Power Supply

(PSU) Failure
Power
comes
on?
Live
screen?
Select proper
voltage on rear of
power supply.
PSU
universal
input?
Needs
two tries to
boot?
Connect to
known good
outlet.
Premature
power_good
signal. Try
different power
supply.
Hear
more than 1
beep?
New
hardware
installed?
Remove
latest addition
and retry.
Checked
motherboard
lead?
Make sure front
panel switch to
motherboard lead is
connected to the
proper point.
Power
switch
fail?
PSU
connections to
motherboard
correct?
Remake
motherboard power
connections.
Replace switch
or substitute front
panel reset switch,
if available.
Forced
hard drive
spin up?
Bad
adapter on
bus?
Hard
drive tested
good?
Try drive in test
PC or substitute
known good drive for
testing.
Defective
power supply,
test on 2nd
PC before
discarding.
Strip system down to video
adapter only. See Box A, on
Conflict Resolution chart.
Powers
motherboard
on bench?
Test or replace
power supply.
AC
power source
tested?
Proceed to
Motherboard
Failure
chart.
No Yes
Yes No
No
Yes
Yes No
Yes
No
No Yes Yes No
No
Yes
Yes No
No Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Either you
have a short
circuit in the case
or a geometry
problem placing an
unacceptable
stress on the
motherboard. t's
also possible that
the video adapter
never seated, due
the bracket
position.
New
build?
No
Check
power
requirement
vs rating.
Yes
Loud
fan
noise?
Age, requires
cleaning,
obstruction, non-
PWM fan.
Yes
HDD or
OS error?
Yes
No
No
Quality, stability
(test power supply,
see text), or not a
PSU failure
Proceed to
Hard Drive
Failure
chart
No
See text
for test
details
Does
system power
up?
No
Live
screen?
Yes
Monitor
LED on?
Yes No
Check monitor
power source. Make
sure cord is fully
seated in the
monitor socket.
No
Dual
monitors,
HDTV?
Yes
Try both
monitors in turn on
primary, try standard
monitor in place of
HDTV.
No
Hear
a string of
beeps?
Yes
"No Signal
displayed?
Video
cable
secure?
Video
card seated,
tested?
Yes
Check both
ends of video
cable.
Freezes
on BOS
Screen?
No
Monitor
tested?
Yes
Yes
Other
adapters,
CrossFire
SL?
Check backlight on
LCD, test monitor on
good PC or laptop.
No
Yes No
Yes
Live
only with
solo video
card?
Yes
No
No
Live
only with
new video
card?
No
Try old adapter in
other system before
chucking.
Yes Yes
Proceed to
Video
Performance
chart.
No
Proceed to
Power
Supply
chart
Video Failure
No
Reseat video
adapter, test in another
PC if possible.
PC
memory
tested?
Yes
Reseat
RAM on
motherboard,
test in another
PC if possible.
No
"No power
displayed?
No
Attach video
card power
inside PC
Yes
Yes
Yes
Testing with a different
technology video
adapter (PC vs PC
Express) doesn't prove
the card slot is good
No
Cable
damaged,
bent
pins?
Replace or
repair cable
connector.
No
Onboard
video trumps
replacement
adapter?
Disable with
motherboard
jumper, switch, or
BOS setting.
No
Yes
Fan
noisy?
No Replace fan.
Yes
Restore adapters, one at
a time, powering down and
unplugging power supply
after each change.
ATA Drive
Failure
BOS
register
drive?
Set
Master/
Slave?
CD or
DVD
drive?
Drive
cycles up,
down?
Set
cable select
(CS)?
Cables
seated,
new?
No
No
Yes
Select Master/
Slave or CS. CS
requires 80
conductor DE cable
or custom 40 wire
cable.
No
Reseat DE and
power cables.
Replace DE cables
if in doubt.
Yes
No
No
Yes
Mode,
X-fer speed
correct?
PATA hard
drives require 80
conductor cable,
check mode in
CMOS.
No
Does
OS tool see
drive?
No
Yes
solate drive on
primary. f Disk
Management or
FDSK still doesn't
see drive, the MBR
may be damaged
by a virus.
