Ok I got on my computer today and it smells like it's cooking all the innards so if you don't see me here for awhile you'll know I am out hunting for a new computer. It has that burning electrical smell to it so I am turning it off. Maybe the fan stopped working and I just need a new fan. Anyway I can only use it for short periods so see ya later gators.

Sorry. I think a bad fan is a good guess. They get surprisingly hot Hoping for a easy repair and that you don't have to get a new computer.

JW, you're probably right. That's what happened to my last computer. The fan went out and it got so hot, it caught on fire! I used to leave my computer on all the time. I don't do that anymore. I'm just thankful I happened to be next to it when it caught on fire. If it had been during the night, who knows what might have happened. Have it checked out and get back to us soon!

Well I pulled it out from the wall and took off all the wires and moved it to a place where I can put a big fan up close to the back of it and so far it's not getting hot or smelling bad so it must definitely be the fan. I do leave it on all night but I won't from now on. This is just a temporary fix until we can find a new fan for it so if I disappear for awhile it may have stopped working

A replacement fan is cheap, a lot less than a new PC.

Well this morning I turned it on and knocked on the fan a couple times and it started working again and all is cool again but I have my other fan ready just in case and I will not leave the pc on when I'm not using it. The computer was free............it was my son's old one and he got a new one so I am trying to make it last as long as I can. If the fan goes out again I will replace it as we have done before w/ others. So for now I'm back in business

JW, we have a lot in common! This is my 3rd computer. They've all been hand-me-downs! As my sons upgrade, I get their old ones. They are plenty fast for me!

I cleaned the fan out w/ a little brush and man that thing was thick w/ dust..........no wonder the blades wouldn't turn. So now it is running and cleaned all out and we shall see what we shall see.

If you have to get a new computer the best time is the after Thanksgiving sales. I got a great deal on my computer 3 years ago when they have the back to school sales. The salesman told me the day after Thanksgiving sales were the best prices. I think this year because of the economy, there will be a lot of great deals.

Thanks for the tip fishlips and I am hoping it doesn't come to that. So far cleaning out all the clods of dust inside really made the thing work good now. The fan is just spinning away and everything is cool as a cucumber :[IMG]/cold6.gi

Remember this is just a quickstop fix. Best to change out that fan as soon as possible.

Glad in a way this happened to you tho. It reminds me its time to clean both mine and hubby's puters. I try to do it at least once a year.

If you can read the numbers on the fan call Radio Shack, they sell replacements. Four screws and unplug it and it's good as new.