Which of the following is the best way to determine whether the power supply is causing the reboots?

When a PC suddenly goes on the fritz for no apparent reason, checking the PC power supply first may save a lot of time troubleshooting the system. A faulty PC power supply belies many intermittent computer problems. This is why experienced PC technicians often look first at the PSU when diagnosing PC hardware issues.

  • System failures during the boot-up process.
  • The PC doesn’t power on at all
  • Spontaneous restarts or lockouts when trying to use the machine
  • Case fans and hard drives that do not spin
  • An overheating system due to heatsink and fan failure
  • Errors related to system memory
  • Recurring Blue Screen of Death (BSOD)

If the PC does not turn on at all

As with any troubleshooting situation, disconnect all but the necessary peripherals from the PC. Usually this means you’re left only with the mouse, keyboard and monitor connected.

Many power supplies have an external switch located at the rear of the unit. Check that it has not been accidentally been switched off. Plug the PSU power cable into a wall socket or surge protector, and turn on the computer. Most power supply models have a light on back of the unit that glows when it’s powered on. If it doesn’t light, try a different power cable and a different socket to eliminate those items as the source of the problem.

Normally you can observe a few things that indicate proper operation of the PSU.

  • Listen for case fans, and mechanical hard drives. You should hear these devices spinning.
  • Check the connection for each PSU cable running to the computer hardware component.
  • Look inside the case for the motherboard light. Usually flashing lights on a motherboard indicate a faulty or misconnected power supply.

As an aside, the color of the motherboard light can tip off other malfunctioning components. Lights and BIOS beep codes vary by manufacturer. Check your motherboard product manual for that information.

Using a paper clip to test a power supply

The paper clip test, alternatively called the jumper test, allows you to verify PSU functionality when it is disconnected from the components inside a PC. This test will identify some common issues:

  • Short circuits inside the power supply
  • Failed components
  • A live power connection

First you want to turn the power switch at the rear of the power supply to the off position. (O should be ‘down’)

Locate the 20+4P (24-pin) connector. Bend the paperclip and insert one end into the green pin (PS_ON) and the other into any of the black pins (Ground).

Flip the switch at the rear of the PSU, and listen for the internal fan. If you can hear the fan, this should verify the power supply is turned on.

The paper clip test is a crude but effective way to confirm if your PSU needs to be replaced. It will not tell you much else. If your power supply passes the paper clip test, you still may need to identify related issues:

  • Voltage fluctuations
  • Overheating
  • Power rail failure

Should you get out the multimeter?

To perform more nuanced testing of your power supply, you will need to use or buy a multimeter. A multimeter is an instrument that measures electrical current, principally voltage (volts), current (amps), and resistance (ohms). If you’re an electronics technician, you probably have one already, and are definitely familiar with this tool.

If you’re working as an internal IT, it probably isn’t worth your time to get overly intensive with power supply testing and repair. The cost of a new PSU is relatively low, and does not justify extensive personnel hours dedicated to a complex diagnosis. It is common practice for departments that manage multiple PCs is to keep spare power supply or two on hand for “swap” testing to identify when a PSU is the root cause of recurring computer problems.

If your computers are under warranty and you suspect the power supply may be to blame, that’s when you would take advantage of manufacturer support and warranty for desktop computers that you purchase. If you’re buying your business computers as finished systems, it’s a better use of company resources for the manufacturer to troubleshoot faulty computer power supplies and other components, while your team gets to work on a freshly replaced PC.

  • School Strayer University
  • Course Title CIS 106 106
  • Pages 2

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Which tool would you use to grab and lift small objects?3-prong holderWhich of the following is the BEST way to determine whether the power supply is causing the reboots?Use a multimeter to test the power supply.You are removing screws within a computer, but several have fallen into places you can't reach. Whichtool would help retrieve the small screws?Extension magnetWhich tool would be the best choice for removing and replacing the motherboard BIOS chip?IC extractorWhich of the following BEST describes the purpose for which loopback plugs are used?Testing ports by returning output signals as input.A printer is behaving erratically, and you suspect a faulty parallel port. Which tool can you use to test theparallel port?Loopback plugWhich tool would you use to measure electrical properties such as voltage, amps, and resistance?MultimeterYou suspect that the power supply in your desktop PC is failing. You want to use a multimeter to test the

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Personal computer, following tools

Which tool would you use to measure electrical properties such as voltage, amps and resistance?

A multimeter or a multitester, also known as a volt/ohm meter or VOM, is an electronic measuring instrument that combines several measurement functions in one unit. A typical multimeter may include features such as the ability to measure voltage, current and resistance.

Which symptoms listed below could give warning signs to power supply problems?

Symptoms of Power Supply Problems.
The power light is off and/or the device won't turn on..
The power supply fan does not turn when the computer is powered on..
The computer sounds a continuous beep. ... .
When the computer powers on, it does not beep at all. ... .
When the computer powers on, it sounds repeating short beeps..

Which of the following best describes the purpose for which loop back plugs are used?

Which of the following BEST describes the purpose for which loopback plugs are used? Grabbing and lifting small objects.

Which tool would you use to test the network port of a computer?

A port scanner is a computer program that checks network ports for one of three possible statuses – open, closed, or filtered.