DescentBB

Well the computer is about 5 years old, and it all of a sudden decided to crash and burn. Now this was the computer I was using to host Pyromania. But just as I was being to host the 2nd server the computer just blew. Now I'm getting a burning smell I don't know where it’s coming from. The computer won't stay on for more than 10 seconds nor can I get a picture. Is there a possibility it’s the power supply.

The burnt out computer:

Power Supply CompUSA 300w<-- 5 years
Motherboard: SIS 630 from Amptron
AMD Thunderbird 1g
512 Megs of ram
Harddrive 10GB and a 13GB

Sounds like the PSU, I just replace 2 300Watt PSUs over xmas, bot about 5years of age, had thay nice electrical fire smell, and they were both really really hot

Sounds like the PSU, also look for leaking/burn't caps on the MB.

what matrix said...

especially if the burning smell coinsided with the system not running for more than 10 seconds at a time.

Well this was the first time the computer ran 3 days non stop. I just hope it is the power supple and nothing else.

I can also say I got me another case fan.

well... a 5 year old CompUSA (FMI) PSU is really just about as cheap as PSUs come... just make sure that if you get a new PSU... buy it retail from someplace like Comp, and have them test it for you... and make sure you can return it if that it not the problem...

realistically, no. the amperage rails on those PSU suck, royall,y chances are theyll do more damage to your individual PC componants then it will to itself. if you want a good deal, the ePower Puma II is a rock solid PSU, and cheap, im talking 45bucks or less. the chepaest at compusa is like 80, and its specs are but to shame by most 30USD PSUs online.
ePower Puma II
its a solid little psu, plenty of wattage, plenty of amperage, and they run stable and quiet, for the price it cant be beat.

http://www.compusa.com/products/product ... &Ne=500000

they suck... but they sell 'em....

and they'll eat his PC alive

Immortal Lobster wrote:and they'll eat his PC alive

five years with an FMI CompUSA PSU seems like they actually do ok...

I bought a 400W on sale, seemed like a good deal, right, no, had less power then my old 250W, and it in the end fried my CPU (old XP1600+) so i figured, old processor, understandable, my XP2400+ didnt last long either, it still works, but is crippled, and is ffaaar away from any FMI PSU. the amp ratings on those things are unbelievable, my 400W had like 12A on the 12V rail, which should have been plenty for my 1500XP, but it produced some rather dirty power, using speedfan, the volatages go everywhere, at points the vcore(voltage in the CPU itself) was fluxuating by .75volts, fluxuations like this will destroy a CPU, that same CPU and motherboard are running on an ePower Puma 2 now, and they are stable, solid, a nice flat line. sure, it may last 5years, but the rest of the PC will not.

take your chances, but I dont know a single person in the PC community that would ever recomend an FMI/Compusa PSU.

CompUSA PSU's are trash, at 3 times the cost.

Get a $30 Fortron or Antec from newegg/zzf.

250w Fortron will totally murder a 500w CompUSA PSU.

and a compusa PSU will murder your system

hehe, i still recomend the Puma, for its price, its a beast, 24pin, the extra 4 pins are separatable, and PCIe ready, 2 SATA connections, and an extra 12V rail. for the price, its a bargain

i don't recommend using a CompUSA or FMI PSUs, they are 'garbage'... i was being sarcastic about the one he's had for 5 years...

best buy sells Antec for 'cheap'.

cheapest PSU my bestbuy sells is a dynex, its almost as bad as the FMIs, but its 80bucks

I just got a fortron source for someone here, the existing PSU in that system was a no brand 250w, it was less then $30 shipped off newegg for a 300w. It has a SATA power plug, a 24 pin ATX connector, and a 4 pin 12v connector, completely overqualified to run this micro-ATX board that only has one 20 pin connector.

Well this is more than just a failed power supply. The CPU is shot and I found a couple burnt chips on the motherboard. But it only gets worse! The very company it tried to stay away from and is also the very company that made this power supply. The damn thing is a PowMax with a CompUSA sticker on it. I didn’t know this until opened the power supply case and saw it labeled on the fan. Well surprise surprise I just got owned. Well at least nothing caught on fire but damn did it stink.

myeap, that Compusa acted just like its supposed to, slowly fry everything it can XD

on a more serios note, sorry to hear that. you replacing any of it, or let it die in peace?

A system that old I won't be replacing any thing. Only because I plain too another computer later down the road. As for letting it die in peace. Well.. the truth is all 3 of parts are now in little peaces.

I hope you took pictures or video. I imagine a few people wouldn't mind seeing you beat the crap out of the fried components. (google video)

Oh now you tell me.

Immortal Lobster wrote:cheapest PSU my bestbuy sells is a dynex, its almost as bad as the FMIs, but its 80bucks

you think everything is 80 bucks...

ImmortalLobster wrote:the chepaest at compusa is like 80, and its specs are but to shame by most 30USD PSUs online.

not $80 @ big yellow price tag

i mean really... antec 350 watt for 61.... yeah it's more than most $30 online psu's... but seriously, online is not the only (or best) and certainly not the fastest way to get computer parts...

i know everyone will go ahead and hate me cause i don't mind paying a couple extra bucks to not wait 3-10 working days to get my equipment... but it's a hell of a lot faster and easier for me...

as to the PowMax / FMI .... el Cheapo ... PSU... cheap store branded components are almost never made by the store... and are usually the WORST possible thing on the market. it's sad that companies are actually willing to put their names on these components, because they are typically quite evil. but in the case of the 'CompUSA' PSU, the margin on those are usually somewhere in the 40-80 point range as oppose to the standard 5-20 on everything else in the store, so it makes them more money if you buy the $30 CompUSA PSU than the 80 'Good' PSU...

lessson learned i suppose.

Fortron Source 300W - $22.99

sorry, Dynex at BB, 60bucks for the 350, 86 for the 400, 135 for the Antec, ouch, I was pricing 400s at the time

cheapest good PSU I see at compusa is 70. so yeah, when I was shopping, all the 400s were landing around 80bucks or more.