The power supply of a computer, commonly known as PSU, is one of the integral parts of a system. Without it, you cannot give any power to the other components. It is the heart of a computer, as the system won’t turn on without it. However, there can be times when the computer isn’t turning on even when the power supply is placed in it.
If your computer is continuously restarting or not turning on at all, your power supply is dead. Furthermore, a burning smell also indicates that the power supply is dead.
Sometimes your power supply will suddenly stop working, no matter how good it is. However, there are times when people think that there is something wrong with their power supply, but the issue isn’t linked to it. In such cases, they replace the power supply, only to find that some other component was causing the issue.
Read on to learn more about determining whether the power supply is dead.
How To Tell if the Power Supply Is Dead or Not
To save you from this trouble, we are going to list some ways through which you can find out if your power supply is dead or not.
Check for a Burning Smell
First, you need to open your PC’s case and check if it has a burning smell. If you smell something burning, try going closer to where the power supply is. This will help you find out whether it’s your power supply giving away the smell or not. If it is, your unit is burnt, and you need to replace it.
Use a Spare Power Supply
If you can not smell anything burning inside your PC, you need to try using a different power supply. This method will let you know whether there is an issue with your unit or not. You can try asking for a power supply from a friend.
After you have gotten your hands on a spare power supply, replace it with the one installed in your system. Then, connect all the cables properly and try turning on the computer again. If everything is working perfectly, the issue is with your unit. In other words, your power supply is dead.
Try Changing the Cables
Sometimes, the issue isn’t with the power supply itself but with the cables. In this situation, you need to get a new power cable from the store. Don’t worry, power cables are cheap, and you can find them in almost any computer store. After getting the new cable, try connecting your power supply using it. If the computer is still not turning on or is restarting again and again, the issue is with your unit.
If replacing the power cable didn’t fix anything, try replacing the power supply cables. However, this is only possible if you have a fully modular PSU, as semi-modular versions come with most cables attached, and you can not remove them.
Check if the Fan Is Spinning or Not
If your computer is turning on but is crashing at random points, you need to check if the power supply’s cooling fan is spinning. If it’s not, you need to get it repaired. This is because while the power supply isn’t completely dead, a frozen fan will cause it to cause different issues, including frequent crashes.
Take It to a Repair Shop
If you have tried everything but cannot find out whether your power supply is dead or not, your best option is to take it to a repair shop. The experts there will be able to tell if something is wrong with your unit or not. They will also give you better suggestions about whether you should get your power supply repaired or purchase a brand new one.
A crucial thing to remember is that if you use a repaired power supply in your computer, it could damage other components because you will never know whether it has been adequately repaired or not. Because of this, you must invest in a new power supply to stay on the safe side if you can afford it. Otherwise, you’ll put your computer at significant risk.
Final Words
This was everything you needed to know about how to tell if the power supply is dead. As you can see, multiple methods can help you find out whether there is a problem with it or not. If there is something wrong with the PSU, you can either take it to a shop to get it repaired or purchase a brand new one if it is beyond repair.
