Toxic Smells and My Computer

This sounds really dumb I realise but it is a real problem that is might lead me to sell my beloved computer :eek

So long story short I have a self build computer, nothing special:

3.4 Celeron
PM8PM-V mobo
1 x HIS X1650Pro IceQ 256MB DDR2 AGP
2 x Kingston 1GB DDR2 533MHz/PC2-4200
1 x NEC Optiarc AD-5170A-0B 18xDVD±RW DL Black - Bare Drive

Now I am getting a smell from the system that is really a problem after 20 mins or so that keeps making me cough to the extent I have to flee the room. Obviously this makes using the computer a problem :cry The smell is a kinda slightly metallic slightly plasticy smell that reminds me overidingly of the cpu thermal paste, but no smoke. Now I have checked the system, nothing appears to be burning, nothing dusty, stripped back to various minimal componant rigs and run it, no change. I dont know what else to do. It cant go on. Its got beyond new computer smell. I cant work in the same room as the system and so if no help is forth coming here, its gotta go :crybaby and that I dont want.

So any suggestions as what might be the problem. Everything was installed form new. Anyone know of any componants that it might be worth trouble shooting.

 

You didnt leave any stickers or plastic on the motherboard after assembly, did ya?

 

also it may be the plastic on video card (the graphics on heatsink usually protected by it ) also check if maybe power supply causes the smell

 

Nope no stickers cept on the memory sticks and these look fine. nice avatar btw Adrynalyne.

Yeah i was thinking the gfx card or psu too. I will remove the gfx card again and have a look at the system without it this weekend. Its just a total pain to move cause of the way it sits in my cube case. Then I suppose its replacing the psu to see if this does the trick, but if the case is opened, the smell kinda lingers inside, so that sugests gfx card perhaps. Also wondered if it was dust somewhere though its a pretty clean syste, and its neighbour that is dissapearing under mounds of dust is fine.

 

JUst throwing another possibility out, look at the capacitors on the MB. One of them could have popped, letting the electrolite out. Easy to see, they will be swollen or have liquid comming out.

 

Good call about the capacities, I had not thought of this. I had a quick shufty and nothing leaking though.

 

The smell should follow the component.

Remove the graphics card and take it to another room and smell it.

Same with other components.

Did you recently add something to the computer that may be taxing the power supply?

Check your 120VAC line voltage, should be around 115 to 125 AC volts. High voltage would cause a problem.

Check the voltage slider switch on the back of the power supply. Make sure it is set to 120VAC.

Reseat all connectors. One may be loose, or dirty.

A smell like that should show up as a visibly bad part. Look closely at the small parts for charcoal or brown discoloration.

 

You should be able to open the cover on the PSU and look for a mishapen capacitor in that as well. Since it will have the largest capicitor I would definitely look there.