What’s wrong with my power?



You’ve upgraded the power supply of a computer a week ahead of a video card and hard drive upgrade. However, when the computer is powered on, all of the components are functional except for the DVD-RW drive. Prior to the installation, you checked the voltage at the wall outlet and the voltages coming from each output from the power supply. What is the most likely cause of this faulty DVD-RW drive?

A) The DVD-RW drive is incompatible with the new power supply

B) The DVD-RW drive was not connected to the new power supply

C) The new power supply is faulty

D) The DVD-RW drive was damaged during the power supply installation

E) The DVD-RW drive is a bit put-out that it wasn’t also upgraded


The answer: B) The DVD-RW drive was not connected to the new power supply

During any work inside of a computer, it’s very common to miss a connection or to knock a connection loose during the process. Before completing any work inside of a computer, you should always perform one lack check of connections and cables before closing up the system.

Want to know more? Watch “Installing and Troubleshooting Computer Power.”

Troubleshooting power problems with personal computers goes well beyond the power cord. In this module, we’ll show you how to use a circuit tester and multimeter to troubleshoot power on the motherboard , the PC components, and the power outlets themselves. You’ll also learn about power protection systems and the process for installing a PC power supply.