|
Home / Computers
How To Recognize And Repair Power Supply Problems
By:Otis Cooper
The Power Supply convert's your regular household current into low DC voltage used by the computer. When this component fails,there is simply no activity going on wih your computer.Remember to do the easy troubleshooting first.Inspect the Power Supply for any damage.Double-Check all connections.
Learning how to check your power supply and how to replace it when needed can be a life saver if you're a computer buff or in business with the trusted PC.Don't take for granted the simple pleasure of turning on your PC and everything works just fine.
We turned on one of our computers recently and in about one hour,it just re-booted itself.And it continued doing so about 10 times a day until we found out the power supply was the culprit.Things to look for when your power supply is going bad or just dies on you are the following.
NO POWER TO THE COMPUTER
Here you must first check the wall outlet for power by connecting another device such as a radio or lamp to be sure power is present.If the computer is connected through a surge protector,check it as well.
If the wall out has power,check the power cable going to the PC to see if AC voltage is making its way to the system unit.Do this with the use of a multimeter.
If there is power,you will have to open the PC and check for power from the power supply to the motherboard.
When using a multimeter to check voltage,be sure you have a good ground for the black lead of the multimeter.
RE-BOOTING PROBLEMS
One main problem you may face with an ailing Power Supply is that it may re-boot the computer without any warning.All information is lost and it seems as though this happens at the worst possible time.
Booting errors when the computer first start's up is another indicator of this component going on the blink.
POWER DISTRIBUTION PROBLEMS
When the power supply begins to fail,you may receive power at one device and not another.For example,the Hard Drive may receive power but the CDROM Drive has nothing at all.
Another headache with would cause re-booting is the intermittent power going to the drives or the motherboard itself.Follow the steps below to check your power supply should you experience some of the above problems.
CHECKING THE POWER SUPPLY
If the wall outlet,and the power cord are good,make sure the connection at the motherboard is secure.Then you may have to face the fact that the power supply itself is bad.If you have a Multimeter you can test the power supply output before purchasing a new one.Simply follow these steps.
Turn off the PC,but do not unplug it,open the system unit. Set the multimeter to read DC volts in the next range higher than 12 volts.Locate a power connector similair to the hard drive,or cdrom drive connector that is unused and turn on the PC.
You can also unplug a drive connector and use it as well.Turn on the PC and insert the BLACK probe into the power connector on one of the BLACK wires.Touch the RED probe to the YELLOW wire on the power connector.
The multimeter reading should be +12 volts Now touch the RED probe to the RED wire and the reading should be +5 volts.If no readings or different readings occured,you'll have to replace the power supply.If the readings were correct,you should check the P8 or P9 connectors at the motherboard. These connectors may also be named P4 and P5.To check these connectors,perform the following...
Insert the BLACK probe into P8 at one of the BLACK wires. Insert the RED probe into the P8 connector at the RED wire. The reading on the multimeter should be +5 volts
Check the power going to the Motherboard connections by inserting the RED probe into P8 at the YELLOW wire and you should get +12 volts.Leave the BLACK wire touching the black wire at the P8 connector.Check the BLUE wire and the reading should be a -12 volts.
Now move the BLACK probe to the BLACK wire on the P9 connector.Test the WHITE wire by inserting the RED probe and the reading should be -5 volts.Check the RED wires on the P9 connector and you should get +5 volts on each red wire.You won't get exactly 5 or 12 volts but the readings will be very close, such as 5.02 volts.
If the Power Supply is a couple of volts off,in either direction,such as when the RED wire should be reading -5 volts but it reads -8 volts,or if there are no readings,replace the power supply.
DO NOT remove the power supply from the system unit case when performing these tests.DO NOT perform these tests if you do not feel comfortable.Be sure to remove any and all electrical static build-up from your clothes and body BEFORE touching any parts inside the system unit.And NEVER open the power supply case for any reason,since high voltage may be present.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: computer repair, computer upgrades, computer training, software
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Otis F. Cooper is solely dedicated to boosting the knowledge and confidence of every computer user. Use his informative articles and videos to understand all about the PC. Read more in depth articles for pc training and repair at www.repairarticles.com
|
|
| Top Computers Articles |
- 1). The danger behind peer-to-peer file sharing By : Migz Mon
File sharing is very common nowadays. You can get a P2P (peer-to-peer) program for free, and soon start sharing stuff like music, videos and programs. We use these applications freely and most of us don’t know the risks involved when using them.
