Smoke pouring out of PC!!!

[dekez]

This has literally just happened

I've recently got a Q6600, and was overclocking it. Nothing major, I'd worked up from stock to 3Ghz with 1.4V.

So I'm running prime and keeping an eye on temps, up to 71 on 2 cores(freezer 7 pro) thinking to myself, I might not have seated the HSF properly, it felt a little funny when I put it on.

Not going any higher than 71 though and prime going ok, I glance to my right and see smoke pouring (this is no exaggeration) out the top of the machine!!

I immediately hit the power button and wrench the plug from the back at the same time, looking back at the screen everything is still going fine and temps still at 71 just before I kill the power!

Now smoke is everywhere, smoke alarm is going off, I open windows and shut the alarm up whilst cursing myself for being such a twonk, then come back to inspect the damage. This is what I found:

P4 wire (I unplugged it) is completely fried, from the back:

And once I took it out:

Now this as you can see is a cheap auction site extension cable, I immediately start cursing the day I thought I would tidy up my cables!

Anyway I remove the HSF and CPU looks fine, no visible damage to the motherboard, I reseat the HSF and connect the PSU P4 directly (which is completely fine BTW). I start it up and it lives!!! My prayers have been answered.

So now I'm scared as hell to overclock the thing and my house smells of burnt plastic. Somehow I'm going to have to get rid of this stink before my GF gets back or she will go mental, as I often leave this rig on 24/7 for folding!

So anyone know what happened here? My theory is cheap cable not designed to take the extra current with the overclock?

 

[dekez]

Buy a proper one, like Akasa for instance. And some glade.

Yeah I will do now, talk about false economy.

 

[dekez]

Lucky you was there to spot it, that could easily have happened in the middle of the night then god only knows what would have happened

its a blessing in disguise and remember , dont buy cheapo stuff for pc's

Absolutely, I've well and truly learnt my lesson, hopefully this will serve as a warning to others too.

Got this: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CB-022-AK

Works a charm and is sleeved (Not very well, but sleeved nonetheless.)

Thanks, cheap as well. *smacks self in head for not getting one in the first place*

I kinda want that to happen to me now, sounded really good fun!

lol, I nearly had a heart attack! Easy to recreate though - overclock + cheap cabling = smoke

 

[dekez]

As above the cable burnout, hopefully it'll be fine if the PC was still on.

Yeah I'm using it now everything is fine, close call, I thought I'd fried your Q6600!

 

[dekez]

I saw the thread title and your name and grimiced

Was either the folder had died or my Q6600 bit the dust/responsible for a small fire

Ha ha, sorry to worry, just me being too stingy to buy proper cables!

Use the 8pin connector!!!

My previous psu only had a 4pin, and when I got my new PSU I only had the one extension cable so just used that as before. But yes will connect the other cable now.

 

[dekez]

All good, everyone needs to a 'OMFG' moment

True oh well, 8pin attached, lynx sprayed (no glade), story for girlfriend made up just in case. Live to fight another day

It wasnt also catching he fan was it?

It is a possibility, it was catching when I first put the rig together (few months ago now) and I rearranged the wires so it wouldn't. Could have worked its way loose over time, or have been some small damage caused that I didn't see from before (I did check) which then failed when I overclocked. Thanks I'll double check this when I put new extensions in.

 

[dekez]

This is why boards now have 8 CPU pin (2x4) - quads can pull too much amperage when OC'd, addin a cheap low guage cable and only using 1 of the 4 pin connectors...

Its another reason why overclocking 65nm quads on older boards like the P965 isn't a good idea... they aren't designed for the amperage.

It's a P5Q pro, I'm going to be running it at stock for a while now

light some candles, have a romantic dinner waiting... 2 birds with one stone.

Good idea, couldn't have happened at a worse time though, her mum, sister, and 2 friends are currently staying with us at the moment, and one is sleeping in the dining room where the PC is! lol

 

[dekez]

I left the doors and windows open for a while (there was quite a breeze coming through which helped) then met up with her for a curry, didn't get back till 10ish and by that time the smell was just about gone and no one noticed anything