No
Yes
DE
ribbon cable
keyed?
Replace DE cable.
f BOS still doesn't register
drive, either motherboard
controller or drive is bad or
incompatible.
Yes
Yes
SATA
drive?
Drive
seek, spin
up?
No
Yes
Yes
Match pin 1 on
all connectors.
No
No
SATA2 or
SATA3?
Yes
Check on-drive
compatibility
jumper to force
slower speed.
No
Data
connection
good?
Yes
BOS on old
motherboard may
fail to detect
SATA when
present.
Check data
cable seated
both ends, test
cable.
Yes
No
SSD drive?
No SMART
error?
No
Back up the
data on the drive.
A failure is
impending.
Yes
Yes
SSD
drive?
Yes
Firmware
updated?
No
Use bootable
USB drive to install
firmware update.
Yes
Swap power
lead, isolate on
controller, power
management.
Yes
No Swap power
lead, test in USB
shell, PC.
PATA or
SATA?
Yes
Check
CMOS Settings,
Windows drivers.
USB SSD
drive see
Peripherals
flowchart, PC
Express SSD see
text and
motherboard
flowcharts, serial
SCS see SCS
flowchart.
No
Clicks
unending?
No
Drive can't find
boot sector or surface
damage, errors.
Yes
DVD, CD and
Blu-Ray Playback
Tray
ejects?
BOS
register
drive?
Proceed to
ATA Drive
Failure
Pin
hole on drive
face?
Pull drive,
faceplate, pry,
disassemble.
No
No Yes
No
Drive
vibrates,
noisy?
Two drives
installed?
Yes
Eject and re-
mount. Try another
disc. Check drive
mounted level with
4 screws.
No Yes
Boots
OS?
Change CMOS
boot sequence,
pre-spin drive, try
CD in test PC.
Read
other
discs?
Clean disc with
flannel, check for
scratches.
Device
Manager
problem?
Yes
No
Yes No
Reading
right drive?
Laugh at
self, pick right
drive.
Yes Yes No
Yes
No
Busy,
locked by
OS?
No
Try ejecting
before boot.
Yes
No
Read
data
disc?
No
Burner
problem?
Yes
No
Unplug power,
insert straightened
paper-clip, pull
tray.
Yes
Make sure
you didn't
use any long
mounting
screws.
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Reinstall driver,
replace data cable, test
drive in USB enclosure
or other PC.
Replace DE cable,
change BOS mode, try drive
in test PC, isolate on
secondary DE controller.
No
Plays
music
CDs?
DAE settings
or audio patch
cable from drive
to sound card.
Plays
movies?
Check CODECs,
recent update of
media player
Read
DVD or CD
not both?
Performance
issue unrelated
to drive.
Drive type or
laser failure.
No
Yes
No
Ran
lens cleaner
disc?
Yes
Try a $10 laser
lens cleaning disc.
Drive
SATA?
Tested
OK outside
PC?
Driver issue
or controller
compatipility.
Dirty laser lens or drive
failure. Dissasemble to
clean laser with alchol, Q-
tip. Replace drive.
No
Yes
Blu-Ray
drive?
No
Check for firmware
update, continue.
Yes
No
Motherboard,
CPU, RAM
Failure
Live
Screen?
No
Video
diagnostic
done?
Return to
Video Failure
diagnostic
chart
RAM
reseated?
Reseat RAM,
minimize
number of
DMMs, positive
lever lock.
CPU
seated
flat?
Fan on
heatsink
active?
More than
one beep?
Default
motherboard
settings?
Runs on
bench?
CPU
swap
work?
Locate short,
binding, or swap
case.
Bad CPU, watch voltage and
heatsink on replacement.
Motherboard
or power
supply bad.
Restore
factory
motherboard
settings.
Reseat CPU
and heatsink.
Swap RAM,
swap video.
Power
diagnostic
done?
Return to
Power Supply
Failure.
No Yes
No Yes
Yes
No Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Freezes
on boot?
Freezes
bare
bones?
Can you
access
BOS?
CMOS
settings
default?
