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Solve : White Smoke after PC Upgrade? |
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Answer» I upgraded my build to this: Quote CORE i5-6600 SkylakeWhat happened after power on: White smoke -> When enter Windows 10, only the SSD was able to be read. What should I do?First thing is to not use the machine until you find the problem, hopefully you unplugged the machine as soon as you saw the smoke. RUNNING the machine in its current state risks causing more damage/having something catch fire. What you need to do now is find what part caused the smoke, best thing to do is smell around and see if you can locate it that way. Then check for any obviously burned components, and power supply cables/connectors. If you saw where the smoke was coming from, focus on that area. Are you using any sort of power adapters such as SATA splitters or molex to SATA cables to connect all those drives up? I presume you must be as that PSU only has 4 SATA connectors. It's not unknown for cheap power adapters to short out and melt. Quote First thing is to not use the machine until you find the problem, hopefully you unplugged the machine as soon as you saw the smoke. Running the machine in its current state risks causing more damage/having something catch fire.Yes I did, immediately, searched for the source but everything looks clean so I was confused. Quote What you need to do now is find what part caused the smoke, best thing to do is smell around and see if you can locate it that way. Then check for any obviously burned components, and power supply cables/connectors. If you saw where the smoke was coming from, focus on that area.The smoke dissipated as soon as I switched off -> unplugged -> removed cover of case so I could find the source but couldn't. So what I did is to wait awhile till the smell is lesser, reconnected the wires, then started the PC, it entered Windows nicely but well, see below (the question marks the left the 3 drives): image upload no limit Quote Are you using any sort of power adapters such as SATA splitters or molex to SATA cables to connect all those drives up? I presume you must be as that PSU only has 4 SATA connectors. It's not unknown for cheap power adapters to short out and melt.Yes I am using both SATA splitters & molex-SATA cables. They are still CONNECTED now. Could the connections be incorrect?A system that smokes and boots( still functions ), its likely a capacitor that blew its top and smoked off the electrolyte. Look for capacitor tops on main board as well as with power supply unplugged from power, 9 times out of 10 its a power supply capacitor, and if your careful you can open the power supply ( with powercord disconnected ) and inspect capacitor tops. Most have an X on to the top of them where when pressure builds they POP open at the X or bulge up and vent and smoke. Lesser probable would be capacitor on video card. But given white smoke Im betting on the power supply LOSING one of its capacitors. The danger with running it with a bad capacitor is that the ripple could be severe enough to damage main board components. I'm leaning towards the Power adapters, myself. It is the only reasonable explanation that I can think of where the drives in question would be missing but everything else otherwise fine. From what I'm aware, the most common place to short is at the drive connection itself. Most of the images I've seen of this happening have destroyed the drive but in this case since it wasn't obviously it might be less mangled and simply preventing the drive(s) from receiving power. Quote from: DaveLembke on May 30, 2016, 07:39:25 PM A system that smokes and boots( still functions ), its likely a capacitor that blew its top and smoked off the electrolyte. Look for capacitor tops on main board as well as with power supply unplugged from power, 9 times out of 10 its a power supply capacitor, and if your careful you can open the power supply ( with powercord disconnected ) and inspect capacitor tops. Most have an X on to the top of them where when pressure builds they pop open at the X or bulge up and vent and smoke.If it were the capacitor (not power supply, but motherboard etc.), I don't see it: Quote from: BC_Programmer on May 30, 2016, 08:32:06 PM I'm leaning towards the Power adapters, myself. It is the only reasonable explanation that I can think of where the drives in question would be missing but everything else otherwise fine.Alright, assuming the source of burn was the PSU, can you recommend a good one? Since the current one seem to have bad reviews, I'll be changing it in the future anyway. Quote from: DaveLembke on May 30, 2016, 07:39:25 PM Lesser probable would be capacitor on video card. But given white smoke Im betting on the power supply losing one of its capacitors. The danger with running it with a bad capacitor is that the ripple could be severe enough to damage main board components.I really doubt it's the video card, since I'm using it right now and it functions as before.White smoke comes from something link paper or grease. Bl;ack smoke comes from some plastics. Was it more like blue-gray smoke? That is Polyvinyl chloride FIRE & POLYVINYL CHLORIDE Blue-grey then, I don't fully remember, I remember seeing smoke that is white-ish. What if it's polyvinyl chloride then?That would be a wire that has overheated due to very high current level. Fix the problem and it will stop. because polyvinyl chloride does not burn by itself. But if it is the core in the PSU, you will have to replace the PSU. Once the core begins to smoke, the damage is permanent and it will give you trouble. The PSU shooed shut down whenever there is an overload. even after the If grease had been split on the motherboard,you will have to clean it off with alcohol and water. Rubbing Alcohol will do nice job Also, a fusible device will give of smoke, but just for a beef second.With upgraded (and not cheap) new components i probably wouldn't use power connector adapters... Make a list of all connections needed and buy a decent Modular PSU for it... Quote from: Skyferia on May 30, 2016, 06:22:06 PM I upgraded my build to this:What happened after power on: White smoke -> When enter Windows 10, only the SSD was able to be read.HDD is dead. Motor LOCKED up & burned out. Remove it & sniff it. Quote from: Geek-9pm on May 31, 2016, 03:05:23 AM That would be a wire that has overheated due to very high current level. Fix the problem and it will stop. because polyvinyl chloride does not burn by itself.I'm ok with replacing the PSU. What would you recommend? And can that rubbing alcohol be applied to both sides of the motherboard? Sorry, I don't really understand your last sentence, can you elaborate? Quote from: patio on May 31, 2016, 06:08:07 AM With upgraded (and not cheap) new components i probably wouldn't use power connector adapters...Why not the power connector adapters? What decent modular PSU would you recommend? Quote from: Computer_Commando on May 31, 2016, 05:01:02 PM HDD is dead. Motor locked up & burned out. Remove it & sniff it.You sound confident; and sorry, what motor? RE: Quote from: Computer_Commando recommends you replace the Hard drive and I agree. R place it with the same type and same or slightly larger size. The hard drive motor can burn up. Really. And suck lots of power. Apparently the PSU you have does not have any fuse in it. It should have clown. Did you or somebody else every make repairs to the PSU? Quote from: Computer_Commando on May 31, 2016, 05:01:02 PM HDD is dead. Motor locked up & burned out. All four of them? |
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