If your computer doesn’t do anything at all when you turn it on, that’s usually a clear sign. If the power supply fans are not operating, you are not getting any power.

If your computer boots, to a single flashing cursor in the top left corner of the screen, the two most common problems are a failing power supply or failing video card. Check that the card is seated properly in the slot, but your most likely culprit is the power supply.

If your computer operates perfectly for a time, and then suddenly shuts off or reboots, you have one of two problems, in most cases. Either the CPU is overheating and the motherboard is initiating automatic cutoff to prevent burning it up, or you have fluctuating power available to the motherboard. If the CPU fan is operating, and the airflow is getting to the CPU, it shouldn’t be overheating, but many system have a CPU temperature monitor available in BIOS, and this should be examined.

A failing power supply can mimic bad memory, bad video, and even a faulty motherboard. Because every component of the computer depends on the power supply to operate, a bad supply can appear to be any problem, even a corrupted installation of your operating system. Before purchasing expensive replacement parts, try testing out the power supply, because that may save you some expense.

Article written by MyComputerAid.com

Post from: MyComputerAid.com Computer support

Recognizing A Bad Power Supply

Networks are segmented into various parts and held together by switches. Switches can be used to connect different types of networks together, like an ATM machine connected into the network of a retail store; a switch would be used for that purpose. Switches have many different applications from connecting the network to ensuring security of a network by creating mirror data. Small networks belonging to home offices or small businesses usually have one switch where as a large corporation may have many linked managed switches to connect their network together.

Different types of switches serve different purposes. Switches used on Ethernet networks have port speeds of either 10/100 Mbps or 10/100/1000 Mbps. Meaning that the switch can switch from 10 Mbps and 100 Mbps automatically. Larger switches can support an average of 10 Gbps. This shows that switches can have different ports of speed unlike hubs.  Another type of switch is Power Over Ethernet or POE, these switches supply power to the device along with the data.

Switches can be unmanaged, managed, or smart managed. Unmanaged switches do not have settings or options. Managed switches, found commonly in larger networks, can be configured and different features can be used. Smart managed switches have a limited amount of features and/or can be web managed, they are the in between of managed and unmanaged. As far as cost is concerned, unmanaged switches are the cheapest, smart managed switches are a little more expensive yet cheaper than managed but of lower quality. Managed switches are usually the most expensive but they have a higher quality and are the best of the three switches.

Article written by MyComputerAid.com

Post from: MyComputerAid.com Computer support

What is a switch?