Computer just lit on fire!

T

The Gnome

New Member
I do not have much time because I do not want to cause any more damage to the computer.... but recently I have been having an overheating problem(CPU)... I 'ghetto' rigged a fan and it worked good for months!! then I recenly hooked up another fan so my graphics card wouldnt get too hot.

Soon after, the computer would just shut off on its own. Then today, something on the motherboard lit up like a match and I had to blow it out!!! Could that extra fan have caused some static or something?

So heres a picture
RSCN8502.jpg


So what was it that lit on fire? OTher than motherboard monitor, is there any program that tells the motherboard Tempurature??? and how long do I have before the whole thing goes? I would like to back up all my files..

Thanks in advance for ANY help! I will have to shut down and check periodically.
 
Last edited:
johnb35

johnb35

Administrator
Staff member
Do not even use this computer anymore until you get the motherboard replaced. What motherboard is it? and more importantly, what power supply did you use?

"ghetto" rigging anything on a computer is a no no.
 
StrangleHold

StrangleHold

Moderator
Staff member
Looks like a mosfet went completely out and took a few resistors with it. Looks to lead to the port beside the USB port.
 
T

The Gnome

New Member
The computer is not overheating at the moment, but I am NOT going to be using it!!! I dont know all the specs and I do not know a program that tells you all the specs on your computer. After I put the first fan in for the CPU, it worked great for months... then I put in the second fan to blow on the graphics cards, and this is when there became problems with overheating! coudl it have started from static???

So heres what it looked like for months when it worked fine
DSCN8507.jpg


Then I did this and this is when I started having issues.
DSCN8506.jpg
 
T

The Gnome

New Member
the specs as far as I know-

Windows 7x 64 bit
dual core athlon processor (2.4 or 3.2)
4 gigs of ram
Dual geforce 9800 gtx + (I took one out to check for fire damage)
2 TB hard drive (have an external HD to back things up)

and the motherboard I dont know the specs... all I know is that its an asrock. I have been having ussues with this MB since I got it... I was NEVER able to get the SATA working... I was unable to successfuly update my MB software and BIOS because I always got an error... and lastly.. It wont let my windows update install anything new!! EVERY time I shut down the computer it says its installing the same 6-7 updates for windows, but obviously doesnt work. So I knew it was a matter of time before thing would crap out on me!!!

So I would like to back this up.. Are there any good free programs to help me? Like I Said, I have an external HD I could use to back up the files.

PS- THANKS a bunch for ANY help!!! i really appreciate this!!!
 
T

The Gnome

New Member
11-103-014-21.jpg

Its supposed to look like this!!! but the fan on the side stopped working! Along with the front AND top fan! I have been trying to get in contact with Xclio for months now and they will not respond to my emails anymore... This is not the first time I had a problem with them and had to get a couple new fans sent to me... but they stopped working too and the Xclio people decided to stop responding.

Lastly, the Power I have on it is a 700watt ocz


SO.... I will soon have no choice but to bring it in to geek squad.. They have seen this thing before (they were the ones who accidently sliced the wires to this F-ING fan and couldnt get it working!!!! and they ALSO ignored me after a few months of asking them about replacing it! So if I go in to ask them to fix them... What do I ask??? IT would probably be easier if I bought my own MB myself... but I still need help with all these hardware and software problems (windowsBIOS and MB updates... sata, flash card reader and fans.

I tried doing these updates on my own but always get errors.. I think my MB was messed up in the first place ad thats why I never got thins like the SATA or the updates working..... I have no choice but to buy the exact same MB correct???
 
C

cloudcroft

New Member
Doesn't matter if they're not made anymore, you can look online for a used one -- I just now saw one on Ebay for $69.99 ("Buy It Now" price). There probably are quite a few out there, most in closets (or a box in the garage) I guess when people buy a now mobo. The hard part is finding them. This would be best as you can replace your fried board and just hook up all your other stuff to a very same board -- an "even exchange" if you will. Still, if you got this Ebay board for $69.99, plus shipping, you'd be paying $70+ for older technology. Instead, you could get a "cheap" but new/currently-produced mobo like a Biostar A880G+ (just an example) AM3 mobo for something like $60 (maybe even with free shipping from NewEgg) and it might be able to use your old CPU and other components (are AM3 mobos "backwards-compatible" maybe? I don't know, but you could check that out).

Or, you can find some other older/used AM2/AM2+ board -- Asrock or any other brand -- with the same or similar specs so all your other stuff (CPU, RAM, video card, etc.) can be reused with the "new" board.

