Computer ATX PS near meltdown

[JR North]

I noticed will surfing a couple days ago the PS fan rpm was surging up
and down; most peculiar. I almost absent-mindedly shut the computer down
instead of just logging off. Good thing. Next day, I fired it up, and
within a few minutes, started noticing the Smell Of Death. I felt the
back of the 'Puter-very hot. Shut it down, pulled the ATX ps and
replaced the cooling fan in it with a nice 80mm BB one I had in stock.
Now running nice and cool, and some issues I had with the monitor not
resuming after standby also gone. Possible PS issue there?
JR

 

[Meat Plow]

I noticed will surfing a couple days ago the PS fan rpm was surging up
and down; most peculiar. I almost absent-mindedly shut the computer down
instead of just logging off. Good thing. Next day, I fired it up, and
within a few minutes, started noticing the Smell Of Death. I felt the
back of the 'Puter-very hot. Shut it down, pulled the ATX ps and
replaced the cooling fan in it with a nice 80mm BB one I had in stock.
Now running nice and cool, and some issues I had with the monitor not
resuming after standby also gone. Possible PS issue there?

Not likely.

 

[James Sweet]

I noticed will surfing a couple days ago the PS fan rpm was surging up and
down; most peculiar. I almost absent-mindedly shut the computer down
instead of just logging off. Good thing. Next day, I fired it up, and
within a few minutes, started noticing the Smell Of Death. I felt the back
of the 'Puter-very hot. Shut it down, pulled the ATX ps and replaced the
cooling fan in it with a nice 80mm BB one I had in stock. Now running nice
and cool, and some issues I had with the monitor not resuming after
standby also gone. Possible PS issue there?
JR
--

A bad power supply can cause all sorts of weird issues, if it got that hot
you might look for bulging electrolytic capacitors in it.

 

[William R. Walsh]

Hi!

It's more of a heat issue than a power supply problem. Things in there get
too hot, as do the other parts of the computer that are cooled by that fan.
That in turn causes malfunctions.

Have a look inside the power supply, the motherboard and any expansion
cards. Check to see if there are any exploded or bulging capacitors. If
there are any in the power supply, just replace it. If you wait, something
will go "bang!" and that may ruin your computer's hardware. I'd replace the
motherboard and expansion cards as well if they show signs of having been
too hot (exploded or inflated caps again)...but I've seen heat-damaged
boards that kept on running without issue.

William