Load defaults
from BOS,
safe settings.
Yes
No Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Undo upgrade,
confirm exact CPU, RAM
model compatible with
motherboard.
Yes No
Check fan
power point, may
not come on
instantly at boot.
No
Yes
Temp
and voltage
stable?
Replace
heatsink if not
certified, check
power supply
ripple.
No
RAM
certified,
tested?
Check motherboard
manufacturer website,
swap or shuffle RAM.
No
Boots
from CD or
DVD?
Yes
Proceed to
Hard Drive
Performance
chart
Yes
Proceed to
Drive Failure
chart
No
Yes
Restore one
adapter or component
at a time, unplugging or
shutting off power strip
each time, until culprit
is detected.
No
New build,
CPU or RAM
upgrade?
BOS
settings
change?
Remove
motherboard
battery, wait
one hour.
Yes
Motherboard,
CPU, RAM
Performance
Random
reboot or
freeze?
Clean
power?
Forgets
time, CMOS
settings?
Recent
performance
drop?
Ganging impacts
speed, unmatched
DMMs force all to
lowest speed
UPS to protect
from brown-outs
and surges.
Heatsink fan,
improve case air
flow, disable
multi-core.
Onboard
device
issue?
For motherboard
device failures (sound,
network, modem,
SATA, RAD, USB) see
individual device
flowcharts.
No Yes
No Yes
Yes No
Yes
No
No Yes
No Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
PC Express cards are
backwards compatible and
may fit in x1 mode slots.
No
Hangs
installing
drivers?
RAM
performance
slow?
Confirm exact
match, wait five
minutes for
detection.
OS
missing CPU
cores?
High
CPU temp
reported?
f CPU supports
DTS (Digital
Temperature
Signals), trust DTS
over motherboard
thermocouple.
Won't
wake from
sleep?
Usually a driver
issue, especially
generic drivers.
PCe
version, slot
lanes?
Confirm all motherboard attached
components manufacturer approved,
don't assume compatibility
CPU
temperature
stable?
No
PSU
tested
good?
Yes
Replace power
supply.
Yes
Ran
scan, System
Restore?
No
No
Run virus,
malware software,
restore to older
date.
Motherboard, CPU,
hardware compatibility -
software corruption,
compatibility, malware.
BOS
updated?
Update
BOS and
restore default
settings.
RAM
tested?
Download memory
testing software.
Yes
GPU
temp, driver
updated
Update video
driver, monitor
GPU
temperature.
Yes
No Tested
bare-
bones?
Remove all adapters except video,
disconnect USB peripherals, unplug
shared power strip devices.
No
Replace
motherboard
battery.
Yes No
Yes No
Yes
Check compatibility
and update BOS
before CPU swap.
No
No Yes
Banks
matched,
ganged?
Yes
Check if chipset
supports all banks
populated, specific
timing for exact DMM
for motherboard.
Yes
No
Hard Drive Boot
and Performance
OS
on drive
boots?
No Yes
CMOS
boot order
set?
OS DVD,
USB boot?
Yes
Set order to
hard drive first,
or remove other
media.
No
Proceed to
ATA Drive
Failure
chart.
No Yes
Read
in USB shell
or after DVD
boot?
Have
good back
up?
No
No
OS recovery or
reinstall. f that fails,
try deleting partition
through Disk
Management or
FDSK (destroys all
data) and retry.
Yes
f data is
critical, try virus
and disk doctor
software or send
drive for data
recovery.
Virus or OS
corruption. Back
up critical data.
Try virus doctor
and OS repair.
Yes
Slow or
noisy?
10% or
more free
space?
No
Cycles
on and
off?
Yes
Yes
Data or
SMART
errors?
No
Check for
virus. Replace
data cable,
reduce heat,
increase free
space.
No
Delete files to
make room or add
new drive.
No
Ran
Scandisk and
Defrag?
Yes
Drive
always
noisy?
May last a long
time with rotation
noise, but keep
backups.
Yes No
Run CHKDSK
or Scandisk and
Defrag.
No
RAD
performance,
recovery?
