Dead/Dying Desktop - does this sound like the power supply?

[PollyM]

I turned my desktop on today and it started to come on (fans started) and then went off. It repeated this several times, without me pressing the button again. Once it started booting but went off again. Does that sound like a power supply failure?

Background: it's a custom-build, made in 2008. I've replaced fans, put in a SSD, upgraded to Windows 7, replaced the CD drive a few years ago. I'm trying to decide if I should buy a new power supply or just plan on getting a new system, after all it is 10 years old!

 

[jay32267]

If I had to pick one component, that's what I would pick.

You could check the voltages on it with a meter. You can google how to do that.

Sometimes it's just easier to swap one in.

 

[PollyM]

If I had to pick one component, that's what I would pick.
You could check the voltages on it with a meter. You can google how to do that.
Sometimes it's just easier to swap one in.

Thank you! I think that's what I'll do, just get a new power supply and put it in, I'm sure to learn something along the way. And if it doesn't work, I won't have lost much but if it does, I might just rebuild the system! It's got a great case.

 

[jay32267]

Good.

Here's one thing to remember not to do with power supplies that I see people do pretty often.

If the PSU is modular....only use the cables that came with the PSU (or the exact same cables as what came with the PSU). Modular PSU cables may LOOK the same but aren't, and you can fry things.

 

[PollyM]

Good.
Here's one thing to remember not to do with power supplies that I see people do pretty often.
If the PSU is modular....only use the cables that came with the PSU (or the exact same cables as what came with the PSU). Modular PSU cables may LOOK the same but aren't, and you can fry things.

The power supply is not modular, it's a Coolmax CR550B 550w. I can see the wires go into the power supply box, no connectors. (I haven't taken anything apart, I've just got the side off the tower.)

I tried to turn it on again, after hitting the button several times it DID start up. But during boot-up, I saw "Keyboard not detected!" and when it got to the Windows login, the keyboard was not working. The keyboard is a Corsair, using two USB ports on the back of the tower (USB ports from the motherboard?). The mouse (wireless, using a USB receiver plugged into a USB port on the front) was also not working. Is all this consistent with a bad PSU or has the motherboard taken a hit?

Should I get a new motherboard at the same time as the new power supply? (and a new processor, of course)

The day before it failed, it installed Windows updates when it was shutting down. I thought that was strange, since I didn't have it set to automatically install updates. When it started today, it did the Windows configuration thing.

Thank you!