Is my PSU failing?

Discussion in 'Hardware' started by al92lt1, Sep 18, 2005.

  1. al92lt1

    al92lt1 Private E-2

    I leave the computer on all day and shut it off at night. The past 2 days, in the morning when I press the power button, the fans start but I don't hear the usual beep and the monitor screen remains black. If I turn off the switch on the power supply in the back of the case and turn it on again, the computer will boot to the BIOS, where all settings are at the default. I then exit the BIOS and the computer boots normally. I can then shut it off and/or reboot as much as I want all day with no problem. The problem occurs when the computer is turned off over night. My question is, do you think the power supply is failing?
     
  2. thesmokingun

    thesmokingun MajorGeek

    could be the cmos battery, how old is it?
     
  3. al92lt1

    al92lt1 Private E-2

    The battery is about 14 months old. The clock and system configuration remain correct.
     
  4. Mada_Milty

    Mada_Milty MajorGeek

    This sounds more like a video card issue to me.

    However, you can test your PSU with a multimeter (they can be bought cheap, I got my own from Canadian Tire heh). Place the multimeter in a voltmeter setting with a range of around 20V. Assuming your PSU is ATX (most are, you can usually check the label on it to be sure) with the black multimeter lead connected to a black PSU lead, and the red multimeter lead to a red PSU lead, you should get a reading of approx 5V. With the black lead in the same place, and the red multimeter lead to a yellow PSU lead, you should get a reading of approx 12V.

    BE SURE THAT YOU MULTIMETER IS IN THE VOLTMETER SETTING AND NOT THE AMMETER SETTING. YOU CAN SHORT THE PSU IF YOU ATTEMPT THIS CHECK WHILE IN AN AMMETER SETTING. ALTHOUGH THIS CAN TYPICALLY BE CORRECTED WITH A FUSE OR SWITCH FLIP(ie 110V - 220V & back), I STRONGLY CAUTION AGAINST IT.
     
  5. al92lt1

    al92lt1 Private E-2

    The video card is only about 3 months old and is the ATI All in Wonder X800 Pro, and at $500.00 it's not cheap. I'll check the power supply as you suggested. Thanks
     
  6. Mada_Milty

    Mada_Milty MajorGeek

    The cost of your video card doesn't mean it can't be defective, or installed correctly.
    "The usual beep" when you power on your system is to indicate that video is functional.
     

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