Can anyone please help. after switching on my computer the other day I used a program call system mechanic do tweak my startup menu (done before with no probs) asked to restart to enable what I tweaked. okay, clicked start menu, shut down and then new start. just as I was doing this I had noticed a smell in the room, not that I would say a burning smell but it was from the computer. On the restart, as this happened so fast I cant recall how far on the boot up it got to, but the system went dead.
Checked the power cable, seemed okay. My first thoughts power supply is dead, checked with a neighbours spare and nothing except the fans turned. so tried another cpu, same again fans turned, I then noticed the smell returned so not wanting to screw up my neighbours power supply and cpu I switched of the system. I removed the motherboard and check for signs of burn marks, but could not find any. I tried smelling the board, but the only part that seemed to have a smell was the bios rom.
I would be very thankfull for any thoughts on this.
Alan

This tweaking of the start menu - did it (at any time involve tweaking the CPU or graphics card?

A Cpu hits max operating temp in about 2 seconds from bootup. Does your freinds CPU still work? If so look at your graphics card - does it work in your friends system.

Does your PC (even though the monitor does not come on) issue a single beep? or more?

Thanks for the reply. Okay I have tried using my graphics card on my kids computer apart from the makers it has the same spec. The computer booted up with no probs. I couldnt check my cpu on it as it is a different socket and. As for my friend's cpu it's hard to find out if it still works as he is on vacation now for 2 weeks. . As for beeps my computer does not make any beep on start up. Even with my friends cpu in my computer it still did not boot, no beeps although the fans turned. I am more than convinced that it is something to do with the mainboard. What ever happened it blew my power supply and messed up something else. Anyone got some ideas????
Alan

Could you check that the system speaker inside the base unit case is actually plugged into the motherboard? Diagnosing the beeps that come from the built-in system speaker could be the quickest way to finding the cause of the problem.

the speaker cable is connected to the board.
What is it more likely to be a cpu or mainboard?
Alan

Are you sure your neighbour's PSU was powerful enough to power your system? Just because the fans are spinning doesn't mean it definitely is.

The smell was probably just your power supply burning out. Do you have any LEDs on your motherboard and do they still light up?

The Psu was a 350 watt, no lights on the board only lights are my power and hdd activity on the front panel. I have a ESC K7s5a board with athlon xp 1800 cpu.
A.c.

I presume that the power LED on the front panel does light up but the hard disk activity LED doesn't flicker on and off like it normally would?