[SOLVED] Pc started smoking but seems to work fine

[Pnoia]

I'm upgrading an old pc, a aspirine z5610. After the replacement of the hdd to a ssd, i saw smoke coming out of the pc. It rieked like something burnt. The pc booted anyway and nothing seems to be broken. Its now running for about an hour without issues. Can it be that dust got in the wrong place and caused the smoke and smell? The pc is at my dads place so i want to be extra careful and make sure it doesnt catch fire. Any thoughts, advice?

 

[Ralston18]

Dust in the wrong place is a possibility. Would not expect lots of smoke per se excluding a large dust bunny....
Bit of paper debris perhaps.

If the smell was something plastic or insulation, the odor will linger.

However, I would power down and unplug the old pc. Then open the case and inspect everywhere and everything for signs of damage: brown, black, carbon streaks, melted insulation, etc...

Use a bright flashlight and even a magnifying glass if possible. Examine plugs and all wires.

Look for wires that are in contact with metal, kinked, heavily twisted.

Then set up the pc somewhere safe (outside away from anything flammable) and let it run for a few hours.

Hopefully all will be well.

 

[popatim]

Smell the back vents of the power supply. If it smells burnt, replace it.

 

[Pnoia]

I checked for any burns on the different components but wasn't able to find any, fans and ports are all still working. My pc has been running for about six to eight hours now without the issue reoccuring and noticing any irregularities.

Thanks a lot for the swift replies!