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Question

Computer smell

Oct 15, 2018 2:26PM PDT

So recently I have noticed that my custom computer was making an odd smell. It didn’t smell like burning, but smelled like something I can only describe as a new electronic smell. It has never done that before but it was very noticeable when I walked in the room. I took it to a local repair shop and the guy thoroughly cleaned all the dust and arranged the wires better than I had them. He ran it for a few days and did not notice any problems or issues, although he did notice the smell. The only thing he noticed was that the graphics card fans were not turning although I am not sure if they are supposed to spin constantly or only when needed. It is an nvidia gtx 980. But since he didn’t think anything was seriously wrong, I am still a bit paranoid about using it. Would the graphics card create such a smell if fans weeent turning when they needed too? I have an antec case with a giant fan on top and four other case fans so I wouldn’t think hear would be a problem. Thanks for any insight!

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Answer
Could be!
Oct 17, 2018 3:42AM PDT

Firstly, I can't tell you if your graphics card fans should be spinning. This is a feature on newer cards albeit I have to say that I "thought" it was not commonly used on the nine series. There is a simple way to check that and that would be to install MSI Afterburner on your PC and monitor your temperatures. You can also force the fan on with that application.

Often the new PC smell is in fact various chemicals burning off as the hardware very first gets warm so it's quite possible it could be the graphics card is too warm.

Having said that, do you know the smell of ozone? Faulty power supplies can give of ozone. It's a sort of metallic chlorine type smell.

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Yes!
Oct 17, 2018 3:08PM PDT

Thank you for your reply!

I haven’t used my computer in a while but i did turn it on long enough to get the software you mentioned. I didn’t play with it long because it did not take long for the smell to present itself after turning it on. But I did slide the fan slider up a bit and heard the fans get loud as I did so I am thinking they are probably fine.

But remembering what you said about the chlorine like smell, I realized it was kind of like that that. Kind of a weird clean like chemical smell so that makes me think maybe I do have a power supply going out. I think I might start with that and replace it since I would rather shop for one of those than a new graphics card lol.