Burning smell when playing games

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bluesh34

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Oct 25, 2013
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When playing WoW with multiple add-ons and Tera, I have noticed a funny smell which I'd say smells like glue and burning plastic.

The CPU temp hasn't risen above 54C, as far as I've noticed. The smell only occurs when the CPU reaches like 50 or 51C.

Also a fuse blew in the power strip I was using recently. It had these 3 things plugged into it:

1. the PC

2. the monitor used by the PC

3. a device consisting of a modem and a router in one (I think that's what it is anyway: it definitely has one of those, as the internet isn't available unless it's on).

I don't know what the amperage of the power strip was and I'm afraid I don't know where it is now. It might have been thrown away.

Here are the PC specs:

Display: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650
8GB RAM (6.5 available)
Processor: AMD FX (tm) - 8120 Eight-Core Processor - 3.1 GHz, 4 Cores, 8 Logical Processors

The PSU has this info written on it:

ATX Switching Power Supply
Model: E-500ATX.
230V
Current 10A
Frequency 50-60Hz
OUTPUT 500W

I'm in the UK and have been in the UK since before the fuse blew and the smell occurred.

I used this estimator, which estimates the PSU Electic Power needed for a given PC:

support.asus.com/powersupply.aspx

I know everything is right unless there is an extra device or two, but I know I got the main stuff right: i.e. processor, VGA card, 2 USB devices and DVD. The Recommended Minimum Power Supply came back as 500W, which is what the PSU's electric power is. An extra device or two does shift it up to 550W, so if there is an extra device or 2 I don't know about, it would be under the minimum.

Does anyone know what the smell might be and what I might do to stop it from happening?

I have noticed similar questions where a recommended solution has been to get a more powerful PSU. I could try this, God permitting, but I'd obviously rather avoid doing so and then finding out the same problem occurs, if possible. That's one reason I posted the question here, but if changing the PSU is a good idea, feel free to say so anyway: I'd like to know what you think, if you feel you know what the answer might be.

If replacing the PSU is the solution, I'd also like to know how to calculate the necessary Electric Power for the PC. Although I know some of the components, as I mentioned above in the section about using the estimator, I'd like to know if I can nail what all the components and devices of the PC are, so I can give the estimator the right info at least (this PC belongs to my father and he may have been given it by someone else, which means it may not be possible to speak to anyone who knows what all the components are).
Is there any way to get round having to know what all the devices and components are? Is there enough info already to be able to safely know a PSU which will be ok?

I have asked this question on superuser.com, but I have been discouraged from asking new questions that arise there, as it isn't supposed to be a forum, but a site that answers questions one at a time, so I thought I'd post here. One of the answers there was that a larger PSU would actually worsen the problem, since it would draw even more current and drawing more current than the power strip could handle was what caused the fuse to blow. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on this which you think could help.

Here's a link to the question on superuser, where more information and people's answers are available:

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/answers/id-2183792/burning-smell-playing-games.html


 
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^ if you're struggling on putting what where then I'd suggest looking up a basic guide on youtube.
I'd also suggest unplugging EVERYTHING from your motherboard and then plugging it all back in, so you can come to grips upon what you're knowing.
If you can't be bothered doing this, then try going over all the wires connecting the components and making sure that all obvious ones are connected.

 
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I don't have a camera to take pictures I'm afraid. I'm grateful for the advice not to use this PSU, but I must say that there has never been a problem except with games (and I might even have played WoW without any problems, except when I was using more than 1 add-on). As such, I'd like to try WoW with just 1 add-on and see if it's ok.

It took 1 second to accidentally disconnect stuff so that the PC didn't boot anymore, so it can't be that difficult to get it working again, unless I've killed something with static or something.

I have looked at everything 7 or 8 times now and just can't see anything to do. I'm wondering if there's some hidden bit, but it somehow seems unlikely.

I've tried looking for videos, but as yet it's all been irrelevant. Can anyone let know what to google please?
I know you all have your own lives to lead and there's no obligation to help me whatsoever, but if you can help, I'd appreciate it. Sorry to have caused this problem: I had no idea it could happen.

 
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Rastislav: the only unconnected ones are 4 pin (or 4 hole), so none of the 4 unconnected ones (I discovered a new one) are the ones you linked. Oh: I might be able to get a photo, hopefully b4 tomorrow.

Thanatognomonic: thanks. i did watch the video. His PC didn't seem to resemble mine at all.