Check CMOS
and OS power
management, try
in test PC.
Yes
Yes
Striping for speed vs
reliability, enable in BOS.
Rebuild fail tolerant RAD
with new drive, see text.
Just
switched to
AHC?
SATA
drivers
installed?
Revert, edit
registry, reset
AHC in BOS
Yes
No
Drivers important
for SATA interface
performance.
No
Yes
Yes
AHC for
SATA, DMA
for PATA?
Check CMOS that
best BOS settings for
interface selected.
No
SSD
Drive?
Yes
No
Check for presence of
Starforce or other 3rd party
SATA drivers. See other
flowcharts.
No Yes
Do not defrag,
lower
temperature,
update drivers.
Tweaked
settings?
Enable TRM,
Disable boost
options for
magnetic drives.
No Yes
New drive?
Yes
Brand new SSD
drive performance when
new and empty will slow
with time and data.
No
Scans
scheduled?
Yes
Slow boot most
often scheduled
virus scans.
No
DVD, Blu-Ray and
CD Recording
Problems
Does
recorder
software see
drive?
Software
detect blank
disc?
Check single-sided disc is
upside up. Try new disc, try
different brand, type.
Starts
recording
process then
fails?
Yes No
No Yes
Can
read disc
in other
drive?
Sole
task?
Run as sole task. Check
task list by crtl-alt-del, close
systray programs.
Some copy
protection
schemes produce
playback errors.
Yes No
No Yes
No
Yes
Music
or movie
disc?
Try using write
only media, no re-
recordable or RAM
discs.
Music and movie
CDs and DVDs must be recorded with
proper format, and digital extraction is
necessary for high quality copies.
No Yes
Recorder
software
errors?
No
Check for
manufacturer
uninstall and
clean-up utility.
Yes
HDCP
compliant?
For high-def
recording,
hardware must be
HDCP compliant
No
Blu-Ray
recorder?
Yes
No
Make sure specs
(CPU speed, memory,
hard drive capacity) are
up to Blu Ray standard.
Yes
Finishes
recording but
blank?
No
A disc that's blank
after recording or fails
verification indicates a
failing laser or dirty
lens.
Yes
Plays
factory
disc?
Proceed to
DVD, CD and
Blu-Ray
Playback
No Yes
Patched
software?
Records
from SO
image?
No
Application
software bug or PC
performance.
Yes
UDF
version
1.02?
Yes
Most DVD
players read UDF
1.02 only, DVD
burners may use later
versions, Windows
UDF support.
No
Tried
recording
at lowest
speed?
Try recording
at 2X for CDs,
1X for DVDs.
No
Yes
Buffer
underrun
error?
Try different
brand media.
Make sure
source file
matches
destination
format.
No
Yes
Data source is too
slow (try Defrag hard
drive), task being
interrupted, or burner
or media bad.
Proceed to
ATA Drive
Failure
chart
Patch burner software,
update drive firmware.
No
Yes
Wired
LAN?
New
hub added
to LAN?
Random
problems?
Yes No
Check
crossover
(X) port
wiring.
Link
light lit?
Physical
layer (cables,
devices) Copied
network
config?
No
Yes
Yes No
Clone setup
from good
workstation.
Device
Manager
problem?
No
Yes
No
Yes
Wiggled
cable?
Yes
Flex the cable
at back of PC and
watch link LED to
test RJ-45
connector.
Yes
Within
physical layer
limits?
Add repeaters,
re-route cables.
Tried
different
port on
hub?
No
No Yes
f connection
stable on new
port, prior port
is failing.
No
Fails on
traffic, # of
users?
Yes
Swap hub
for switch,
check server
utilization. Flaky
off network
also?
Proceed to
Motherboard
Performance.
Yes No
Yes
Cable
bypass to
hub fix?
Bad patch or in-
wall cabling.
No
Yes
New
network card
works?
No
Throw out old
adapter, $10 new.
Most likely
software conflicts,
setup or virus.
Yes No
Network
Hardware
Diagnostics
No
Update
driver, replace
card, see
Conflict
Resolution
PC see
network?
