My PC recently started making loud cracking and popping noises under load, along with unusual sounds from the power supply. There has been no smoke or unexpected shutdown, but the current FSP HEXA 85+ 650W unit is at least eight years old, so I ordered a replacement. While waiting for it to arrive, I'm considering temporarily using an older be quiet! System Power S6 S6-SYS-UA-550W from a previous PC. It still works reliably and provides enough wattage for my system, but it is over 11 years old. Would using it for roughly a week be reasonably safe with a Gigabyte B550 Gaming X V2, Ryzen 5 5600X, Radeon RX 6600, 16GB of DDR4 memory, one hard drive, and two SSDs?
3 Answers
Since the current PSU is making cracking or popping noises, I would stop using it rather than waiting for it to fail completely. The older replacement is not automatically safe just because it still powers on: capacitors age, and older designs may have weaker protections or poorer compatibility with newer hardware. If there’s any uncertainty about its condition, waiting for the new PSU or buying a modern temporary unit is safer.
The wattage is more than sufficient for a 5600X and RX 6600, and many decent power supplies run for a decade or more. For only a few days, I’d be comfortable using it if it has been reliable, is clean and undamaged, and all the connectors fit properly. Avoid stressing the system until the new unit arrives, and stop immediately if you hear any buzzing, popping, or smell overheated electronics.
It can work as a short-term replacement if the unit is in good condition, has the required motherboard and GPU connectors, and includes basic protections such as overvoltage and short-circuit protection. However, an 11-year-old PSU is well past its ideal service life, so treat it as a temporary measure rather than something to keep using indefinitely. Don’t reuse modular cables from the other PSU unless they are confirmed to be compatible.
Age alone doesn’t guarantee failure, but a unit from around 2009 should definitely be inspected carefully and replaced if there are any signs of damage, swelling, corrosion, or unstable behavior.