (like ATX boards like to do), but doesn't turn on until you push the power button, than it is getting power (hopefully not tainted power...).

try taking out ram, see if you get beep codes (for no memory). Same with Video card. If either or both don't work, chances are higher with CPU or MoBo.


The cpu looks ok. The paste is super thin and looks very dry, but thats is how is usually has looked for me after a while.
I assume this doesn't mean you've removed the Heatsink/Fan before? I'd say even now, it may not be a good idea to re-attach that heatsink, not with bad paste/grease. Clean it up, apply more if you have it, try fresh. It may be a waste, but its better than really frying your CPU if the problem lies elsewhere

 

[faceplate]

I know for sure that the problem is with my motherboard. I went to ECS's web page and found RMA information. I would like to know if anyone else here has RMA'ed anything to ECS. I remember when I considered RMA something to MSI they only wanted stuff from companies, and not individuals. Is ECS the same way? l also I dont think I will be able to find the reciept. I bought it from an online reseller. RMA form In the RMA form they ask for information from the invoice. Are they refering to the reciept.

Man am I frustrated and confused. It makes me just want to buy a new board. But I should not have to do that. I used to have a MSI Pro2-a. I built my first computer on the board. I had so many problems. Not only were there problems with it's 686B southbridge and a SB Live, but many others too. I got so fed up I just bought the ECS. I never wanted to think about it again, and I never RMA'ed it. Now I face the same problem. I should not have buy a new mobo. Can anyone help clear up this process for me. Thanks.