atx pc power supply

PC Power Supply

What Power Supply Do I Need?

Executive summary about PC Power Supply by Steve Valentino

atx pc power supply

In our world today, the quality of a personal computer is often measured only by its processor speed, memory capacity, and hard drive space and for gamers, the quality of the video card. Seldom, however, do we think of a computer by its power supply. Seldom, however, do we think of a computer by its power supply. The only solution is a power supply replacement.

The hard part is selecting the power supply that your computer needs. There are two basic things to consider whenever you are buying a new power supply for your computer — power requirements and the power supply’s form factor.

Power Requirement

Modern power supplies have power outputs that range from 200 watts to 500 watts or more. Before purchasing a new power supply, you must first know the amount of power that each of your computer’s components need.

Form Factor

The standard form factor used on most PC power supplies today is the ATX-form factor. Not all power supplies, however, use this standard.

Learn How to Diagnose Power Supply Problems

Executive summary about PC Power Supply by Otis F Cooper

Things to look for when your power supply is going bad or just dies on you are the following.

No Power to the Computer

Here you must first check the wall outlet for power by connecting another device such as a radio or lamp to be sure power is present.

If the wall out has power, check the power cable going to the PC to see if AC voltage is making its way to the system unit. Do this with the use of a multimeter.

If there is power, you will have to open the PC and check for power from the power supply to the motherboard.

Re-Booting Problems

One main problem you may face with an ailing Power Supply is that it may re-boot the computer without any warning. Booting errors when the computer first start’s up is another indicator of this component going on the blink.

Power Distribution Problems

When the power supply begins to fail, you may receive power at one device and not another. For example, the Hard Drive may receive power but the CDROM Drive has nothing at all.

Follow the steps below to check your power supply should you experience some of the above problems.

Checking the Power Supply

If the wall outlet and the power cord are good, make sure the connection at the motherboard is secure. Then you may have to face the fact that the power supply itself is bad. If you have a MultiMate you can test the power supply output before purchasing a new one.

DO NOT remove the power supply from the system unit case when performing these tests. DO NOT perform these tests if you do not feel comfortable. Be sure to remove any and all electrical static build-up from your clothes and body BEFORE touching any parts inside the system unit. And NEVER open the power supply case for any reason, since high voltage may be present.