F5F Stay Refreshed Hardware Desktop What methods are available for identifying inconsistent power supply problems?

What methods are available for identifying inconsistent power supply problems?

What methods are available for identifying inconsistent power supply problems?

T
Tharox
Junior Member
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8
04-10-2025, 12:02 AM
#1
Hello everyone, I'm facing some difficulties getting my desktop to turn on properly. The problem began gradually and has become more frequent over time. Initially, I could turn off the power for a short period and boot up without noticing the issue for weeks. Later, I had to repeatedly disconnect all peripherals each week. Nowadays, I often have to wait until it's on for just a brief moment before it powers up—making it uncertain whether it will start at all. This has been happening for nearly nine months, and I haven't had the chance to investigate until recently.

Earlier in the issue, a few SSDs stopped being recognized, which I attributed to age. Eventually, I replaced them. Now, with previous drive failures and the problem worsening, I'm concerned about the power supply unit (PSU). It's functioning normally once it's running—no BSOD, no performance drops, no unusual system behavior. However, I'm wondering if the case switch or a failing capacitor might be the culprit. Alternatively, the CMOS battery could be weak; I plan to check its voltage and locate it on the board.

I'm unsure how to test the PSU or switch to confirm their role in the failure. Given my experience with automotive work and basic appliance wiring, I haven't really tackled electrical desktop troubleshooting before.

Using compressed air hasn't resolved the problem, so dust buildup isn't likely the main cause. I usually blow it out every few months using an air compressor at around 50-60psi, especially since my two cats shed a lot of fur. I access nearly everything—PSU, GPU, CPU heatsink, motherboard, inlets, and any exposed components. The compressor has an inline drier on the outlet, which is drained regularly to prevent water accumulation.

I've also noticed the issue has worsened after replacing my 1080 with a 3070. There were two instances about a month apart where it took several minutes to figure out how to get it running. However, the 3070 has only been in use for a couple of months now. The PSU and case are around 6-7 years old, while the 3070 is secondhand (about a year old), the RAM and CPU are about 4 years old (secondhand, bought 2-3 years ago), and the motherboard is only two years old. The motherboard has never been overclocked since installation, though I've had an Ethernet port issue on the motherboard.

Desktop specifications:
- CPU: i5-10400F
- Motherboard: MSI MPG Z490 Carbon WiFi
- RAM: G-Skill Rpijaw 2x8GB DDR4
- GPU: RTX 3070
- PSU: EVGA GQ 650W Semi-Modular Gold 80+
- Case: ThermalTake View 27 Snow
- Drives: Two M.2 NVME 1TB Samsung SSDs (estimated 980 Evos, 1 and 3 years old), one SATA PNY 250GB drive (~3-5 years), and a WD Blue 2TB (~4-5 years)
- CPU cooler: Scythe Mugen 5
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T
Tharox
04-10-2025, 12:02 AM #1

Hello everyone, I'm facing some difficulties getting my desktop to turn on properly. The problem began gradually and has become more frequent over time. Initially, I could turn off the power for a short period and boot up without noticing the issue for weeks. Later, I had to repeatedly disconnect all peripherals each week. Nowadays, I often have to wait until it's on for just a brief moment before it powers up—making it uncertain whether it will start at all. This has been happening for nearly nine months, and I haven't had the chance to investigate until recently.

Earlier in the issue, a few SSDs stopped being recognized, which I attributed to age. Eventually, I replaced them. Now, with previous drive failures and the problem worsening, I'm concerned about the power supply unit (PSU). It's functioning normally once it's running—no BSOD, no performance drops, no unusual system behavior. However, I'm wondering if the case switch or a failing capacitor might be the culprit. Alternatively, the CMOS battery could be weak; I plan to check its voltage and locate it on the board.

I'm unsure how to test the PSU or switch to confirm their role in the failure. Given my experience with automotive work and basic appliance wiring, I haven't really tackled electrical desktop troubleshooting before.

Using compressed air hasn't resolved the problem, so dust buildup isn't likely the main cause. I usually blow it out every few months using an air compressor at around 50-60psi, especially since my two cats shed a lot of fur. I access nearly everything—PSU, GPU, CPU heatsink, motherboard, inlets, and any exposed components. The compressor has an inline drier on the outlet, which is drained regularly to prevent water accumulation.

I've also noticed the issue has worsened after replacing my 1080 with a 3070. There were two instances about a month apart where it took several minutes to figure out how to get it running. However, the 3070 has only been in use for a couple of months now. The PSU and case are around 6-7 years old, while the 3070 is secondhand (about a year old), the RAM and CPU are about 4 years old (secondhand, bought 2-3 years ago), and the motherboard is only two years old. The motherboard has never been overclocked since installation, though I've had an Ethernet port issue on the motherboard.

Desktop specifications:
- CPU: i5-10400F
- Motherboard: MSI MPG Z490 Carbon WiFi
- RAM: G-Skill Rpijaw 2x8GB DDR4
- GPU: RTX 3070
- PSU: EVGA GQ 650W Semi-Modular Gold 80+
- Case: ThermalTake View 27 Snow
- Drives: Two M.2 NVME 1TB Samsung SSDs (estimated 980 Evos, 1 and 3 years old), one SATA PNY 250GB drive (~3-5 years), and a WD Blue 2TB (~4-5 years)
- CPU cooler: Scythe Mugen 5

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C
codeA113
Junior Member
Find
20
04-10-2025, 12:02 AM
#2
PSU: Examine the Reliability History/Monitor for any error codes, warnings, or relevant events linked to the issues mentioned. A rise in errors and differences in error types suggest the PSU could be involved. If you have a multimeter and know how to operate it, you can perform some tests on the PSU. Or ask someone who does. Also, please see: https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-manually...er-2626158 And check this review: You don’t necessarily need to buy a new PSU right now. The goal is just to understand more about them and what matters. Use this knowledge to decide if a replacement is truly needed. Remember: always back up all important data before making any changes.
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C
codeA113
04-10-2025, 12:02 AM #2

PSU: Examine the Reliability History/Monitor for any error codes, warnings, or relevant events linked to the issues mentioned. A rise in errors and differences in error types suggest the PSU could be involved. If you have a multimeter and know how to operate it, you can perform some tests on the PSU. Or ask someone who does. Also, please see: https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-manually...er-2626158 And check this review: You don’t necessarily need to buy a new PSU right now. The goal is just to understand more about them and what matters. Use this knowledge to decide if a replacement is truly needed. Remember: always back up all important data before making any changes.

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