Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD

moogull · 12-03-2007, 03:16 PM

Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum but so far it looks like a good website.
Anyways, this afternoon I was working on replacing a hard drive after an old one had failed in a RAID 0 configuration. After I thought everything looked to be in the right place, I plugged the power cord in and turn on the power button. However, my power supply (which is a RAIDMAX ATX 12v 420w) basically exploded in two big sparks and my computer simply died. It won't turn on now and it smells pretty burnt. I'm going to order another power supply (the same one) and replace it to check if it works, would this be the right thing to do first? All help is greatly appreciated, especially since I have no idea how to work hardware, I like software better

geek73 · 12-03-2007, 03:21 PM

Howdy moogull and welcome to TSF

Yes that would be a good idea.. Also I would look inside your pc at the motherboard and see if you can see any brown or black marks as this will indicate your motherboard is dead as well.
An exploding psu can ruin many things as once I fried my floppy drive by putting the power on backwards and it fried all my hard drives just from that..

Hopefully you got lucky!!

If you need any help choosing a new psu or installing it let us know

**speedster123** · 12-03-2007, 04:24 PM

Please, Dont use that supply again.
As you just found out, a cheap supply will cost you in blown components and lost data. Its just not worth it. Have a read below:
Power Supply Information and Selection

moogull · 12-04-2007, 06:00 PM

Thank you so much both of you, I'll be to sure to check out some better PSUs ($ 30 sounded kinda suspicious

). Now I'm if to get myself operational again!

geek73 · 12-06-2007, 03:37 PM

Just remember this.. The PSU is the engine to your pc.. It is the life blood. I always start with a good psu first then go from there..Depending on what your system specs are be prepared to spend a good 100 bucks on a good psu..

Good ones are..Tagen...Pcp&p ( The best IMO is the Pcp&p) ABS..Thermaltake enermax.

moogull · 12-09-2007, 07:47 PM

Eureka! I went out and bought a new enermax power supply today and I installed it with no problems. Everything is working out fine so far, thanks all!

12-03-2007, 03:16 PM	#1 (permalink)
moogull Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: windows XP Pro SP2	Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Hello everyone, I'm new to this forum but so far it looks like a good website. Anyways, this afternoon I was working on replacing a hard drive after an old one had failed in a RAID 0 configuration. After I thought everything looked to be in the right place, I plugged the power cord in and turn on the power button. However, my power supply (which is a RAIDMAX ATX 12v 420w) basically exploded in two big sparks and my computer simply died. It won't turn on now and it smells pretty burnt. I'm going to order another power supply (the same one) and replace it to check if it works, would this be the right thing to do first? All help is greatly appreciated, especially since I have no idea how to work hardware, I like software better

12-03-2007, 03:21 PM	#2 (permalink)
geek73 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 694 OS: SuSe Linux My System	Re: Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Howdy moogull and welcome to TSF Yes that would be a good idea.. Also I would look inside your pc at the motherboard and see if you can see any brown or black marks as this will indicate your motherboard is dead as well. An exploding psu can ruin many things as once I fried my floppy drive by putting the power on backwards and it fried all my hard drives just from that.. Hopefully you got lucky!! If you need any help choosing a new psu or installing it let us know __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

12-03-2007, 04:24 PM	#3 (permalink)
speedster123 Mentor Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: United States-New York-Long Island Posts: 5,219 OS: xp pro SP3	Re: Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Please, Dont use that supply again. As you just found out, a cheap supply will cost you in blown components and lost data. Its just not worth it. Have a read below: Power Supply Information and Selection __________________

12-04-2007, 06:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
moogull Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: windows XP Pro SP2	Re: Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Thank you so much both of you, I'll be to sure to check out some better PSUs ($ 30 sounded kinda suspicious ). Now I'm if to get myself operational again!

12-06-2007, 03:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
geek73 Registered User Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 694 OS: SuSe Linux My System	Re: Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Just remember this.. The PSU is the engine to your pc.. It is the life blood. I always start with a good psu first then go from there..Depending on what your system specs are be prepared to spend a good 100 bucks on a good psu.. Good ones are..Tagen...Pcp&p ( The best IMO is the Pcp&p) ABS..Thermaltake enermax. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]

12-09-2007, 07:47 PM	#6 (permalink)
moogull Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 7 OS: windows XP Pro SP2	Re: Blown Power Supply while replacing HDD Eureka! I went out and bought a new enermax power supply today and I installed it with no problems. Everything is working out fine so far, thanks all!