Here's a link at which you can hopefully see photos of the 5 unconnected leads I have:

http://www.shutterfly.com/lightbox/view.sfly?fid=1251b6423720ebf06276141d224b0f78#1403030608620

If you can help me know which ones need to go somewhere and where, that'd be great. Don't worry if not: I know this has been a bit of a never ending saga.
 
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I can't seem to open the pictures but do they look like these http://www.tomshw.it/forum/attachments/raffreddamento/43012d1357319334-da-molex-4-pin-3-pin-molex_extension.jpg . The one on the left is coming from the fan right? The one on the right comes from the power supply? Some of them will stay unconnected. The small 4 pin, does it look like this http://www.remotelan.net/tutorials/power_supply/pictures/floppy.JPG ? If it does then don't worry, it's a Floppy power connector and it's sometimes used in sound cards but not in your case.
 
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Your pictures didn't appear bluesh34. If you could, try uploading them to imgur.com.

These unconnected leads just sound like extras. Do they all look same? or is there just two types of lead A and three types of lead B? (or something along the lines of this)
 
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Here's a link using imgur.com which will hopefully show the 1st picture and from which the other 7 will hopefully be available (please ignore picture number 4, which is a random picture which got in somehow): http://imgur.com/QZ4UfHx,MNnjA1H,4xDBOZV,DnxGFHL,kgA3jjm,DTSaZIb,GvG9TvL,mGrsOc9#0

Rastislav: the first fan ones are correct. The second one is not the same (well unless mine is the same but black. Mine might be smaller, but it does have 4 holes). There's also a 3 hole lead which I think says 'power led' on.

Thanatognomonic: there are 3 leads of one sort and then 2 others which are each unique. For the 3 of the same type, 2 come from the fan and look exactly like the ones in the first link from Rastislav. One of these plugs into the third one, which comes from a bunch of wires in the middle which I guess might come from the PSU. Then for the 2 unique ones, one has 3 holes, is small and I think says 'power led' on. The other is slightly bigger (but a lot smaller than the fan leads), has 4 holes and is black.

Also there's been another change. I pushed a lead which I noticed was loose in so it is connected properly again (I think) and now when i boot the PC I 'm not getting the reboot message I mentioned. Instead, the NSRock startup screen appears, but then I get the message 'Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting info...'

Then it says 'Preparing Automatic Repair'

Then 'Diagnosing your PC'

Then it says 'Your PC did not start correctly. Press restart to restart your PC which can sometimes fix the problem.'

Then there are 2 options: 'Restart' which just results in the same thing happening again or 'Advanced Options' which brings up 4 options:

1. 'Continue' (to Windows 8.1): results in same again

2. 'Use a device' (USB Drive, network connection or Windows Recovery DVD)

3. Troubleshoot

4. Turn off PC

Selecting option 3 gives 6 options:

1. Sys restore: tried this. Restore successful but just get same again

2. Command Prompt

3.Sys Image Recovery

4. UEFI Firmware Settings

5. Start Up Repair (tried this: doesn't change anything)

6. Start Up Settings

6 has like 10 options which I haven't tried. 1 option is Use WIndows Safe Mode, another is use debugging...

I can get WIndows to run in Safe Mode, but then I can't get the internet.
 
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Just rebooted PC after running Windows in Safe Mode and now everything's fine. No idea why. HalleluYe!

Not sure that everything's ok yet, but at least I can get online.

Thanatognomonic: I like the price of the PSU you linked. Of course I don't know whether or not it would solve the problem. I have read of people with 600-700W PSUs getting the same problem, but then they might have had more demanding components to power I suppose. Ideally I would like to avoid spending money and finding that the problem persists, obviously, but at least if this happened I'd find out that this PSU is also not powerful enough or even that the issue is not the PSU, so I'd have made some progress/learnt something.
 
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Spoke to soon there. Most sites I've tried work, but facebook doesn't work properly. Photos aren't appearing and none of the pages are displaying what they usually do: can't get to my messages for example.
 
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Even if you don't believe getting a new PSU would be beneficial, I'd still do it.

Like I said earlier on, a PSU is the ONLY component which can wipe out your whole system for good. Buying a better PSU will most likely stop this from happening.
I'd also suggest plugging the power LED in. You'd have to consult your motherboard manuel (if you stick have it) for where to put it in.
 
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Ok, well many thanks for all your help guys. I've given +1s for most of your answers, which have been great. I won't accept an answer at this stage. I can't afford to buy a new PSU at the moment, but at least I've got some info. If I get the money, I may get a new one, God permitting, although I don't relish the prospect of switching it over, I must admit, but I may have to face this one day.

