is my PSU dead?

[Suxipo]

I think my PSU is dead but I want to ask you guys here before I rush out for a new replacement. Recently my computer has acted so strangely.

- First, if I turn off my computer, leave it for few hours to go out, it would refuse to turn on again unless I have to switch OFF and ON again using the PSU's switch. This problem has had happening for more than a month or so.

- Today I came back home to find it completely refuse to turn on. I switched the PSU OFF thinking it had the same problem as before. However, when I switched ON again, all the fans and lights just flashed for less than a second and everything turned OFF. I used the computer's power button to start but nothing happened.

- Someone on the Internet suggests to test PSU by removing it from computer, wire the Green wire with 1 of the Black wires (ground) and plug in the power cable. I did like that but the PSU didnt do anything. I already re-wired the 2 wires many times to make sure they were well in contact.

So do you think my PSU is dead? It's a less than 2 year old Antec NEOPOWER 480W. How good is Antec's support when you have problem with their PSUs?

Thanks

Suxipo

[Dr Mordrid]

Sounds similar to my last PSU folly. I have an Antec PSU tester (IMO indispensable) and it showed faulty, so back it went.

My local dealer sells Antec and is pretty good if they're still under warranty, and his sales computer keeps track. If there's a problem it's a straight swap or the price difference for a bigger unit.

[Suxipo]

Thanks Mordrid for your input.

I went to a local store today and they were having only Antec and Cooler Master. Since I already had bad experience with 2 Antec PSUs, I decided to pickup the Cooler Master eXtreme Power 500W.

Installed all the cables and switched on the PSU (not the case power on button), all the fans started spinning but very slowly and intermittently. It seemed like the PSU could not provide enough juice to power on my computer. I disconnected most cables, except the 2 cables to 2 case fans and the power cable to the motherboard. Nothing changed, same problem persisted.

When I was having no clue as what to do next, all fans started speeding up and I could get into the BIOS but that was it. It only allowed me to spend around 30 seconds there and it shut off computer completely.

Now the problem is back to the slow and intermittent speed of the fans.

Thinking I may have got another defective PSU, I tested it alone by same trick I did with the old one: wired the green wire with 1 of the ground wires (black) and the PSU worked like no problem at all. So I knew PSU was not completely dead.

I reconnected all the cables to few devices such as HDDs, case fans, as well as the motherboard. Same problem was there. I then run a cable directly from the green wire to the case (while the PSU's main power cable was still plugged in the motherboard). I switched the PSU ON and my computer could start. However, sometimes it freezes at the BIOS posting, sometimes it allowed to proceed to Windows without problem at all. Now it keeps freezing at the BIOS posting.

From all the things that have happned, I strongly think my mainboard is also defective. I have sent support requests to both Antec (for older PSU) and Asus (for the mainboard issue) and waiting for their reponses.

How do you guys think? Sorry for the lengthy description of my problem but I think detailed description of the problem will help you guys understand my problem more easily.

If anyone has any idea what may be a real problem and how to cure it, please share. It is really appreciated.

Thanks.

[Tjalfe]

you sound like you have my computer.. mine is doing the exact same thing.. so far powering it off on the power switch has revived it every time, hence I have not bothered to actually troubleshoot it yet
I too have an antec powersupply with an Asus P5B Deluxe motherboard

[rugger]

Suxipo, sounds like another dead PSU. You system is unlikely to require anything near 500W, especially when only starting up.

Secondly, if that happened to me, i'd be panicing. PSUs are not meant to perfom ungracefully like that. They should either run properly, or shut themselves off to protect your hardware

[Mehen]

Remember that 500W of one brand is not necessarily as good as 500W from another.

I had a cheap 420W PSU that came with an old case that couldn't handle nearly as much as my current 400W Vantec.

[rugger]

Remember that 500W of one brand is not necessarily as good as 500W from another.

I had a cheap 420W PSU that came with an old case that couldn't handle nearly as much as my current 400W Vantec.

If you think your going to use a significant proportion of the power a PSU provides, be sure to buy one that has been reviewed and pushed to the full output ratings by the reviewer.

Thats really the only way to tell who is lying and who is telling the truth about their PSUs.

[az]

Yes, but both Antec and Cooler Master aren't exactly off-brands. They're no Seasonic, but good enough and shouldn't exaggerate their ratings too much.

To me it sounds like a mainboard problem. Are there any swollen caps on the board?

Unfortunately, to troubleshoot this, you'll need a lot of time and components:

Take everything that isn't absolutely needed out of the PC (plug drives out, pull soundcard, pull all RAM but one). Does it work? If no, try another RAM bar. If still not, try anther RAM slot. Switch CPU with a known good one, if you have access. First of all, though, I'd try your PSU on a known good mainboard. Just plug it into another system (if you don't have another, try a friend's) without doing any other changes to that sys. I'm willing to bet that at least your second PSU is good.