[DarkMasterBosel]

My desktop is a HP a1230n, and I just got the nVidia GEforce 9800 GT, as well as a BFG Tech 550W power supply. With just those two components replaced, after my PC had been running for a few minutes I noticed the all too familiar smell of overheated, bordering on burning electronics (I am an electronics/EMC technician). Last night I ultimately ran it for a few hours and today installed Vista, and the problem remains there. The processor is a AMD Athlon 64 x2, 2.2-ish GHz. As of right now I have 1 GB of RAM...I did notice after I put Vista on that I had virtually no free memory......I am not sure if that problem was there when I still had XP, but after installing the hardware. Upon closer inspection, I definitely noticed the heat sink of the CPU getting very warm as well as the cables around it.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to deal with this issue, or a better idea as to what exactly is causing it?

[tastegw]

Originally Posted by DarkMasterBosel

My desktop is a HP a1230n, and I just got the nVidia GEforce 9800 GT, as well as a BFG Tech 550W power supply. With just those two components replaced, after my PC had been running for a few minutes I noticed the all too familiar smell of overheated, bordering on burning electronics (I am an electronics/EMC technician). Last night I ultimately ran it for a few hours and today installed Vista, and the problem remains there. The processor is a AMD Athlon 64 x2, 2.2-ish GHz. As of right now I have 1 GB of RAM...I did notice after I put Vista on that I had virtually no free memory......I am not sure if that problem was there when I still had XP, but after installing the hardware. Upon closer inspection, I definitely noticed the heat sink of the CPU getting very warm as well as the cables around it.

Does anybody have any suggestions as to how to deal with this issue, or a better idea as to what exactly is causing it?

look for a prog that will tell you your system temps

pc wizard is one that i use.
CPUID

then post the temps here so we can further help you.

it could just be your gpu (video card) or your new power supply.

edit:
here is a pic of what pc wizard looks like and what tab to click to see temps

[DarkMasterBosel]

This is what I came up with.

********************************************
PC Wizard 2008 Version 1.871
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Owner:
User: HP_Administrator
Operating System: Windows Vista (TM) Home Premium Home Edition 6.00.6001 Service Pack 1
Report Date: Tuesday 30 December 2008 at 23:43

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<<< Voltage, Temperature and Fans >>>

> Hardware Monitoring : Asus A8000

>> General Information
ISA Address : 0x800
Support : Amberine M

>> Sensor Information
Sensor : Asus A8000
Mode : ISA (SuperIO LPC)
PECI Mode : No

> Voltage CPU : 1.50 V

>> General Information CPU
Voltage : 1.100 V
StartupVID : 1.400 V
MaxVID : 1.450 V
MinVID : 1.100 V

> +3.3V Voltage : 2.20 V

> +5V Voltage : 3.33 V

> +12V Voltage : 8.00 V

> Processor Fan : 164 rpm

> Chassis Fan : 164 rpm

> Power/Aux Fan : 164 rpm

> FAN3 : 164 rpm

> Processor : Thermal Diode

> AMD Athlon 64 (Diode) : 159.8 °F

> Hard Disk Monitoring : S.M.A.R.T

> Hard Disk SAMSUNG SP2004C : 100.4 °F

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
***** End of report *****

[tastegw]

AMD Athlon 64 (Diode) : 159.8 °F

cpu is a little hot, thats 70c

was that with little or no other programs open?

70c @ idle is just too hot.

i can imaging if you push the cpu while gaming or what not, then ya its just too hot.

also

Processor Fan : 164 rpm

does your heatsink not have a fan on it?
if it does, is the fan working?
that could be the problem.

[philbar71]

hmm well 159F is a little warm, i believe that's about 70C, might be worthwhile to get a better heatsink and fan

[tastegw]

if your heatsink doesnt have a fan on it....

and or

your case does not have good cooling

your new video card could be causing your cpu to overheat simply by generating too much heat inside your case, and this heat has nowhere to go.

just a thought.

edit: but that isnt that likely.
maybe your heatsink just gave out.

[brinks]

> +3.3V Voltage : 2.20 V

> +5V Voltage : 3.33 V

> +12V Voltage : 8.00 V

Is their something wrong with his power too. Seems to be way off.

[tastegw]

Originally Posted by brinks

> +3.3V Voltage : 2.20 V

> +5V Voltage : 3.33 V

> +12V Voltage : 8.00 V

Is their something wrong with his power too. Seems to be way off.

good catch

either the pc wizard is just reading it wrong, or he has some other issues
perhaps faulty power supply

im not qualified to help him out any further.
ill leave it to the more experienced guys.

[DarkMasterBosel]

The fan and heat sink are still factory originals and I have confirmed that the fan is working. Also, those readings were taken with only PC wizard running other than my startup items (Windows Defender, Firewall, etc). Nothing intensive there, right now I barely have enough memory as it is.

A faulty power supply is a possibility I have entertained, though the numbers show a picture. One thing I will do now that I am thinking about it is disconnect power to the video card and run the PC for a few minutes and see what happens.

Thank you guys for your responses so far.

[synergy]

As far as the smell goes, all power supplies give off that smell when they are new...even when they aren't running. However, 70*C idle on the CPU is much too hot, so you may need to reseat your HSF or get a better one. I'll bet the suggestion of the video card raising the temps inside the case and on the components is right on and that is the problem.