Does your computer have a dirty little secret?

Computer Power Problems in Olympia

Is Your Computer Power Supply Failing in Olympia?

Power problems on your PC can include a failing power supply, a faulty AC adapter, a bad power cord - or something as simple as forgetting to turn the machine on.

Some signs of a failing computer power supply include a computer that locks up or fails on computer startup, rebooting the PC at unexpected moments, overheating, or a hard drive that won't spin. And a faulty computer power supply or power port can be a serious problem - but before you panic, let's try ruling out some easy power supply fixes.

Check the computer power button typically found on the front of the desktop computer and on the top or side of your laptop.
Check the power switch on the back of the computer
Check the power switch on your power strip, surge protector, or UPS
Check for a loose or disconnected computer power cable connections.

Still having issues? No worries! We are ready to help Monday through Sunday.

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What Causes Computer Power Supply Problems?

Chief causes of PC power failure include equipment failure, an accident involving the computer or - in rare instances - even a direct hit by lightning. Many power system issues also result from brownouts or power surges - or are the result of static buildup from activities as simple as vacuuming a carpet. Power supplies are more sensitive than they look.

Is your Desktop PC power supply affected?

We can help!

At Olympia Computer, we can diagnose your current computer power supply and let you know if a replacement is needed.

For tips on preventing power supply problems during an electric storm, see our page on how to Prevent Lightning Damage

Prevent Lightning Damage

Get Help with Power Supply Problems in Olympia, Tumwater, Shelton or Lacey

If you suspect your pc power supply has been damaged or you are experiencing computer power problems in Olympia, give us a call. (We also solve computer power problems in Lacey and computer power problems in Tumwater too!)

We will arrange to look at your computer and give you an estimate to repair the damaged or malfunctioning power supply.

We take care of your power supply problem, Olympia.

We can fix your power supply problem, Tumwater.

We are ready with help for your power supply problem Lacey.

Do you have a power supply problem, Shelton? We are on it!

Power Supply help is just a call away

Protect Your Computers from Power Surge Damage

That off switch is not enough

Computers and modems contain electronic components easily damaged by sudden changes in power, static electricity or lightning strikes. Just turning off your computer is not enough to protect against damage to computers, especially during an electrical storm, but we do have some tips that can help to protect your computer system.

First - Turn off and unplug everything

Shut down the computer·
Turn off peripherals
Disconnect the power cords
Be sure to turn off and unplug the DSL or cable modem and unplug the telephone line from the modem as well. High voltages can travel to your computer telephone lines and will zap your DSL or cable modem.

Unplug during a power outage too. When the power comes back on the rapidly changing power levels can damage a power supply.

Find out more

Power surges do cause computer damage

Power spikes, power surges and brownouts spell trouble for computers. Here in the Pacific Northwest, wet or icy winter weather brings us power outages from downed trees or wet limbs drooping into power lines. Summer problems often involve brownouts from overloaded systems. And outages from downed power poles or blown transformers can happen any time of year. Any power outage can result in power surges and spikes when the power is restored.

The computer PSU can suffer great damage from electrical power surges.

And it is not always weather to blame for a computer power problem. Even something as innocent sounding as disconnecting your printer cable from the computer while the computer is running can create a power spike that will damage your system.

Speak to a tech about power surge damage

Is it power surge damage?

Some signs of power surge computer damage or damage from power surge or brownouts show up immediately. These can include:

• Computer acting strange - computer won't start - or computer turns on but nothing on screen

• No Signal or a message that Signal not found

• Surge protectors and inline fuses are "blown"

• UPS/backup batteries alarm.

In other cases, you may not see damage from a power outage right away. That damaged video card or CD-ROM failure may not show up for weeks or even months after a major outage. But our technicians know what to look for, so if your computer is giving you problems, give us a call.

Call Now for a computer assessment

Static electricity damages computers too

Static electricity is a very real problem in many homes and businesses even here in the northwest. Simply walking across the carpet in a room with low humidity can generate up to 35,000 volts of static charge and do major damage to an unprotected computer. Vacuuming too close to a computer can also generate sufficient static electricity to damage your machine.

Computers should never be placed directly on carpeting - if you must have the computer on the floor, consider placing a six inch wooden box between the carpet and the computer.

