Computers come with power supplies, or power supplies come with computers. Regardless of which way you slice it, computers need to be powered, and the power supply is an important part of the computer. Here are five signs that may indicate a failing power supply:
1) You Keep Getting the Blue Screen of Death
A blue screen of death, or BSoD, is the most common appearance of a power supply failure. The blue screen appears when the computer shuts down, often permanently crashing the computer. This screen is mostly blue with a solid black box in the middle, and doesn’t show a lot of information.
Then you get the dreaded message: “A problem has been detected and windows has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer.” Then, you have to restart the computer and start over.
It’s entirely possible that it’s your power supply, and not your computer itself, that’s gone haywire, and that the blue screen of death is caused by a power supply problem.
2) Sudden and Random Shut Downs
This is another sign that the power supply may be on its way out. The computer suddenly shuts down and you aren’t able to start it up again.
Power supply failures usually occur slowly and with subtle symptoms. You’ll notice that your computer has been shutting down for no reason or is running slower and crashing more often than normal. You may also be able to feel when your power supply is having problems, as it’s likely running hot as it tries to power your computer.
3) Consistent Screen Freezing
If your computer is getting freezing and freezing up, then it’s likely a power supply issue. You’ll notice that the screen is frozen on a particular image or that the screen is simply black and not responding to any commands.
This is a sign that the power supply is struggling to provide enough power to your computer, and that there is not enough voltage coming out of the power supply to run everything.
4) It Won’t Start at All
Have you ever noticed that your computer just won’t start anymore? It boots up and either gets to the log-on screen and freezes, or it boots up and just the fans are running, but the screen is black. You try to start it up again, but it won’t work. Your computer is dead in the water.
This is a sign that you’re most likely dealing with a failing power supply because there are other components that can fail that would make your computer freeze before it completely won’t start.
5) Emanating Smoke
If your computer is making a lot of noise, then turning off the computer is a smart idea. But if the noise is coming from not the fans working but actually the computer itself, then this is an indication that there is something wrong with the power supply.
Something inside of the power supply may have burnt out or melted and is now emitting smoke, which means you probably can’t use the power supply anymore and should replace it.
Conclusion
All in all, it’s best to deal with a dying power supply as soon as possible. If you do have a failing power supply, take your computer to a computer repair shop instead of opening it yourself.
If you believe you are experiencing power failure, contact ScreenWorks. We offer Clovis computer repair to help you address the root of the issue. Get in touch with us at (559) 259-1891.