Ok so couple min ago I was peacefully playing Ra2 and about to own some noobs and my comp just turned off by itself.

I instantly shouted 'lame' and went down to check out what was going on, I opened up the tower and it smelt burny -.-, smelling worst around my CPU, I took out and inspected each RAM and they checked out ok, my VGA looks fine to..

So I think either my CPU or power supply is fecked, when I turn off the plug socket and turn it back on, and then turn on the comp, it turns on for a split second and then back off again, and then does not do it again unless I turn the plug socket off then on again.

Anyway, I'm a noob in this area so wondering if anyones got any tips or things to look for that will help me out as I'm not sure if I can replace a fuse somewhere and it will be fine again ..

Specs: Athlon 4000+ / Zalmon 9500 CPU cooler / 3 RAM sticks 1.2GB / x1950 pro 256mb / 600w power supply

All like..2 months old if not less.

Recent Updates - After sending off my Motherboard and Power supply, today they found a fault in my motherboard to my shock, I sent that off randomly as well as I was 90% sure it was my power supply.

'Shane Horton 20/07/2007 11:51- Dear Ross, This item was tested and found to be faulty. You will be refunded forthis item when this RMA is closed - please check your credit notes viathe Account > Ledger section for more details. Please note: Card refunds can take 3 working days to clear Regards, Ebuyer Customer Support http://www.ebuyer.co.uk'

Ok now they've found a fault in my power supply too :S, their sending a new one by tue which is cool but it kinda means there might of been a power surge or something..

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The obvious diagnosis is a cooling problem, The CPU's have a set temp where they just cut out to avoid gettin frazzled. How many fans u rockin in that machine??? I had a very similar problem, i just dusted it down and uninstalled folding@home to cut down on pcu usage and that seems to have helped

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Firstly.. I seem to remember AMDs not liking heat at all. > . >

Do you know what the temps for your CPU are usually like when not under load and when under load? Also, how many case fans do you have, the age of the CPU fan and what enviornment is your PC in?

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Environment atm is pretty cool, not hot at all. I've been monitoring CPU heat every now and then and its 29c idle and 37c after lots of gaming.. Motherboard is around the same, VGA is 40c idle and like 60c after lots of gaming..

But the 9500 is capable of cooling core 2 duo's so it easily handled the 4000+ which is why I don't get why it might of overheated ..

The CPU fan and all components were bought the same time and are about 2 months old, and I've got a massive fan on the side and a small one at the front, so 2 case fans and one massive CPU one..

Anyone know any tips or tricks that might help me like..find out if its CPU or power supply?

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I'm not sure your problem is heat if your switching it on and its going of straight away, I'd be thinking maybe the power supply. I thought the chip would need a little while to heat up before cutting out.

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Ultima Ratio Regum

The smell will be there, its the temperature and the new equipment making it.. Was it a hot day? Are the case fans working ok?



You really shouldn't get any overheating with that baby. I don't think AMD's throttle like Intels when they get hot. They just get to a certain temperature and stop. The fact that it switched off means something is probably shorting out, maybe due to heat expansion, just stripping down and rebuilding may help or maybe just a nice swim will make you feel better.

Pentium III: 75-90 C
AMD Athlon: 70-100 C
AMD Athlon MP/XP: 85-95 C

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Well it's never smelt like that before, I could smell it without opening the case cos I checked it out as soon as it turned itself off :/

The case fans seem to be working ok, they turn a tiny bit when I turn it on before it turns itself back off, so I spose that means the power supply is working ok if it can still power the computer..it must be the CPU thats died then :'(..

Oh and no its quite chilly today, got all my windows open though as I love fresh air ^^.

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Prob your budget parts

I've no clue on that mate, make sure nothings shorting it out and see if it runs with a PSU from another machine, remember to unplug your GFX before you try that though, as I know your other computers psu's won't be able to handle the drain that thing has.

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If you have lots and lots of fans they can disrupt air flow and cancel each other out doing more harm than good, hows airflow out of each of the fans??

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Well, one draws air out of the case, one draws it in, CPU fan draws it out lol..the case has always been nice and cool inside and was nice to use as a fridge on hot days.

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what brand of psu you got?

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Went to a zoo, they only had one animal there, a dog............. It was a shitzu....



I’z leakin… bring amberlamps

CPUs just don't die like that, they may produce more errors as they get older but they don't just die and not at a couple of months old. My personal guess would be a faulty power circuit on the motherboard, those (6 or caps which surround the CPU take a lot of current, if they were to blow you would get the exact symptoms you are seeing and would produce a bad smell in the CPU vacinity, Could you maybe inspect these caps looking for domed tops and or leakage, if you find any that look odd then there's your culpret.

Obvously it could be the PSU but I don't think so in this case, if thy blow you don't get a split second of power. Hey what do I know, just take a look at the caps for me, cheers.

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Don't worry Sony, I'll just cancel my date of birth and get a new one.

Win Power

And Gmar I've looked near the area you specified but I'm not entirely sure what your on about lol, screen/linkage of an example is in order I think please ?


God damn I never realised how boring it is without a computer to mess about on, all I've done is watched tv and played badminton for the past day, it sucks, anyway better get off this comp, my bro wants it back :<.

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Yeah, um, capacitors look like little silver buckets upside down attached by two wires, if they look discoloured or leaky or are bulging a bit them they are blown, if not they are probably fine and I have got it wrong. They are used to stabilise the power going to the CPU.

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Don't worry Sony, I'll just cancel my date of birth and get a new one.

http://www.pcstats.com/articleview.cfm?articleID=195

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