I do wonder why Facebook isn't working now, but everything else is (apart from not being able to change something on the Microsoft Account: this might not be working also I suppose).

I don't know if I'll be able to resist the temptation to continue playing Tera, at least while I don't have any WoW game-time and God permitting.

I did read your warnings about how the PSU can take everything with it, but you know what temptation can be like: you know something could be bad but you still want to do it.
 
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Hopefully WoW will be ok. I don't think i can carry on playing Tera at the moment. Actually Windows 8.1 isn't officially supported by Tera so that might have been making things worse.
 
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Thanatognomonic: I couldn't see the make of the power supply written on the side. I didn't unscrew it. When you say it's generally displayed on the top right/left of the graph, do you mean the voltage/amperage table? I couldn't see it there. I tried to find out the make online using the model number, but no joy.
 
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C12Friedman: thanks. I tried it, but it came back with 'Sorry, No match Found'.

Something definitely creates a bad smell when playing Tera, just in case that's not already obvious from what I've said. If replacing the PSU doesn't solve the problem, at least it would eliminate one thing, but in the unlikely event that the PSU turns out not to be the problem, what level of upgrade would I need to reach before coming to that conclusion?

On the superuser post, someone did say the smell could just be a VOC and seemed to go on to say this wouldn't require anything to be done to sort it out, although they have since withdrawn that comment. Is there a chance it could be a VOC and nothing needs to be done? I guess not: better to change the PSU.
 
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June 25th: the smell might not have been coming from the PC: I smelt a smell from the neighbour's lawnmower. The PC is out of action now though, but this happened after accidentally disconnecting 1 or more wires inside the PC, as I mentioned above I got it working again after reconnecting a couple of things, but now it's stopped working again. I actually stopped playing Tera before the PC stopped working.

Before it stopped working, a couple of times when starting the PC up, it did give the message 'Your PC did not start correctly. Press restart to restart your PC which can sometimes fix the problem' again, so I tried starting in safe mode again, which worked again.

The other night I was playing WoW (it wasn't causing a bad smell and as I said era might not have been ether: it might have been next door's lawnmower: not 100% sure on this) and then the PC just switched off.

When I rebooted, it gave these messages:

'Preparing Automatic Repair'

Then 'Diagnosing your PC'

Then 'Repairing Disk Errors. This might take an hour.'

Then it just goes to the 'doing something' screen.

I've tried just switching the PC off, but it does the same thing every time. i tried leaving it trying to repair the disc errors for about 90 mins, but it didn't come back wih anything.

I also noticed that one of the connectors which I couldn't see the slot for before was the Power LED and plugged it in, which worked: the power light is now working, but as I say, the PC's not booting up.

I'm just wondering what to do next. I guess just take it to the shop, but I do wonder if I've just got something plugged in incorrectly or something not plugged in which needs to be.
 
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It doesn't switch off: it switched off once. There might have been a blue screen when it did that: I can't remember. Now though it doesn't boot up: it just says 'Preparing Automatic Repair'

Then 'Diagnosing your PC'

Then 'Repairing Disk Errors. This might take an hour.'

and then goes to what I call the 'doing something' screen, which is just some balls spinning. I left it for 90mins and it didn't come back with anything.

There was a point when there was a blue screen appearing. It said this:

'Your PC ran into a problem and needs to restart. We're just collecting info...'

Then it said 'Preparing Automatic Repair'

Then 'Diagnosing your PC'

Then it said 'Your PC did not start correctly. Press restart to restart your PC which can sometimes fix the problem.'

Then were 2 options: 'Restart' which just resulted in the same thing happening again or 'Advanced Options' which brought up 4 options:

1. 'Continue' (to Windows 8.1): resulted in same again

2. 'Use a device' (USB Drive, network connection or Windows Recovery DVD)

3. Troubleshoot

4. Turn off PC

Selecting option 3 gave 6 options:

1. Sys restore: tried this. Restore successful but just got same again

2. Command Prompt

3.Sys Image Recovery

4. UEFI Firmware Settings

5. Start Up Repair (tried this: doesn't change anything)

6. Start Up Settings

6 had 10 options which I didn't try. 1 option was Use Windows Safe Mode, another was 'use debugging'...

I got Windows running in Safe Mode and then when I rebooted it worked, but I don't get this blue screen any more with all those options anymore.

The blue screen was the first problem I got apart from when i thought there was a smell, but it was the beginning of the definite problems and started immediately after I accidentally disconnected one of more things when opening up the PC, so maybe it's just that something isn't connected properly. On the other hand, maybe the problem is more serious.
 
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