Power supply or mother board possibly dead

[SubzeroDiabolos]

So yesterday I was on my desktop just chilling playin portal since it's now free on steam, and after I while I just heard a 'POOF' and lights flashed in the house. Computer shut down so I tried to reboot it but now it doesn't respond so I opponed the case and it smelled like burnt a little, but I don't know what is everything looks fine. Heatsink and PCU looks undamaged at all, so i'm thinking it's probably mobo or PSU. Is there a way to test PSU without having a on off switch?

[sruon]

if you heard a poof it's most likely the PSU.

Quick test

http://data.adnpc.net/articles/images/0054/1_1.jpg

With a random wire, don't get shocked. It's basically the same thing as clicking your power button on your case.

If it doesn't boot you can open your PSU to check fuses and shits but at this point it's probably dead.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

if you heard a poof it's most likely the PSU.

Do I have to attach anything to it to see if it works? Or is it like if the fan on PSU works then everything works?

EDIT: lol @ tags dead mother, possibly power supply

[sruon]

oh yeah... add a fan. (sorry)

Either way the PSU fan should start but it's gonna kill the PSU if you don't add some resistance like a fan. (if it's not dead it will be )

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Going to test that, thanks.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Well, PSU r teh dead. Can mobo be hurt too or is the damage limited to power supply? I can't even afford a PSU right now lol i'm going to be SAD for 7 days.

EDIT: Since we're on topic, I'm gonna get this card. Should I buy another 500 watt and be ok or should I go with a lil' more? The only extra I have is 4 fans with no LED in em.

[Olo401]

It's possible for the board to have suffered some damage when the PSU blew out.. Unless there's visible damage to your motherboard (blown capacitors, scorched board surfaces) you won't know until you get a new PSU in there to test it.

[Akucaen]

There's a very high chance it took some components with it. You might've lucked out and can just replace the PSU without issue, but more than likely you'll need to start testing parts.

[sruon]

EDIT: Since we're on topic, I'm gonna get this card. Should I buy another 500 watt and be ok or should I go with a lil' more? The only extra I have is 4 fans with no LED in em.

A good brand 500W should do it easily, aim for 700+ to not have to upgrade again should you change anything else.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

Well, I went to computer store and my PSU was under warranty, so they gave me a new one for free. Installed it and magic, everything booted up... for 30 min. I loaded MW2, played for 5, then the computer rebooted by itself. Let it restart, open firefox and that's when I heard something like 'CRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRPOW'. Computer was dead again.

A trip to computer store later, they gave me yet another PSU, but I was reluctant to install it. What caused the 2nd burnt PSU? I decided to clean my computer, but when I took off my graphic card, something on it decided to fall off. Could that be the cause of the the 1st burn to begin with?

EDIT: picturehttp://i210.photobucket.com/albums/b...2/100_0078.jpg

[Furtwangler]

That thing you're holding? thats a capacitor, and you're motherboard is basically fucked. time for a new one! (sorry for the bad news )
If you can get another board to match your processor you should be fine.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

That thing you're holding? thats a capacitor, and you're motherboard is basically fucked. time for a new one! (sorry for the bad news )
If you can get another board to match your processor you should be fine.

That capacitator comes from the graphic card but the mobo is fucked anyway?

[sruon]

That could explain it >.>, not many choices anyway... get a new graphic card and try with the 3rd PSU lul

You could resolder the capacitor but that's suicidal.

[SephYuyX]

Highly unlikely your PSU caused that capacitor to fall off. I cant really tell, but I dont see any burn marks on the feet of it, so it probably snapped off. If a capacitor fails it'll swell/buldge/smoke, but doesnt pop off, unless it's some freakishly high voltage (it does also go kapow), but even then it'll still be swollen and black. It doesnt look like that vid card is powered directly from the PSU anyway, so only a small amount is being fed to it indirectly.

Obviously your vid card is dead either way now, so try running your PC with the onboard video card. If the PC still works, maybe it was the vid card that went boom, if the PC doesnt work, or your hear more poofs, smoke, etc, it was probably something on the motherboard that blew.

Either way, if your video card really was the source of the kapow, that means your MB is fried too. So I think youre out of a PSU, MB, GPU, and probably RAM, CPU, and other goodies that are connected to the MB.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

That card was powered by a 6-pin connector from PSU.

Since that computer was custom built from last summer, I don't feel like building a new one.

Can I just try a new video card, and if it works then i'm good to go? Or will the possibly corrupted mobo make that card fail and break?

I'm really not wanting to have to buy everything again.

On another note, wtf is GPU?

[SephYuyX]

GPU = vid card (sort of, it's the main chip thats on the vid card, but can also be on MB), and since it's powered by the PSU directly then theres still a chance everything else in your PC is fine. Try your on board display, and if your PC is working fine, then it's just a new GPU you need.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

GPU = vid card (sort of, it's the main chip thats on the vid card, but can also be on MB), and since it's powered by the PSU directly then theres still a chance everything else in your PC is fine. Try your on board display, and if your PC is working fine, then it's just a new GPU you need.

This is the 2nd PSU they give me for free, I doubt they'll go for a 3rd one if it doesnt work.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

(sry necrobump)

Well, got a VERY basic (can't run diablo 2) card with the 3rd PSU and now it's working fine (except that the card is crap). Yay.

But I needed to know 1 more thing, from the card I mentioned earlier. I just noticed now that there are 2 slots for 6 pins... Does that mean I need to get the wires for a second one and plug both? (I know silly questions, but idk) Also, since the minimum requirement for that card is 500watt, does that mean my cheap (46,99$ CAN) korean PSU of 500 watt (I assume continuous power) would only be able to power up the card and nothing else? My CPU states 125 watt, idk if that's related and stuff... So i'm thinking do I really need minimum 625+ for the HDDs, CD player, the card and 4 fans?

[SamanosukeShiva]

yeah you have to plug both 6pin. with only 1, the card will work but it's would be much much slower compared to if you plug both 6pin. looks like you're gonna need a new PSU if you want it to work.

[SubzeroDiabolos]

What kind of power should I be aiming for? I don't want to go under, but not too high above either cause I been told that's not the best thing to do either.