What should I do after seeing a spark from my PC?
Asked by
GamingGuru42
I was gaming on my computer when it suddenly powered off. I tried hitting the power button, but nothing happened. I suspect it overheated, so I foolishly turned off the PSU and switched it back on. That's when I noticed a white spark and heard a bang from the back of the PC. I've unplugged it and haven't attempted to turn it back on since. I think my power supply unit (PSU) might be broken. Should I just buy a new one? Could my other hardware have also been damaged?
Answers
Yeah, there's a chance other parts might be damaged, especially if the PSU was of lower quality. What brand and model was your PSU, and what hardware was it powering?
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Most PSUs are designed to protect your components, but there's no guarantee. If you're unsure, replacing the PSU is your best bet. After that, see if everything else works.
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It really depends on your PSU's protections. You can reference your PSU against a protection tier list to get an idea of how safe your components might be. Just look for the tiering criteria to see if it has reliable protections.
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It's possible that more than just the PSU took a hit. You won't know for sure until you start testing everything out.
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ConcernedBuilder21: Mine's rated E tier, so does that mean there's a good chance my other parts are fried too?