How to identify a faulty PSU? It may continue operating after a short jump.
How to identify a faulty PSU? It may continue operating after a short jump.
Hello everyone. I own an old LGA 775 system that I discarded a few years ago after it failed when connected to a dead or failing HDD. Initially, the fans spun for just a couple of seconds before the PC shut down and would restart, but no longer after BIOS checks. Eventually, it wouldn’t start at all. I’ve attempted various fixes—changing the motherboard, CPU, RAM, GPU, and even trying a different PSU—but nothing resolved the issue. Recently, I tried jumping the PSU with a paperclip, and it worked without problems. This suggests the PSU might not be the problem, or that a faulty PSU could remain operational after being jump-jacked without starting. I don’t have a spare PSU, so I couldn’t test alternatives. My system specs are as follows:
CPU: Intel Xeon X5450 3.00GHz
Motherboard: ASUS ROG Commando
RAM: 6GB DDR2 Kingston 800MHz (1GBx2 2GBx2)
HDD: Samsung HD250HJ 250GB 7200RPM
GPU: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X Tri-X OC 3GB GDDR5 384-Bit
PSU: Gigabyte P650B 650W 80+ Bronze
PSU: Gigabyte P650B 650W 80+ Bronze
I wouldn't pair anything to a Gigabyte PSU not after the horrible explosions that their other units have/had undergone.
At last, i have tried jumping the PSU with a paperclip and it can stay on without a problem.
This is a flawed test as it doesn't tell you how much power the PSU can effectively output at any given time.
Is it possible that dead HDD damaged the PSU somehow?
Maybe or your PSU just didn't like the additional load on it. Could even be possible you nuked an HDD that could've been recoverable, after pairing it with the PSU.
The paperclip test for PSU is similar to turning on the car engine and assuming everything works without actually driving it. So, no. Just powering up the PSU without applying any load doesn't guarantee it functions properly. This indicates a low-quality PSU.
For an opinion on your PSU, refer to the PSU Tier list provided here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...JW...1973454078
You'll see it is rated as Tier C.
For a PC with a dedicated GPU, a Tier A PSU is ideal. Examples include Seasonic Focus/Vertex/PRIME, Corsair RMx/RMi/HXi/AXi, and Super Flower Leadex Gold/Platinum/Titanium. Tier A is sufficient, while Tier A+ is preferred.
My two PCs are exclusively powered by Tier A+ PSUs. I own Seasonic PRIME 650 Titanium (Tier A+) and Seasonic PRIME Ultra 650 Titanium (Tier A+). Details and pictures are in my profile.
Until you acquire a proper, high-quality PSU (Tier A), your setup is at risk. Possible? Yes. If the HDD experienced a short circuit that reached the PSU and triggered the short circuit protection (even if it worked), it could damage the PSU.
The likelihood of other components being affected by a faulty PSU is high, given its low build quality. Therefore, everything connected to the PSU should be considered potentially dead—your entire PC could fail. This highlights the power of PSUs: they can destroy other hardware when they fail. The lower the quality of the PSU, the greater the risk.
A new PSU is essential. Once you have a brand-new, reliable unit, troubleshooting can proceed.