Re: Weird Noise with a burnt electronic smell coming from EVGA 3060 XC (New PC builder)
2021/10/15 14:13:05
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Are you sure you peeled the plastic off of every component you installed? If you didn't, and a bit of that plastic came into contact with a hot spot and melted, it could explain the issue. A scrap of plastic could have also fallen off when you were removing a larger piece.
Put your computer on its side and inspect the inside with a flashlight. Do the same with the GPU and any other components that are reasonably accessible. (You probably don't have to remove the PSU or any hard drives in the back if you can't smell anything there.) If you see a melted scrap of plastic, that makes things easy. While you're in there, look for burn or scorch marks as well, particularly on the surface of the motherboard and in the PCIe slot where your GPU was installed. And look at the power cables too, in particular the connectors—it should be easy to see a scorch mark there.
If you don't find anything, it would be useful to test your GPU in a different computer, if you have access to one. If it's broken, you'll find out and can start the RMA; if you smell burning plastic again, you'll know it's from the card and not any other component in your computer. Don't be afraid to experiment: if the GPU is in fact broken or on its way to breaking, it's better to find out now and use the warranty.