Re:Danger with Old PCs (Score 1)

That's good advice. I had a problem with a PC I built myself around 1998. I had noticed the fan was making weird noises for several months, but didn't really think much about it in terms of actual danger. While away on a ski trip last year with guys from work, the power supply caught on fire at 2:00 in the morning.

The dog started barking apparently and my wife went upstairs to see what was going on and saw fire inside the power supply. (I didn't have the case on the PC).

She called 911 and they told her to unplug it. She was afraid to crawl under the desk with fire under there, so she just hit the power button on the front and then everything stopped and the fire went out. She then unplugged it. She said the smell was terrible. The 911 people asked her if she wanted them to send the fire department and she said no, everything was fine.

So my advice is to either service the fan or replace the whole power supply when you hear it making noises. I replaced the PS when I got back and I'm still using that box today. I'm glad it was an AT power supply where the power switch on the front actually cuts the main AC power input!