Joe, a technician, is sent out to investigate a PC which refuses to turn on for a customer after a recent thunderstorm. Upon arrival, Joe notices a heavy scent of what seems to have been an…

An ODD (Optical Disc Drive) is a low-power peripheral that rarely fails from power surges in a way that produces a burn smell, and it is not in the primary power path.

While a CPU can be damaged by power events, it is protected downstream by the PSU and motherboard voltage regulators, making it a less likely first failure point.

An HDD receives conditioned DC power from the PSU and can be damaged by surges, but it does not typically produce a strong electrical burn odor and is less exposed than the PSU.

The PSU is the entry point for AC power from the wall and contains capacitors, transformers, and voltage regulators that are highly vulnerable to voltage spikes caused by lightning or power surges. A surge that exceeds the PSU's protection rating will often cause internal components to burn out, producing the characteristic electrical burn smell. Replacing the PSU is the first diagnostic step after a storm-related power failure.