Strange smell .... Am I to worry ?

[Daniel]

Hi,

All was good till I upgraded my 462 motherboard with a Geforce 5900
ultra (with direct fan cooling) and extra gig of memory. I have my
computer in a small room with a small window and a strange smell began
to be emitted from the exhaust fans, an ozone or burning plastic ......
I can't really identify it. It's like a metallic / electronic smell
which made the room I was in uncomfortable to be in. I checked the
temperature in bios and it was around 40 C for the CPU and a bit less
for the case. I'm running an xp athlon 2800+ with an abit nf7-s2
motherboard and have never seen the temp get above 45 C, even with
intensive video and sound work. I checked the temp checker for my video
card but it is also alright, well within safe "green" levels. My
motherboard's AGP is 1.5 volts and from what I read, so is my video
card so voltages are compatible. My power supply is rated at 500 watts
and all of my components are virtually new, as I only put them together
some months back. It is only when I installed the video card and the
extra gig of ram that the smell started to get intense. Since the
installation, I used the computer about a couple of hours yesterday and
today. The smell is still there. All indicators seem normal, nothing is
overheating (as far as I can tell) and all works as it should so I
don't know why the smell ?

Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[ToolPackinMama]

Hi,

All was good till I upgraded my 462 motherboard with a Geforce 5900
ultra (with direct fan cooling) and extra gig of memory. I have my
computer in a small room with a small window and a strange smell began
to be emitted from the exhaust fans, an ozone or burning plastic ......

That is NOT a good smell.

 

[Rod Speed]

Its dying, Jim. You into necrophilia ?

All was good till I upgraded my 462 motherboard with a Geforce 5900
ultra (with direct fan cooling) and extra gig of memory. I have my
computer in a small room with a small window and a strange smell began
to be emitted from the exhaust fans, an ozone or burning plastic
...... I can't really identify it. It's like a metallic / electronic
smell which made the room I was in uncomfortable to be in. I checked
the temperature in bios and it was around 40 C for the CPU and a bit
less for the case. I'm running an xp athlon 2800+ with an abit nf7-s2
motherboard and have never seen the temp get above 45 C, even with
intensive video and sound work. I checked the temp checker for my
video card but it is also alright, well within safe "green" levels. My
motherboard's AGP is 1.5 volts and from what I read, so is my video
card so voltages are compatible. My power supply is rated at 500 watts
and all of my components are virtually new, as I only put them
together some months back. It is only when I installed the video card
and the extra gig of ram that the smell started to get intense. Since
the installation, I used the computer about a couple of hours
yesterday and today. The smell is still there. All indicators seem
normal, nothing is overheating (as far as I can tell) and all works
as it should so I don't know why the smell ?

 

[Chris Hill]

Hi,

All was good till I upgraded my 462 motherboard with a Geforce 5900
ultra (with direct fan cooling) and extra gig of memory. I have my
computer in a small room with a small window and a strange smell began
to be emitted from the exhaust fans, an ozone or burning plastic ......
I can't really identify it. It's like a metallic / electronic smell
which made the room I was in uncomfortable to be in. I checked the
temperature in bios and it was around 40 C for the CPU and a bit less
for the case. I'm running an xp athlon 2800+ with an abit nf7-s2
motherboard and have never seen the temp get above 45 C, even with
intensive video and sound work. I checked the temp checker for my video
card but it is also alright, well within safe "green" levels. My
motherboard's AGP is 1.5 volts and from what I read, so is my video
card so voltages are compatible. My power supply is rated at 500 watts
and all of my components are virtually new, as I only put them together
some months back. It is only when I installed the video card and the
extra gig of ram that the smell started to get intense. Since the
installation, I used the computer about a couple of hours yesterday and
today. The smell is still there. All indicators seem normal, nothing is
overheating (as far as I can tell) and all works as it should so I
don't know why the smell ?

Psu is dying. Replace it.

 

[dfre]

Well there is nothin to worry about. i think you have an idea of how
new stuff smell. Especially things made from plastic.

 

[Paul]

Hi,

All was good till I upgraded my 462 motherboard with a Geforce 5900
ultra (with direct fan cooling) and extra gig of memory. I have my
computer in a small room with a small window and a strange smell began
to be emitted from the exhaust fans, an ozone or burning plastic ......
I can't really identify it. It's like a metallic / electronic smell
which made the room I was in uncomfortable to be in. I checked the
temperature in bios and it was around 40 C for the CPU and a bit less
for the case. I'm running an xp athlon 2800+ with an abit nf7-s2
motherboard and have never seen the temp get above 45 C, even with
intensive video and sound work. I checked the temp checker for my video
card but it is also alright, well within safe "green" levels. My
motherboard's AGP is 1.5 volts and from what I read, so is my video
card so voltages are compatible. My power supply is rated at 500 watts
and all of my components are virtually new, as I only put them together
some months back. It is only when I installed the video card and the
extra gig of ram that the smell started to get intense. Since the
installation, I used the computer about a couple of hours yesterday and
today. The smell is still there. All indicators seem normal, nothing is
overheating (as far as I can tell) and all works as it should so I
don't know why the smell ?

Any input will be appreciated.

Thanks.

I hate that smell. I have about a half dozen fans sitting on a
shelf here, that I cannot use, because of that smell.

In one case, when I took an electric drill, and made the
holes in a plastic fan larger, I noticed that the plastic
fragments contained the smell. In that case, it seemed to be
the plastic.

On another fan, the plastic did not seem to smell, and it could
be the lubricant that smelled.

I have several Antec power supplies, and some of them have the
smell.

Whatever the ingredient, the smell is pervasive and seems to
be a part of a lot of computer components. If they cannot make
decent plastic, then maybe they should use metal instead.

Pull the video card, step away from the computer (go to
another room), then sniff the video card. You may find
the fan is the source of the smell, either fan lubricant
or the plastics.

Did I mention I hate that smell ?

Paul

 

[Blinky the Shark]

I hate that smell. I have about a half dozen fans sitting on a
shelf here, that I cannot use, because of that smell.

In one case, when I took an electric drill, and made the
holes in a plastic fan larger, I noticed that the plastic
fragments contained the smell. In that case, it seemed to be
the plastic.

On another fan, the plastic did not seem to smell, and it could
be the lubricant that smelled.

I have several Antec power supplies, and some of them have the
smell.

Whatever the ingredient, the smell is pervasive and seems to
be a part of a lot of computer components. If they cannot make
decent plastic, then maybe they should use metal instead.

Pull the video card, step away from the computer (go to
another room), then sniff the video card. You may find
the fan is the source of the smell, either fan lubricant
or the plastics.

Did I mention I hate that smell ?

Ooh, ooh that smell
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh, ooh that smell
The smell of fan surrounds you.


- With apologies to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

 

[JAD]

He who smelt it...dealt it. ;^)

 

[Daniel]

Thanks guys but it seems, after running my pc again for a few hours,
the smell seems to be subsiding, getting less and less .... Whew!
Relief ...

Thanks.

 

[Blinky the Shark]

He who smelt it...dealt it. ;^)

"Hoof hearted? Ice melted." -- Jackie Martling