Questionable reliability of files – Once we get our hands on a P2P program, we download everything we want like crazy.
|
|
|
|
|
- 4). Is The Internet Censored? By : J Schipper
When most people think about Internet censorship, the usual suspects immediately come to mind : Communist China and repressive Islamic countries. Unfortunately, Westerners have an embarrassment all their own : Australia's net censorship law, established in 2000.
Freedom House, a non-profit U.S. organization dedicated to spreading human rights and freedom, undertakes regular surveys on press freedom and censorship.
|
- 5). Toshiba Libertto U100, smaller yet better than you might imagine! By : john
Have you ever wondered how small a laptop can be? Well, utilizing today’s technology Toshiba does a perfect job at demonstrating it; the Libertto U100 is one of the very few laptops that have such a rich feature set fitted altogether within such a small space. Of course, if you believe that a fingerprint authentication system is too much for such a.
|
- 6). Does CCTV Really Reduce Crime? By : Robert Michael
In the UK, home of twenty percent of the world's CCTV cameras, there is mounting concern about its invasion and lack of regulation. "UK Public CCTV Surveillance Regulation Campaign."
The thought-provoking questions they ask are good ones.
They want to know, for instance, why, if television programming and licensing is so heavily regulated in the UK.
|
|
|
- 8). Preparation Tips For Comptia A+ Certification By :
The Industry Standard CompTIA A Plus Certification exam has two parts; approximately 80 questions for each part.
* Core Hardware: $153 - min. passing score 515
* Operating Systems Technology: $153 - min. passing score 505
(CompTIA corporate members can take the exams for $98, employers that require this test are usually corporate members and will inform you of this.
|
- 9). Can Cell Phones Harm Your Health? By : D Ruplinger
It seems like everywhere a person goes there is at least one person in view with a cell phone to their ear whether it is on the road, in a store, in a parking lot, walking down the street, etc. Even in places where cell phone usage is banned such as concert halls or movie theaters there is the occasional offender, or more likely, at least a few people using the text messaging feature on their phone.
|
|
|
| New Computers Articles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
- 5). If You Want Flexibility And Portability Consider A Laptop By : Gregg Hall
If you are one of those who works with a computer on a daily basis like me you should consider a laptop. I have actually owned three now and I think I would be lost without mine. I still use my desktop PC quite a bit at home but the laptop comes in extremely handy when I am away.
|
|
|
- 7). Becoming A DVD Repair Expert Online By : Maxine Schel
Many conventional colleges and universities are now offering online DVD repair courses, which are the exact same as those taught on a traditional college campus, to distance learners. Online education is generally taught through the use of several different methods, including online satellite feeds, correspondence or online lessons. This technique permits the student to obtain a DVD repair degree without ever having to step inside of a classroom.
|
- 8). Compatible Inkjet Cartridge By : Isabel Rodrigues
Once the printer ink runs dry it has to be replaced with another inkjet cartridge. There are many reputed companies like Canon, Epson, Dell, and Lexmark that provide the necessary cartridges to replace the empty cartridges. Replacing inkjet cartridge can add to a very big cost. It could be worse if you have to replace the empty cartridges frequently every month.
|
- 9). Best Passwords By : Richard Romando
No sane person would ever like someone else reading her email. Or for that matter some other person using her password and breaking into a financial institution. You should, therefore, choose a strong, secure password in such a manner that would be a hard nut to crack for others and easy for you to remember. The more random and mixed-up you make it, the harder it is for others to crack.
|
- 10). Home Printing Machines By : Peter Vermeeren
Home printing machines are available on the market today in many sizes, prices and capabilities. Many different forms of printing can be accomplished in the home. Whether you want to create unique tee-shirts using a home screen printing machine or you want to produce elegant laser printed letters, the equipment is readily available to you for home use.
|
|
|
