ATX Power Supply Unit
If there is any one component that is absolutely vital to the operation of a computer, it is the power supply unit or PSU. Without it, a computer is just an useless box full of plastic and metal. The Computer ATX power supply is probably the item most prone to failure in a PC. It heats up and cools down each time the computer is used. The ATX power supplies job is to convert 240v AC in to various DC voltages. All devices inside a PC are powered via the power supply.
A common failure of a PC power supply is sometimes noticed by a burning smell just before the computer shuts down, other common symptoms include random rebooting or failure in windows for no reason. Problems are somtimes caused if the internal cooling fan fails, this allows components in the power supply to overheat, sometimes if a power supply fails it can also damage other components inside the computer like the motherboard or hard drives.
This picture shows the internals of the ATX powersupply |
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