Attempting to undo the overclocking process.
Attempting to undo the overclocking process.
85c in the bios menu during idle indicates a cooling issue. With a full custom water loop and stock voltages, achieving 85c at idle would suggest problems. If smelting occurs, inspecting the pump is advisable. Another possibility is an AIO leak, which could have caused the GPU to fail and the CPU to overheat. If the system doesn’t boot with the original GPU after such an event, it’s a serious warning. This situation requires expert troubleshooting with available parts. Replacing the AIO might resolve the CPU overheating problem.
the cpu might suffer heat damage if you detected a burning smell. Toasted cpus tend to underperform, if any.
Pressing F5 will reset everything to factory defaults, but don’t do it by hand since there are many BIOS settings hidden from the interface. Smelt burning is problematic—not only for the GPU, but also because that smell lingers and could come from various places like the PSU, GPU, motherboard, or PCIe slot. Any of these components can negatively affect the CPU.
Sorry, just to make sure, the burning smell was more than a week old and I haven’t detected it since. I was playing games when the computer shut down by itself. When I tried to turn it back on, I immediately noticed a burning odor and switched it off. The room smelled of burnt electronics that my girlfriend picked up right away.
Since then, I haven’t encountered the smell again, but all these issues have started now.
I replaced my old heatsink and fan assembly with a new one for my 980Ti, which I connected today. The computer would boot up normally if the 980Ti was installed. I removed the 6-pin and 8-pin power connectors from the GPU, and the machine actually started with the obvious message: "Please power down and plug in power to the graphics card." I tried again, but couldn’t get a boot after putting power on the GPU. As mentioned before, the unit was in good shape, with fresh thermal paste, no damage to capacitors or soldered components.
Unfortunately, I don’t have access to testbenches or local friends who can help me test or borrow parts to further investigate.
I reset all BIOS settings using the F5 option, but it didn’t make a difference.
I realized burning smells don’t just disappear, so I tested myself for a week and found nothing. I examined the M/board with a magnifying glass, under the VRMs, and near the ROG logos. I removed the CPU, cleaned everything thoroughly, but still no burning smell on either side of the board.
I checked my two HDDs and SSD, but they’re not corrupted and show no signs of burning.
I own an EVGA G2 Supernova 850W F/Modular PSU, which I’ve had for four years. It’s out of warranty, so I opened it up, inspected all the capacitors—nothing was damaged or smelling of burning.
I also checked my RAM, and everything seems to be functioning properly.
Ideally, I’d test my 980Ti on another bench to see if there’s any damage to the motherboard (though my 1060 Super is working fine). Maybe the PSU can’t provide enough power for the 980Ti and won’t turn it on.
I never thought the AIO might be the cause, but that’s a possibility if the pump fails. I loaded the computer earlier and tried to see if it would stabilize in games, but I checked temperatures—CPU reached 92°C, which is why I had to shut everything down and leave in frustration.
Edit: I don’t think there was a leak anywhere. What’s the best way to test a closed loop??"
The Evga G2 850w comes with a 7-year warranty. If you have any concerns about the power supply unit, contact Evga for confirmation.
Diagnosing leaks in a closed loop cooler is challenging; visible signs like staining on the motherboard, corrosion around the pump base, or spray patterns from a dusty PC are typical indicators. A pump is made up of four main components: the motor, diaphragm, microfins, and the PCB. Usually, only one part fails, often the motor. If the pump stops completely, it's likely due to a PCB issue or a frozen motor. Vibration suggests the motor is running, but clogged microfins or a dead diaphragm can cause minimal flow. A lack of coolant is another common problem after prolonged use, as the coolant breaks down into its components over time. This leads to reduced liquid levels, insufficient flow through the loop, and rising CPU temperatures—typically around the 5-6 year mark.
This cooler has sufficient capacity for good absorption rates, so maintaining consistent hose temperatures (within ±2-3°C) is important. Since one hose tends to be hotter than the other, a flow issue is likely due to insufficient coolant or blockages in the microfins. The X62 model should still be under warranty, and it would be wise to reach out to NZXT for further assistance.