Weird smell

[flakbait]

I know computers and bad smells = bad juju, but this is odd. It doesn't smell like burning dust (I know that odor) but more like a brand-new spindle of DVDs or CDs. A hard chemical smell that only shows up when the thing is turned off. When I kick the computer over, it goes away and the only odor is the telltale smell of, well, a computer. My case has always had the smell of computer parts, but never this rather powerful reek when turned off.

Any ideas?



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Flakbait

[Ghastly]

Hmmmm.... Do you have any pets? 

[flakbait]

Hmmmm.... Do you have any pets? 

A cat  And no, she doesn't go inside the case. I keep it pretty clean of dust and kitty fuzz.



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Flakbait

[gyrene81]

Chemical like smell...only smell it when the system is turned off... 

Ok this is going to sound strange but...turn the system off...unplug the power cord...take a clean straw and hold it up to one nostril then close the other nostril off...you get the idea from there. The fact that you can smell it when the system is turned off but not when it's powered on, sounds as if it's getting disbursed with the fans, and it's probably a residual odor from a component (epoxy or something like that). That straw should help you pinpoint the origin.



and uh...close the door to the room before you proceed with the straw...don't want anyone asking you questions if you get my drift.

[Rebel]

That's the smell of the money you spent going up in flames.

Enjoy it.  It's one of my fave smells EVER

[DREDIOCK]

A cat  And no, she doesn't go inside the case. I keep it pretty clean of dust and kitty fuzz.



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Flakbait

Thats cause your cat probably took a wizz on the outside of the case and whenever the computer is on it heats up and gives off an odor that is otherwise indistinguishable when its cool.

We had a cat that did it on the outside of the toaster over and experienced the same thing.
Needless to say that cat is no longer with us

[ImADot]

If it has a "fishy" odor, it's probably a blown capacitor.  I know that smell, and found my HP scanner not working and a blown cap on the control board.

[eagl]

If it has a "fishy" odor, it's probably a blown capacitor.  I know that smell, and found my HP scanner not working and a blown cap on the control board.

+1

[Westy]

IMO it's the same smell of just about everything made with resin that
comes from China. The heat is making it worse and the case fans are
pumping it out at you. Could you imagine working in those factories
or even near them?

Pewwww!!

(not to make light of the health risks)

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Actually there are several cases where Chinese electronics have been banned because of too high chemical emissions. One typical substance is formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde has a stinging little bit sweet smell that needs very small concentrations to smell bad. I used to work at a plant that had a formaline reactor, you never forget that smell.

[batch]

A hard chemical smell that only shows up when the thing is turned off.

[zack1234]

Maybe it's my ex wife causing the problem?

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Maybe it's my ex wife causing the problem?

You never know I caught my wive's mother cleaning our stainless steel bahtroom sinks with bleach..

[Balsy]

The flux capacitor can smell pretty bad if it is turned off, particularily if you use trash for fuel.


 

[Masherbrum]

You never know I caught my wive's mother cleaning our stainless steel bahtroom sinks with bleach..