Or, you can decide this is an opportunity to upgrade and buy a new/more-current technology mobo (an AM3 board at the very least, like the Biostar A880G+ example above, or equivalent specs "entry-level" mobo) which might support all/most of your other stuff for the time being, then upgrade the other stuff bit by bit when you can (when you have the $$) so you'll realize the full potential of the new AM3 mobo.

So no, you do not need the very SAME board...unless you want one.

There are a number of things you could do, or combinations of things -- just pick a plan that works best for your needs and budget.

Good luck...
 
Last edited:
porterjw

porterjw

Spaminator
Staff member
'Rigging' anything in a case to compensate for a part not actually working is never a good idea, especially doing something like what you did. If you absolutely *have* to rig something for a day while waiting for another part, use other computer parts (in this example a case fan or something). With all that extra stuff in there, I'm surprised it took so long for something to happen.

Might I suggest next time you buy a Dell?
 
C

cloudcroft

New Member
Well, it's okay to put an extra fan or two inside your case. I use a regular case-cooling fan mounted on a magnetic base I made, so it can be moved and pointed in any direction -- like directly at my passive-cooling/heatsink-onle/no-fan ASUS video card -- which can either be plugged into a mobo fan connector (if one is available) or a molex connector from the PSU. Unless you plug in too many fans into a mobo fan connector -- i.e., "daisy chain" a number of fans together and then plug them all into one mobo fan connector, which might draw too much power from the connector -- there won't be a problem with extra fans internally powered. If in doubt, just plug (daisy-chain them) extra fans into a molex, which has plenty of power. In my large (and primary) desktop PC, I have maybe 4-5 case cooling fans daisy-chained to one molex, but would NOT to that to a mobo fan connector (only one fan per mobo connector).

But PCs should not be (routinely) run with the cover/side panels off: They were designed to run with all the case parts installed (closed up) so the internal fans could direct airflow where it needs to go. By running a PC with the cover/side panel off, you mess up the originally intended air flow (mainly, sucking in air from the front (and maybe also sucking it in from a side panel) and exhausting it out from the back. MOST cases were designed for proper cooling of the internal components just as they are -- completely closed up -- so for normal everday use, you do not need to run with the covers/side panels off and have external fans blowing air onto your PC.

Who really knows what caused your fire, but certainly something got very hot there at that specific spot on the mobo. It might take an electronic expert to figure that one out...I wouldn't spend any time, effort or $$ trying to find out as it may simply have been be a defective component on the mobo that caused it, so just move on now. Instead, you HAVE to get a new mobo now anyway, so just decide how to go about that, whatever plan works for you.

Let us know what you decided to do to get your PC back up and running (safely)...
 
Last edited:
CrayonMuncher

CrayonMuncher

Active Member
cloudcroft said:
But PCs should not be (routinely) run with the cover/side panels off: They were designed to run with all the case parts installed (closed up) so the internal fans could direct airflow where it needs to go. By running a PC with the cover/side panel off, you mess up the originally intended air flow (mainly, sucking in air from the front (and maybe also sucking it in from a side panel) and exhausting it out from the back. MOST cases were designed for proper cooling of the internal components just as they are -- completely closed up -- so for normal everday use, you do not need to run with the covers/side panels off and have external fans blowing air onto your PC.
Click to expand...

I do disagree with this as i have had the sides off of my case for about 7 years with no problems. The case has had two builds in it and all of my temps are below or on average with what they should be. I only have the cpu fan and and the fan on my gtx 260. I have no case fan since all it would be doing is trying to extract the heated air in a case that is perfectly fine when it comes to ventilation.
You can run pcs without the sides on if you want it shouldn't affect the temps, as you said the cases are designed to extract the air out of the case to ensure that the components don't get too hot but if the case isn't closed there is no hot air to build up to cause a problem.
It is obviously a different matter if you don't constantly tinker with the PC, then it makes sense to have the sides on.
However in this case, no pun intended, it is a mess there are wires everywhere and they look like desk fans hanging off of the side of the case, it is a wonder that it didn't fail before.
Why would you use that to replace a cpu fan? you can buy a stock one for next to nothing.
As for your data as long as the hard drive isnt affected buy the recent stuff then you can just take it out of that comp and put into another computer and your data should be fine.
Getting a new mobo shouldn't be too much of an issue you don't necessarily need to get the same one.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top