computer and smoke

H

hollywoodending

New member
not really a "recording" question per se, but I was wondering if smoke could damage a computer.

I recently bought a very expensive computer custom built for recording, but didn't have enough space to set it up yet so I kept it at my girlfriend's house. Well, while they were out last night their dryer caught fire and the whole kitchen went up in flames. My computer was downstairs, and needless to say, it was exposed to a great deal of smoke. However, it was still brand new in the box. Will my comp still run at its optimum performance level, or should I take it back and exchange it for another one while it is still in the box? thanks for your help. I really want my computer to be the best it can be, and I don't want to compromise any quality.
 
if the computer was still in a box ( am picturing a shiny cardbaord box with plastic packing tape sealing things up) you are probabaly fine.

Smoke issues with comps are gnerally because the fans runn andpush all this dust and particularete matter through the box and it settles on the compnents and gets into the fans themselves and gums stuff up, corrodes connections or I donlt know what all. I would imagine that any of the airborne nasty stuff would be sperated by the box pretty well (especially if the PC is in a plastic bag inside).

However, if you can find a way to get them to swithc out a new box for the old one that they will buy, and it is not a bother, go for it, you will know for sure then (unless it was returned by the last guy to buy it and have fire).

Daav
 
thanks

the computer was in a box, but it had large "grip" holes on the side, and it wasn't in plastic.

I'm not going to bother to return now, I'll just cut my losses and use it. hopefully nothing got dirty :)
 
Open the case and take a whiff. Smell powerful, or just 'smoky'?

Wipe your finger on the metal on the inside of the case. Is the end of your finger black?

Heavy smoke damage will definitely be a reliability factor, but if it was in the packing box, and not running, as daav described, I agree you are probably fine.
 
About 8 years ago, we had a printer that overheated and caught fire inside the server room. There were literally hundreds of computers, servers, riscs, mainframes, backup machines ect inside the bunkered room... Since it was mostly plastic that burnt, it made a thick sute that covered everything. No water was used to put out the fire so everything just sute needed to be cleaned. We opened every piece of equipement and we spent two days removing the sute with a vacuum cleaner and compressed air. We only lost one computer out of the hundreds and it might not of been because of the smoke but because of the sudden interuption of power. Some of those computers still run today. Just make sure you remove all traces of the smoke deposits and you should be fine.

Ryan
 
fraserhutch said:
How old is your computer?

If it is under 18, it's too young to smoke anyways........
Click to expand...

If your computer smokes, the chips will grow these little bubbling tumors.... Nasty....

Remember, kids, if you let out the magic smoke, the chip won't work anymore. :D
 
The thing about computers, is that the reason they work in the first place is smoke!!!!
...if the smoke gets out of the damn thing, it stops working...
 
Tell your computer, to get on those patches. Stop smoking. Although those patches can make you hallucinate.
 
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