Power supply unit PSU Troubleshooting Tips

The PC powers on after the second or third try

The mostly likely problem is that the power_ok (or power_good) signal is sent before the power supply has stabilised. Get a better quality PSU.

In modern PCs, the power switch is a logic device that tells the PSU to supply full power to the motherboard. The power_ok signal tells the motherboard that the power supply is available and stable.

If the signal is sent too soon the motherboard does not recognize it and stays off to protect itself. This can happen in lowerquality PSUs. Booting more than once is not recommended, and you will be better off getting a better PSU.
The PC powers on but nothing happens after that (no beep)
1. This may be due to the addition of new hardware that is overtaxing the power supply. Remove the last hardware component installed and check again.
2. A defective hard disk or one that is not plugged in correctly: Check the power cable to the hard disk. Sometimes it may not be fully plugged in. Check the hard disk on another system.

The PC powers on, beeps and stops. No Power On Self Test (POST) messages.
This may be a motherboard problem and not related to the PSU.

The PC powers on and runs POST but there is no display
This may be a display card problem and not related to the PSU. Check the display section of this guide.

There is a squealing/whistling/whining noise when the PC starts
This could indicate either a problem with the fan, which has accumulated dirt over time, or one of the internal components of the PSU. Switch on the PC and listen carefully to confirm that it’s the PSU fan and not the CPU fan or the hard disk.

Usually, the noise will stop once the fan picks up speed, and you can ignore it temporarily. It’s a good idea, however, to clean out the dirt around the PSU fan using a PC vacuum.

This will increase the working life of the PSU fan as well as the PSU itself. If the fan stops working, the PSU will generate heat and cause more trouble.

So a little prevention will save you a lot of headaches later. If the sound is not from the fan but from within the PSU itself, then you may be able to service it.

A PSU has no ‘user-serviceable’ parts, and it’s best left to a competent technician, although in most cases of component failure, you will have to replace the PSU.

The PC freezes or reboots suddenly
1. This could indicate a failing PSU that is not supplying power correctly to the motherboard. You may be able to get the PSU serviced but in most cases you will be better off getting a new power supply.
2. This could be due to overheating of the PSU or CPU: If the PSU is overheating, the metal cabinet may be hot to touch or you might get a shock. Shut off immediately. Check if the PSU fan is working, clean or replace the fan if not working or spinning very slowly. If it’s a faulty PSU you may be able to service it. If the PSU seems normal it might be due to an overheating CPU.

Help !! The PC power doesn’t come on !!!! - Troubleshooting Power Supply Units

Troubleshooting Power Supply Units -PSU's

1. No power from the wall socket: Use a live power outlet. In rare cases, the power cable may be defective and may require replacement. Check the power cable on another working PC. Plug in a lamp or any other electric device to see if you have a live outlet.

2. Incorrect voltage setting on the PSU: Select the proper voltage setting (220-240V) on the back of the PSU. WARNING: If you have switched on the PC with the voltage set to 110-120V and with a mains supply of 240V you may have blown your PSU beyond repair at worst or blown a fuse at best. Be careful!

3. The front panel power switch’s connector to the motherboard is not fixed correctly or has come off or is defective: Check the motherboard manual and fix the lead (wires) from the front panel switch to the motherboard correctly. If there is still no power, try a different lead.

4. The front panel power switch is defective: Replace the switch. In case you do not want to get a replacement, one option is to use the reset button. The only problem with this is that to cut the power to the system in case of system hangs etc., you will have to switch off the power from the mains wall outlet rather than from the front panel.

5. The power supply connections to the motherboard are not correct: Check the power connections from the PSU to the motherboard. Refer to the motherboard manual and identify the correct connection points.

6. Not identified; non-PSU related problem: After attempting all the above, if the system still doesn’t power up, it is time to look elsewhere.

Disconnect all the drives and see if it is powering up. (Note: Pull out the power cord when removing or disconnecting something.)

If the system is powering up, then start reconnecting the drives one by one to identify which is defective drive. If the system is not powering with all drives disconnected, remove the other adaptors one at a time and checking to see if it is powering up.

