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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.
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
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 computer 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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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Computer Tips from Olympia Computer
Dust Inside Your Laptop? Don't Wait for the Fans to Stop Spinning
October 2, 2023|Computer Care, Computer Repair, Laptop Repair
Specks of dust and grime find their way inside your laptop and they build up especially around the fan or fans. All laptops have a ventilation and cooling system, that is critical for the computer to function properly.
In extreme cases, dust and grime built up may prevent a fan from spinning and they typically cause overheating issues.
Overheating will make computer parts to fail:
- CPU - the laptop processor performs millions of calculations per second and is the main heat generator inside your laptop case. It is paramount that the CPU temperature is kept in check, as the extreme heat can cause failure of the processor, motherboard, RAM, storage drive, and other laptop parts. The air cooling system inside the laptop case is specifically designed to eliminate the heat caused by the processor as fast as possible.
- motherboard - the circuit board connecting all the internal laptop parts is the largest piece of hardware inside the laptop case. An inefficient air cooling system where dust physically blocks the air flow or prevents the fan from spinning correctly will allow the extreme temperature to engulf the motherboard, often causing warping, embedded circuit failure, or damage to the components on the motherboard, rendering it unfunctional.
- storage drives - most laptops that are currently in use feature SSD storage, with a similar circuit board look as motherboard. The storage drives are usually mounted on the motherboard and can be a victim of overheating in a similar fashion. A storage drive that is warped or with heat-damaged circuitry will not work anymore, and retrieving data (photos, videos, documents, etc.) off of it might be a challenge for even the best data recovery professionals.
Repairing the damage can be costly and in some instances, data (like your personal files, photos, documents, etc.) may be lost.
Physical cleaning for your laptop is recommended once in 1-2 years, depending on HOW you use the laptop and how well ventilated the room you mostly use in it. Another factor to consider is how many hours a day (on average) are you using the laptop.
If you keep the laptop on a soft surface, once a year physical cleaning is advisable.
How is laptop physical cleaning performed?
A computer technician will open the laptop case and visually inspect the inside before the physical laptop cleaning is performed.
The technician will clean the laptop components.
Most of the cleaning is dedicated to the fans, as 80-90% of the dust and grime is stuck between the blades. In most cases, the blades need to be cleaned manually and individually.
After cleaning everything, the computer technician will reassemble the laptop and then perform some checks to make sure everything is working smoothly, as it should be.
Your laptop is now ready to be used!
Do you have a computer or laptop that needs physical cleaning?
At Olympia Computer, we offer professional physical cleaning for all brands of computers and laptops. Custom built computers, too!
Call us Monday through Sunday for an appointment!
360 995-1010
Erik Johnson has been helping businesses with computer problems for more than 30 years.
Reach him at 360 995-1010 or by email at Helpdesk@olympia.computer.
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