What would cause a CPU to smoke?

Discussion in 'Tech Talk' started by ibage, Dec 18, 2009.

  1. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Okay, the long awaited day came on Tuseday. It was my first time building a system. I have taken other systems apart and reassembled them with no issues as practice. I even watched a friend put their system together. This all said, I got my everything in okay and the first time I went to turn it on, the CPU socket started to smoke along with two of the memory slots. I lost my CPU and two sticks of memory. With this all going on, the system wouldn't POST and I got no video output. I asked around and ended up with several answers saying it was a faulty PSU. I RMA'd it all back to newegg but I'm just wondering what exactly would cause everything to burn out like that?

    Just to add, I was properly grounded. That came up once.
     
  2. Rubius
    Veteran Xenforcer

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    5,043
    Likes Received:
    14
    Occupation:
    Software Engineer
    Location:
    YYZ, Ontario
    If you assembled everything correctly then it was either a faulty PSU, or you accidentally bridged two or more contacts against the case.

    Never trust no-name PSUs that come included with a case.
     
  3. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    It was a Corsair. I know shit happens but its still dishearting. On this note though, I have never had to RMA anything to newegg let alone such expensive components. If the PSU was faulty, will they replace all three part I sent back or just the PSU and tell me to contact the manufacturer for compensation?
     
  4. TheEPIC
    Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Messages:
    1,362
    Likes Received:
    3
    It sounds like it was most likely a fault in some piece of the hardware. I'd guess it was probably the PSU just like everyone else. However, it may also be a fault in the motherboard.

    In terms of how you put it together:
    Did you seat the CPU in the socket properly?
    Did you seat the memory in the sockets properly?
    Was the motherboard making contact with the case?
    Were power connectors properly attached?

    Any of those things could have potentially caused your issue.
     
  5. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Yes
    Yes
    No
    Yes

    The memory was burnt in the same spot on both sticks I tried and it was the slot nearest to the CPU. Whats more is the DVD/CD drive isn't working anymore. I recently tried it in my old system. I'm about 99% sure it was nothing I did. At this point, I'm concerned about how newegg will handle it.
     
  6. Rubius
    Veteran Xenforcer

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    5,043
    Likes Received:
    14
    Occupation:
    Software Engineer
    Location:
    YYZ, Ontario
    They should be able to reimburse you for everything, as the PSU manufacturer is liable for any damages caused by their faulty product, especially out of the box. That's logically speaking anyways, not legally, so who knows what'll happen.
     
  7. Earley
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    Messages:
    338
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    Spacewater
    That's surprising, I mean most components you buy these days can tolerate a lot of misuse but to smoke out of the box, definitely rare.
     
  8. Sirius
    Veteran Crowfall Member

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    1,620
    Likes Received:
    1
    Occupation:
    Software developer
    Location:
    Bellevue, WA
    Maybe all its friends were doing it.
     
  9. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Keeping my fingers crossed. It's being "Inspected" now so hopefully I'll know whats up before the holiday
     
  10. Vandiego
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 28, 2009
    Messages:
    2,542
    Likes Received:
    4
    Occupation:
    Self Employeed
    Location:
    Chicago
    Did you have spacers behind your motherboard?

    Can you link me to your mobo/cpu/memory/psu pages on newegg.
     
  11. EF2
    Veteran

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2008
    Messages:
    1,307
    Likes Received:
    5
    Occupation:
    Media Photographer
    Location:
    Pittsburgh
    Sounds like a faulty motherboard, memory, or user error. Power supplies might fail and not turn on at all, but they don't cause components to smoke.
     
  12. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Everyone I've talked to has said faulty PSU. Really, I don't see it out of the realm of possibility. The shop i got it tested at said it that it had a faulty output or something. I don't remember exact words but he said it got way too much juice to handle.

    That aside, newegg is replacing everything.
     
  13. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Okay, parts get here Tuesday. I'm a bit nervous to build again but I really want to try.

    There a checklist or something somewhere I can reference before turning it on?

    I know it's kinda silly but

    Install PSU, mount mobo, install CPU and cooler, install memory and GPU, connect HDD and DVD drive, Plug in 24 pin connection, insert 4/8 pin plug into CPU power, hook up Sata power to drives, connect GPU power and case buttons, turn PC on.

    I know this may sound stupid but I want to make sure its all there
     
  14. TheEPIC
    Veteran

    Joined:
    Sep 6, 2008
    Messages:
    1,362
    Likes Received:
    3
    I would just recommend reading all of the manuals when you go to put it together. They should have all the info you need.
     
  15. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Got my parts last week. Final specs

    i5-750
    Asus 7P55 WS Mobo
    6 gigs ddr3 1600 Memory
    XFX Radeon 4890 GPU
    Corsair 650w PSU
    Windows 7 Premium 64bit

    Worked the first time I fired it up. Still no sign of the cause of the incident
     
  16. Lime
    Veteran

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Messages:
    1,777
    Likes Received:
    37
    Gender:
    Male
    Occupation:
    Network Engineering
    Location:
    No Where Important
    Buy it some nicorette gum JIC
     
  17. Erock
    Veteran Crowfall Member

    Joined:
    Jun 23, 2008
    Messages:
    2,742
    Likes Received:
    21
    Occupation:
    Sales / Hockey
    Location:
    LI, NY , USA
    nice little build but why 6 gig of memory? how is it slotted?

    ideally you would want to match it but it will work :)
     
  18. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    I got 4 gigs initially but I got 2x 1 gig sticks free from a friend. It's slotted 1212. I'll buy another 4 gig set once I get my tax refund
     
  19. Kava
    Veteran

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2009
    Messages:
    1,518
    Likes Received:
    2
    Occupation:
    Study
    Location:
    Southern California
    So, was it the PSU being faulty and pumping too much power to the MOBO?

    I've never heard of a PSU doing that so I'm interested to know lol.
     
  20. ibage
    Guest

    Joined:
    Jul 24, 2009
    Messages:
    50
    Likes Received:
    0
    Ya. The shop I took it to said the 24 pin connector was faulty and was producing too much electrical input or something along those lines. I don't remember the exact words but it was close. The guy said that too. He hadn't seen this before