Is my PSU dying a slow death? Is my hardware in da

[MrBurns]

First i have to say, thast i am from Austria (Europe) and so my English maybe isnt perfect.


Since a few months I have the following problem:

It often happens, that i cannot turn on my PC anymore, but wqhen i switch the PSU-switch off and on a few times (I leave it urned off for at least 10 seconds), it works again in most cases, but sometimes I even have to turn the surge protector off an on.

First i didnt worry much about this, but once there was a strange smell when this happened. But the PC still booted normal.

Also the PSU only makes problems when i turn it on: I dont really have any random crashes and the voltages are also quite constant (I monitor them w/ CPUCool).

I also tried to connect the power cable w/o using the surge protector, but it didnt hel. also changing the power cable didnt help.


Now my questions:

Could it be, that the PSU is dying slowly? If yes, could my hardware be in danger?

Should I RMA the PSU, if there is still a warranty? if there is no warranty anymore, should I get a new one?


My PSU is the Chieftech HPC-360-202 (360W).

<A HREF="http://www.chieftec.com/products/psu/PSII PSU.htm" target="_new">For Infos about my PSU see here</A>


Thanks in advance.


Btw, if someone doesnt know what I mean w/ a surge protector:

<A HREF="http://members.chello.at/edith.matuskovics/Steckerleiste.jpg" target="_new">http://members.chello.at/edith.matuskovics/Steckerleiste.jpg</A>

<A HREF="http://www.nethands.de/pys/show.php4?user=MrBurns" target="_new">My System</A>

 

[Crashman]

Your english is fine. We call them surge suppressors here, but some people also call them surge protectors as well.

A burning smell WOULD most likely be your power supply. It could be dying slowly. Or if it's fairly new, it might just be burning an oily film off some of the components. I'm not sure what's causing your boot problems, but it could be the power supply.

Ich spreche etwas deutsch, aber nicht gut.

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[MrBurns]

"Or if it's fairly new, it might just be burning an oily film off some of the components."

I bought it in april 03, so you cannot really call it "fairly new".

<A HREF="http://www.nethands.de/pys/show.php4?user=MrBurns" target="_new">My System</A>

 

[Crashman]

I'd probably replace it then.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Clob]

If it not in the power supply, could it be a break in a power cable? Try different cables. I had this problems before and the cable was the problem. Also check and make sure your surge protector is not "broken".

"If youre paddling upstream in a canoe and a
wheel falls off, how many pancakes fit in a doghouse? None! Icecream doesn't have bones!!!"