Sometimes a dead computer can be fixed for as little as $50. Every computer in the world has a power supply. The power supply provides power to the motherboard and all other internal components such as processors, memory, fans, and hard drives. Typically power supplies come with a 3 year manufacturer warranty but usually last between 4-6 years. In Arizona we have seen that life expectancy be even lower. It seems like 3-5 years is more common. Maybe due to more dust? Who knows? Many factors need to be considered but this is a rough guess. It really all boils down to run time hours. Manufacturers give an estimated hour life expectancy on their power supplies some at 500,000+ hours some are in the millions. Point being…the more you have your computer powered on the faster it will die.
There are several symptoms to know if your power supply has failed or is starting to fail.
- Computer does not power on after you push the power button.
- Computer flashes a steady amber or green light after the power button is pushed.
- Computer powers on for 10-15 seconds then powers off.
- Computer randomly shuts down, reboots, or freezes.
- Power supply indicator light (on back) is not green while plugged into a known working power outlet.
We have been repairing so many computers that have dead power supplies. If you have the guts to pop open the case of your computer you can find the power supply typically at the top back position of the case. The big cable you plug into your wall outlet plugs directly into the power supply. It’s generally the biggest component inside of the case and is a big black or silver box. On the outside of the case you will see four phillips head screws on the outer edges. Pop out those 4 screws, unplug power supply cables from inside of the case and it should pop right out. Put in the new power supply, replace cables and screws and you are back in business.
Power supplies run anywhere from $50 to $150+. We need to be onsite to make this repair and are able to serve the entire United States. If you want to give it a shot yourself we will walk you through it over the phone or provide some helpful online step-by-step videos if you have another computer to view them from. We have seen several power supply replacement jobs in Goodyear, Avondale, Peoria, and Glendale Arizona. Most recently we visited Real Living Property For You. The receptionist PC was not powering on and we new right away what the problem was. We had a brand new 450W power supply in hand and installed it. The install took about 5 minutes and the computer was powered back on and running in no time.
What other symptoms have you seen with a bad power supply?