At your desk, place a plastic mat between the carpet and your chair to eliminate much of the static charge from moving across the carpet.

Find out more

A surge suppressor can help avoid power supply failure.

The only sure fire protection against a power surge is simple - pull the plug. But we all know you can't always be there to unplug your computer and any attached monitors, printers or other devices every time the wind blows. So what else can you do?

First - install a surge suppressor. Surge suppressors are handy little devices designed to protect all kinds of equipment from sudden changes in current – brownouts, blackouts, surges and spikes. You may want one for each computer as well as for other items like expensive televisions or even refrigerators and freezers.

Installing a surge protector between your computer power cable and the wall outlet even provides some protection from electrical storm damage that might occur when you are not around to unplug your system. Also consider using a surge protector to protect your system from surges through network cables. Some high end surge protectors allow you to feed all power and data through the surge protector to protect on both the power and data signal side.

Look for the surge protector that is rated for your particular application but be aware that no surge protector is a 100% guarantee. For example, some surge protections offer lightening strike protection but nothing is going to fully protect your computer against a direct lightening hit to a nearby power line.

There is a downside to surge protectors. Some DSL modems and surge protectors seem to not play well together. A DSL modem plugged into a surge protector may periodically lose the DSL signal. This is a nuisance – but can save you considerable expense repairing damage to a computer hit by a power surge.

Find out more

Consider adding an Uninterruptible Power Supply

During a power outage, an Uninterruptible Power Supply (USP) installed between your surge suppressor and the power supply can keep your equipment running just long enough to allow your computer to shut down safely without data loss.

The UPS also provides your computer with a steady supply of "clean" power, eliminating the highs and lows of a regular power supply. By allowing your computer to sip power just the way it wants, a UPS can help to extend effective life of all computer power supply components.

Uninterruptible Power Supplies are sized for the need you have in your system - call on us for an evaluation of your system and recommendations for the size that will work best for you.

Note: we do not recommend using a UPS for long term "working in the dark" or keeping your system going during a power failure.

For most applications, we will recommend against plugging a large monitor into the UPS and we caution that you should NEVER plug your laser printer into your UPS. These heavy demand devices will quickly run down and wear out your UPS, leaving your electronic devices unprotected.

Talk to a tech

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Does your computer have a dirty little secret?

August 17, 2021|Computer Care, Computer Repair

Before and After of a Computer Cleanup at Olympia Computer

Dust. Potato chip crumbs. Pet hair. Insect droppings. And now wildfire smoke and ash. They all may be hiding inside your computer. And all that debris can shorten the lifespan of your computer. Don't wait for a problem. Get out your cleaning tools or schedule a clean up today.

A dirty computer is a time bomb just waiting to fail at the very moment you need it most. In fact, computer repair technicians will tell you that dust accumulating inside your computer is one of the top three causes of computer failure. Dust blocks air vents and keeps the fan from working correctly - both critical parts of keeping your computer components cool. And a computer that runs too hot is heading for trouble.

What Happens if My Computer Runs Hot?

Any time you turn your computer on, it starts generating heat. All those electrical circuits that make a computer run are putting out heat that has to go somewhere. And some programs - like computer games - generate a whole lot of heat.

Fans, vents and a heatsink help to move that excess heat away from the machine. In most computers, that heat dissipation works well - unless dust has built up inside the computer case.

With a layer of dust, your cooling fans will be working hard and you may hear a lot of fan noise. Particularly with a laptop, you may actually feel the computer getting hot. The computer may start running slowly. It may shut down unexpectedly. You can get data error messages. Or the motherboard that runs your computer may fail.

So What Should I Do About a Dirty Computer?

To keep your computer running at peak performance, we recommend a thorough cleaning at least once a year. If you have pets, or eat at your computer, or use your computer in a home setting, think about making that every six months. Smokers - and those of us experiencing a lot of smoke and ash in the air - also should be scheduling more frequent cleanings.

Erik Johnson is CEO of computer and phone repair companies in Tucson, AZ and Olympia, WA. You can schedule a professional computer cleanup by calling 360 995-1010 or email Helpdesk@olympia.computer.

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Computer Power Problems in Olympia

Is Your Computer Power Supply Failing in Olympia?

What Causes Computer Power Supply Problems?

Get Help with Power Supply Problems in Olympia, Tumwater, Shelton or Lacey