Leave the video adaptor for the last. If you are able to isolate the problem to one of the adaptor cards, verify that the slot and the adaptor cards are compatible. Then try plugging it into a different slot and see if the system powers up before discarding it and going for a new one.

If the system is still not powering up, then you either have a defective PSU or a defective motherboard. If there is a burnt smell, then most probably either one of them has been fried. Look for burn marks on the motherboard. Sometimes the PSU and motherboard may be incompatible. If the motherboard looks fine, replace the PSU, since it’s cheaper!

HOW TO PREVENT PAPER JAMS IN PRINTER

PC Loader is perhaps the most annoying error message. It has been the cause of much stress in most work places.
If you have found yourself promising to throw the printer off the next time there is a paper jam or printer malfunction, then you are not alone. But before the printer bears the brunt of your ire, here are some precautions you can take.


Loosen the sheets

Often sheets tends to stuck to each other,so while loading paper ensure you fold the stack with the objective of loosening the sheets. The quickest way to do this is to roll the stack diagonally twice in opposite directions.

Store in a cool, dry place

While printer sheets are in storage, make sure the packet is protected from humidity. We recommend storage paper in a ziplock bag with a small pack of silica gel.

Do not overload sheets

If your printer has a paper tray, don't fill the tray to capacity. If you are encountering frequent paper jams, reduce the amount of paper you place in the tray each time it is filled.

Slider & tray alignment is important

Make sure the tray feeding the paper into the printer is aligned properly and/or the slider used to hold the paper in place in the tray is snug with the paper. Many printers have sliders that allow different types & size of paper to be fed the printer. If the slider is not properly positioned it can cause paper jams.

Which paper?

Use standard office paper- folded paper, paper with labels, and specialty paper such as hard bound paper can often cause paper jams. Your printer documentation will list the paper types of paper compatible with your printer.

Don't mix & match

Do not mix the types of paper you are feeding into the printer at one time. If you need to change the type or size of the paper, remove any other paper currently in the printer before inserting the new paper.

Look under the hood

Examine the printer for any previous stuck paper in the printer. Previous paper jams, torn paper, printing labels or other foreign objects in the printer can cause reoccurring printer jams.

Keep the printer clean

Dust, ink or toner buildup inside the printer can lead to jams, and even lesser the print quality. Most printers have a built-in cleaning system. The printer may run several pages through the printer during the cleaning process. Your printer's user guide may also advise you to dust the outer parts of the printer, including the paper trays.
But remember to use only recommended cleaning agents.

Get to your printer

As you use your printer, you may notice that it often jams when printing on certain types paper, or may be loading in a certain way works better. These quirks can be annoying, but you can often save time by keeping these in mind.

Mouse jumps to end of the screen on clicking

Problem:I use an optical mouse but all of a sudden one fine day it started acting wierd .Just before I click on a logo or a link that mouse pointer jumps to the left bottom corner of the screen.I have tried keeping the mouse as still as I can but this does not work.It keeps jumping out of the reach of the screen.Please help me!

Solution: The Phenomenon of disobedient mouse pointers jumping to one corner of the screen is called 'leaping mouse'.This problem can occur because of a number of problems .The causes can either be software issues , loose connectivity or even unclean insides of your mouse.Frequent cleaning can always help.Many people have the misconception that optical mouse do not need all the attention that roller mice need but then there is a chance that even a strand of hair can enter your optical mouse and render it useless.You should check the optical sensor below the mouse and do away with any kind of dust or debris of food on the base .Change the mouse pad if it has a reflecting surface and replace it with a rougher surface like paper.

Also it may be possible that your mouse driver has corrupted.The mouse driver software may have clashed with another software applicationor hardware device causing the device to malfunction.You can uninstall and then reinstall the driver or rollback it to check if it works.The steps are as follows:

Step 1: Go to 'Start|Settings|control Panel'
Step 2: Double Click on the 'Mouse'
Step3: Click on the 'Hardware' tab.
Step4: Select the name of your mouse from the available lisrt and select 'Properties'
Step5: In the dialog box that opens up click on 'Driver' tab.
Step6: Click on the 'Roll Back Driver'.The driver will be rolled back to its original setting.

These solutions should solve your mouse related problems.