Wireless enabled,
router active, range,
hidden network. Works
unsecured?
Works
cabled
direct?
MAC
address,
firewall?
Check network
or nternet is live at
wireless router.
No
No Yes
Password
or protocol
incorrect.
No Yes
Yes
Add MAC to
approved table,
modify firewall
settings.
Yes
Default
settings on
router?
No
Loses
signal,
slow?
Other
WiFi devices
work?
Same
(B/G/N)
802.11
Restore
default
settings, if
wired
connection
won't work,
WiFi won't
work.
No
Yes
Yes
nterference, PC
WiFi adapter bad,
PC location out of
range, router.
Upgrade all
network hardware to
latest standard.
Yes
No
No
Try updating the
driver for your WiFi
adapter. For nternet
related issues, see
Modem Performance
flowchart.
Yes
Router failing,
bridge to network
or nternet
connection bad.
No
SAS RAD and
Legacy SCS Failure
SCS
adapter
detected?
Tried
in new
slot?
Reseat
adapter, try
different slot.
PC
voltage
correct?
Old SCS
adapters required
5V supply.
BOS
list any SCS
devices?
Bus
terminated both
ends?
f using
external and
internal
devices, remove
terminator from host
adapter, terminate,
the devices on
cable ends.
Cable
connectors
seated?
SCS
limits
obeyed?
SCS
device D's
unique?
Assign unique
SCS D's, adapter
D should be 7
Reseat, discard
cable if damaged.
Use shorter
cables, don't mix
devices with
cheaters.
Determine problem through
process of elimination. Try connecting
each device to the host adapter by
itself, following proper termination
rules, and determine which one is
spoiling it for the rest.
BOS list
all SCS
devices?
Replaced
cables?
Reseat all
connectors
before
replacing
cable.
Adapter
and single
device
work?
Update driver,
reinstall SCS
software.
SCS
adapter is
probably dead.
Try it in a test
system before
discarding.
No Yes
Yes No
Yes
No
Yes
No
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
Yes
Yes No
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
No
SAS
adapter?
No
Replace or
compatibility.
External
enclosure?
Single
drive bad?
Enclosure LEDs
or force adapter to
blink LEDs.
Correct fan-out
cable, enclosure
power.
SAS
BOS sees
drive?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Adapter
BOS live?
Seated in slot, PCe
lanes, compatibility, PC
2.2 or better, right key
combination.
No
No No
Yes
Cable,
compatibility,
drive maker
test
software.
No RAD
auto re-build
fails?
Flashed
BOS?
RAD tested,
expander
supported, tapes
or DVDs.
Drive
capacity, initialized,
compatibility,
software.
Check
adapter
maker
website for
new BOS.
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No
Mixed SAS
and SATA?
Yes
No
solate by adapter
and enclosure.
From Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts, Third Edition
Copyright 2013 by Morris Rosenthal
Please Read
These flowcharts are excerpted from "Computer Repair with Diagnostic Flowcharts Third
Edition Copyright 2013 by Morris Rosenthal. They are presented here without the text
that goes along with every decision point. The 170 page book is available from
Amazon.com or through your favorite bookstore in most countries.
The author has done his best to provide accurate and up-to-date information in this book,
but he cannot guarantee that the information is correct or will fit your particular situation.
The book is sold with the understanding that the publisher and the author are not
engaged in rendering professional or engineering services. f expert assistance is
required, the services of a competent professional should be sought.
nteractive versions of eight of the seventeen flowcharts with text are
available on my website.
Power Supply Troubleshooting - www.fonerbooks.com/power.htm
Video Failure Troubleshooting - www.fonerbooks.com/video.htm
Motherboard, CPU and RAM Failure - www.fonerbooks.com/cpu_ram.htm
Hard Drive Failure - www.fonerbooks.com/ide_hd.htm
DVD, CD and Blu-ray Playback - www.fonerbooks.com/ide_cd.htm
Sound Failure - www.fonerbooks.com/sound.htm
Network Hardware Troubleshooting - www.fonerbooks.com/network.htm
Modem Failure - www.fonerbooks.com/modem.htm