Top Warning Signs of a Failing Power Supply

The death of a power supply could be rather traumatic. A PC is almost like a part of the family. When we loose touch with our computers, it is great cause for concern. How are we going to chat with our friends? How are we going to research that project that is due the next day? What about those very important and vital files?

A power failure could cause you to loose important files on your computer. Since everything from journal entries to the monthly budget is usually stored on computers now, it is comforting to know that your files are safe. The best way to reinforce safety of files is to have a backup power supply.

Don’t fret. There are ways to make sure that your precious computer is safe and sound. There are signs to watch out for and measures you can take to keep your files safe. You can prevent this forbidden tragedy by paying close, and careful, attention to your power supply.

The power supply is one of the most important units of your computer. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most overlooked components as well. This being the case, it is incident prone because few pay attention to it until it fails. Don’t take your power supply for granted. Make sure it is as healthy and happy as the rest of your system.

Before you draw the conclusion that your power supply has failed, make sure it is connected properly and set to the correct voltage. A PC that you have recently moved or move frequently may have this problem. If the voltage selection is changed and you try to use your power supply, you could blow a fuse. If the voltage selection has been altered, unplug the power supply and adjust the voltage selection.

The first sign of a failing power supply can be its failure to turn on. This obvious sign may be interment at first, but eventually it may become permanent. If you hit the power switch and it does not come on, then you might have an issue. Of course, there can be other reasons why the power supply does not power up.

There are many other reasons for a power supply to lay dormant. Many of which can be easily corrected. So don’t immediately run out and get a new power supply until you are sure that the old one is not any good. You don’t have to be a technician to detect some of the signs that your power supply is on the way out, but you do have to pay attention to your computer.

If you can not hear the fans turning, or if your system is as hot as a summer day in Florida, you have a problem. If the fans are very noisy check to see if anything is obstructing them, like a piece of paper. If all is clear and there is still noise, your power supply may be the culprit. A hot system may mean that the power supply is working its way to frying your system. This is not only dangerous for your computer, it potentially dangerous for you as well.

Spontaneous reboots and lock ups are a warning sign. If your system, on occasion, decides to shut down on its own accord, it may be the power supply. A system that freezes up is a sign as well. These are often defensive mechanisms on the part of your motherboard.

An old AT power supply drastically increases your chance of a power failure. How do you know if you have an AT power supply? Look for a heavy cord that feeds into a big switch on the front of the case and has four connections. This kind of power supply has a potentially fatal live line voltage at the switch.



There are a few ways to test your system to find out if your power supply is the source of your problem. None of which require you to do anything terribly technical. Unhook all of your peripherals and try your system. If it works properly, then it might be one of your accessories that may be causing the problem.