PS or MB?

[Gaard]

Suppose a system dies. You turn it on and get nothing - no fans, nothing. You don't have another ps or mb readily available. Is there a way to tell which of the two is dead?

 

[robisbell]

get a multimeter out, and manually check the voltages from the psu.

 

[Gaard]

Originally posted by: robisbell
get a multimeter out, and manually check the voltages from the psu.

don't have one

 

[robisbell]

then borrow one from someone. only other way is to take it to a shop and let them diagnose.

 

[Gaard]

Thanks rb. That's what I wanted to know.

 

[robisbell]

so, care to enlighten us as to reason for the question?

 

[jackschmittusa]

Disconnect the psu from the mb. Use a short length of wire to connect the green wire to any black wire on the 20/24 pin plug of the psu (the one that connects to the mb). See if the psu starts. If not, disconnect the power leads from the other devices in the rig, and try again. Just starting does not always mean the psu is good, but if it starts by itself with the test, and does nothing when connected, the problem is usually something other than the psu.