Computer Power Supply Failure Symptoms

Power supplies are essential hardware components that draw energy from an electrical outlet and convert it into electricity at the proper voltages to power a computer's motherboard and other devices. Power supplies can become overstressed if the computer demands more power than the supply is able to put out, which can result in power supply failure. A failing power supply should be replaced immediately to prevent system damage. Fortunately, there are a number of telltale signs that can help identify power supply failure.

Crashes

1. The first tip-off that your power supply is failing is likely to be unexplained computer crashes or restarts. When the motherboard, processor and RAM receive too little power, they experience errors that lead to crashing. The main problem with diagnosing power supply failure as an issue after crashes is that many other computer errors can lead to crashes. Viruses, processor overheating, RAM issues and software driver problems can all result in crashes.

   Heat

   Another important symptom of computer power supply failure is excessive heat coming from the power supply. Power supplies are usually warm to the touch when operating normally but won't be so hot that they're uncomfortable or burn the skin. If your computer crashes, touch the power supply or the part of the case where the power supply is located during operating to see how hot it feels. If it's very hot, there's a good chance the crash was caused by a power supply failure. Another issue with heat is that as the power supply fails, internal fans run slower. This raises the CPU and RAM temperature, which can also lead to crashing.

   Noise and Smell

   Noise and smell can indicate power supply failure. When a power supply is severely overstressed, it may become so hot that components inside it burn. If you smell smoke or burning coming from your computer, there's a good chance the power supply is burning out. Noise can also be a key indicator, as power supplies contain cooling fans that often become more noisy or groan when the device is failing. Cooling fans within the computer case may also be more noisy when the power supply is failing.

   Startup Failure

   If a power supply has suffered total failure, the computer will not be able to start up. In addition, any peripheral devices will not receive power, so no hard drives or fans will spin up. Because motherboard issues can also cause startup failure, it's useful to open a computer and check whether any lights on the motherboard turn on when you attempt to start up. If the motherboard isn't receiving power, chances are the power supply has died.

   Considerations

   Power supplies should be replaced before they reach failure to protect the system's other components from possible damage due to crashes, lack of power and overheating. Most manufactured computers come with a power supply adequate to run the system's basic devices. But when upgrades are added such as new video cards, RAM or extra hard drives, the energy demands may exceed the output of a base line power supply. Whenever you make a substantial hardware upgrade, consider whether a power supply upgrade would be wise in order to provide extra power for the new device.
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