PSU fried, now what?

[Jokerswild]

I believe the PSU went out in my daughters computer just now. There was a burning electronic smell and when I opened the case there was no visible evidence of fried electronics. I removed the PSU and it smelled burnt. My question is what are the odds that the PSU went bad and didn't fry other components. I have another PSU in storage I can hook up in it tomorrow but should I ?

[gvblake22]

You might as well try just putting the new PSU in there and boot it up with everything and see if it works. If not, then you should probably go with just trying the bare minimum of parts and swapping things around as needed. If a part is bad, it should just not work as opposed to killing something else like the domino effect or something.

[Stormcrow]

If the PSU smells burnt, it is. Same thing happened to me couple of months ago, PSU went out and it took my motherboard with it. Mobo didn't have any burnt signs or smell or anything, but was dead.
If something went with it, it won't destroy anything else; the computer just won't start up or it won't post. Pop the spare in there see if it posts, and go through the one at a time routine if you have too. If it damaged anything, where it still works just acts all wonky, you'll figure out by using it.

[Jokerswild]

Thanks for the replies, I'll go to storage tomorrow and retrieve the PSU and try it. I'll post back tomorrow sometime and let you know what happened.
Dang if I didn't just win a new Ultra 600 watt PSU unit but it's 24 pin only and this is 20 pin. Oh well the Antec in storage is 20+4 so it will work.

[Stormcrow]

You can just connect the 24-pin connector and leave the extra 4 pins hanging off the side. I did this with a an older computer, works fine. Then I felt creative and sawed off the 4 extra pins and made a 20+4, buuuut, it'll work fine with just 20 connected and 4 free.

[Jokerswild]

Originally Posted by Stormcrow

You can just connect the 24-pin connector and leave the extra 4 pins hanging off the side. I did this with a an older computer, works fine. Then I felt creative and sawed off the 4 extra pins and made a 20+4, buuuut, it'll work fine with just 20 connected and 4 free.

Didn't even think about that. Well I have to go to storage today for the wife anyway so I'll pick up the other PSU while I'm there.

P.S.
Just checked the Motherboard and there's no room to hang the extra pins over the side anyway.

[PrOLifIC_onE]

I have had a couple issues with fried PSUs and melting wires in the past... Fortunately all my other components ended up fine. I guess I got lucky.

[Jokerswild]

Originally Posted by PrOLifIC_onE

I have had a couple issues with fried PSUs and melting wires in the past... Fortunately all my other components ended up fine. I guess I got lucky.

Thats good to hear, at least there's a chance everything is ok.

[Computer-Ed]

It also depends on whay caused the frying. I have seen a few PSU dies on their won that did some damage but the majority I have seen that just died left the rest of the computer okay. On the other side if a surge caused the fry then the majority I have seen have ended up showing damage down the raod with a few showing no damage but the PSU.

[Jokerswild]

My daughter was playing a game at the time and I don't know if there was a surge but my other computer is hooked up to the same circuit and was not affected.