Did my power supply just die??!!??!? :'(!!!! urgent

[LongCoolMother]

i think my power supply just gave its last breathe. i booted up serious sam 2 and after like 5 min. playing, my whole system just suddenly shut down! all of a sudden with no prior notice. i tried turning it back on, but my computer wouldnt turn on. it had no power. i reset the switch in the back of my computer (power switch) and nothing happens. i didnt touch any of my hardware recently. i know the power is still on in my surge protector because my speakers/monitor still have power.

i suspect its the power supply that died. how can i be sure of this? can i test it somehow?

btw, i might add that i have been leaving my computer on for a couple of days now, if that at all matters. i have done it very often previously though.

thanks. i feel so sad, i cant afford to shell out a lot for a PS.

 

[zephyrprime]

Sounds like either the power supply is dead or the motherboard's power system is dead. Either way, it's gonna cost you. I think the power supply is the likelier candidate. Might want to test it out by putting the PS in another system if you have access to one. You may be able to get a fair deal on a power supply by checking out the hot deals forum or by buying from a surplus place like MPJA. (can't vouch for the quality of surplus power supplies though) I don't suppose you PS is still under warranty?

 

[LongCoolMother]

Originally posted by: zephyrprime
Sounds like either the power supply is dead or the motherboard's power system is dead. Either way, it's gonna cost you. I think the power supply is the likelier candidate. Might want to test it out by putting the PS in another system if you have access to one. You may be able to get a fair deal on a power supply by checking out the hot deals forum or by buying from a surplus place like MPJA. (can't vouch for the quality of surplus power supplies though) I don't suppose you PS is still under warranty?

how can i tell whether its the power supply or motherboard? my dad has a multi-meter, a digital one, can i test the PS with that?

 

[LongCoolMother]

oh sh!t! i just unplugged the power and reconnected the power. pressed my power switch and the LED for power just lit up for like 2 seconds.

now, i just unplugged the 4-pin power plugs from my hard drive, and 2 cd drives. i pressed the power switch again and my computer started, and the CPU fan started spinning. after about 5-6 seconds, my computer died again. now i think i kind of smell something burning, like burnt rubber or plastic or something. does this mean my PS is not dead or what?

 

[LongCoolMother]

wtf, i was able to do this several times. if i disconnect the power cable to the PS, and then reconnect it and pit the power switch. it turns on and the system starts for about 5 seconds and then shuts off. now i know the burning smell is definately coming from my power supply. can someone help?

 

[slowbutsure]

If you have a burning smell coming from the power supply, it's a sure bet it's fried. Replace it and then you'll be able to find out if it affected anything else in your sysem.

By the way, you can get a 350 watt power supply at most computer stores for under $40 US.

 

[LongCoolMother]

when i do replace my power supply, how do i prevent this from happening again? power supplies shouldnt just...BREAK like that. this is the first component in my system that i had to replace because it actually broke. i feel cheated, because i never stressed my system, i never overclock or anything. im pretty sure power supplies should last more then a year. how do i prevent this? or do power supplies just die like that?

 

[Jgtdragon]

What brand of power supply you have now? I would suggest spend a little more $$$ for a quality power supply and it should last a long time. If you get cheap Power supply, it might cost you more in the long run.

 

[LongCoolMother]

right now, my PSU brand is "AGI" its generic i assume. im looking at new PSU's at newegg and i see some really cheap ones like:

Allied 400W Power Supply ATX400P4 w/ Two Fans ***AMD APPROVED good to 2100+ *** UL, CSA, FCC Approved

its only $36 and its AMD approved.

ENHANCE , ENLIGHT, and ENERMAX also have some nicely priced 300w-350w PSU's. if any of those companies are good, id buy them. they are AMD approved as well.

 

[dunkster]

Also consider the Leadman PowMax 500W PS. 500 watts, good rail voltages, quiet, 2 fans, 3-pin connector for monitoring PS fan speed, aux 120VAC monitor power connector, and about $55 shipped.

Quality unit. I have one.

Hope this helps!

 

[Mem]

when i do replace my power supply, how do i prevent this from happening again? power supplies shouldnt just...BREAK like that. this is the first component in my system that i had to replace because it actually broke. i feel cheated, because i never stressed my system, i never overclock or anything. im pretty sure power supplies should last more then a year. how do i prevent this? or do power supplies just die like that?

I had an AMD approved (only 9 months old) 300w go faulty,not overclocked and I had anti-surge devices as well , anyway it would power my PC down,I had no power for like 30 minutes at a time.

I purchased a nice new Enermax 350w and so far it`s working great,as to your question,part of it is luck since any hardware can just die or go faulty,so all you can really do is buy a good quality approved PSU with adequate wattage for your PC and hope for the best.

 

[Lucky]

I've got a generic 300W I'll send out to you for the cost of shipping if you want. It's not the best (out of a $25 compgeeks case) but if you want it LMK. You only!

 

[Wolfsraider]

yep confirmed lucky is the man