How to Test PSU / SMPS Working or Not?

Testing PSU / SMPS Working or Not With a Paperclip

Testing a PSU is the first thing what we check when we’re troubleshooting a dead computer and if you really having a dead computer on your side then there will be a 90% of chance your power supply would be faulty.

To check a PSU outside from a computer is an easy task to do you doesn’t needs any technical or electrical knowledge to perform this testing thing, you’ll just need a screw driver and a paper clip that’s it.

The simple testing method what i showed in this tutorial to test a PSU (power supply unit) will works on both type of SMPS either you have ATX or eATX model.

So Let’s See

Step 1 – Unplug Power Connections.

The first step is to do is unplug all the power connection to the computer and make sure your computer is turned off completely.

Step 2 – Open Computer Case.

Open your computer case by removing some of screws at the left side of computer case. You’ll only need to remove only one side of case:

Step 3 – Unplug PSU Connection.

Unplug all the connection from the PSU (SMPS) to all internal hardware devices. Most of connections contain clip attachment so make sure you lose the clip before removing any connection.

Make sure your SMPS/PSU isn’t connected to anything from inside:

Name of all connections to remove:-

1.   24 Pin ATX From Motherboard.

2.   4 Pin ATX From Processor.

3.   SATA Power Connector From Hard Disk Or DVD-R/W.

4.   4-6 Pin Power Connector From Graphic Card (If Attached).

Step 4– Make A Shorting Wire.

After the SMPS connection was removed, make a “U” shape of metal wire or you can use a paper clip by bending it to a “U” shape and that will helps us to short our PSU to test, its working or not.

Step 5 – Test The SMPS.

First find the 20 or 24 pin ATX connector from your SMPS (obviously the bigger one) and after that locate the green and black wire connection. You don’t get confuse because there is only one green wire available in that whole socket.

After finding the connection, attach the power cord to the SMPS and insert the metal wire into the green and black wire connector and short the circuit and that will allow us to test our SMPS/PSU is working or not.

If the SMPS fan runs perfectly without any of lags and stoppage that mean your SMPS is working fine. If your fan doesn’t move or maybe move for just a sec and then stops that mean you have a faulty SMPS by your side and you’ll need a replacement.

Advance testing

Smooth running PSU fan while testing doesn’t prove your PSU is working perfectly and it can only prove that there are 90% of chances your PSU is in working condition.

To properly check your power supply you’ll need an electric Multimeter which can show you, does your SMPS are giving right amount of dc power supply according to the every color code based wires or not because every wire have its own voltage and by the use of Multimeter you can easily find your PSU is generating correct amount of electricity or not.

To test it, you’ll need a paper clip and a Multi-meter so makes sure you have these:

Step 1 – Set your Multimeter to the dc mode.

Step 2 – Turn on your PSU by attaching that paper clip or metal wire to the green or black wire slot, what I’ve also mentioned above for shorting.

Step 3 – Now test the every single colored wire square socket according to the voltage chart given below.

Update Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 to Android 2.3.6 DDMD1 Gingerbread Firmware

Update Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 to Android 2.3.6 DDMD1 Gingerbread Official firmware with this article. This update is rolled out for the Indian region and comes with much improvement than the previous versions. With the vast developing custom ROMs, most of the users are attracted towards them. And this is the reason the official firmwares are neglected now a days. Since an official update has not much customization as well as features like the custom ROMs they are refused by many Android lovers. But you must note that the official firmware is the only method to overcome the loss or damage that your device may face with these third party custom ROMs. Yes, the custom ROMs increases the risk of permanently damaging your device and making it useless. If such thing happens then without wasting any time and going to the service center, you can renew your damaged phone by flashing a firmware. In this article we’ll be discussing a detailed procedure on how to update Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 to the latest Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDMD1 Indian firmware. With this firmware flashed, you’ll get a much better battery backup than before as well as smooth in performance wise. The previous firmware had many issues in it. Some apps used to force close. Also the system used to hang sometimes. All these issues have been cleared in this latest DDMD1 update. Interested users may proceed further for flashing this Android 2.3.6 DDMD1 Gingerbread Official Firmware on their Samsung Galaxy Y S5360.

This process of updating your Samsung Galaxy Y GT-S5360 to Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDMD1 Official firmware is considered to be of much risk. If you don’t attempt as per mentioned then there is a high risk of permanent damage to your device. If you are new to this stuff and have no knowledge regarding the same then you better stop right at this point. Only the advanced android users who have gone through such thing are free to proceed further. If by mistake your Galaxy Y gets damaged or bricked by following this guide then neither we nor the developers of this firmware will be held responsible for that. Although we assure you that the chances of damage to your device are least, still I recommend you to follow all the given step by step procedure correctly and without attempting anything by your own. Note that this firmware is only compatible with Samsung Galaxy Y having the model number GT-S5360. Flashing this on any other device or variant will result into unwanted outcomes or bricked device. You can verify your device model number with the number given above fromHomescreen–> Menu–>Settings –> About Phone.

Pre-Requisites:

• Ensure that your Galaxy Y has a proper battery backup. Any lack in the battery may increase the risk of interruption during the flashing process. This may give rise to further problems. So ensure that the battery of your phone is charged at least upto 60%. You may use apps like Battery Notifier for the same.

• There is always a risk of loosing your important data while performing any flashing process. Thus a timely backup helps a lot in such cases. You may transfer your contacts, SMS/MMS, APN settings, Call logs, Memo etc. on your SD card/PC or just use this Super Backup appfor more safety. In the last step of this procedure you need to wipe all the data and cache that is currently present onto your phone memory. So a backup is must.

• Enable USB debugging mode using the path Menu->Settings->Applications->Development->USB debugging.

• Ensure that you have installed mobile specific drivers on your PC so as to detect the phone when you connect it to PC. You can install them from the Samsung Kies CD which you’ve got at the time of purchase. Or you can manually install them from link given below.

1. Download Windows 32 bit x86 drivers.

1. Download Windows 64 bit x64 drivers.

• Make sure that you temporary disable all the security tools as well as antivirus that are installed on your PC so as to  minimize the interruption risk during the process.

By assuming that you have followed all the instructions mentioned above we will proceed further for the actual Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDMD1 firmware flashing process.

Procedure to update Samsung Galaxy Y S5360 to Official Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDMD1 firmware:

Downloads:

1. Download Odin 3.07 for Samsung Galaxy Y S5360.

1. Download Android 2.3.6 DDMD1 Gingerbread Firmware for Samsung Galaxy Y S5360.

Procedure:

Step 1: Download both the files in a specific folder and extract them. You’ll find these three files inside the firmware package:

1. CSC_S5360_ODDMD1.tar.md5
2. MODEM_S5360_DDMD1.tar.md5
3. PDA_S5360_DDMD1.tar.md5

Step 2: Now switch off your Galaxy Y completely until it vibrates.

Step 3: Enter into downloading mode now. For the same, keep pressing and holding ‘Home Button (middle button) + Volume down key + Power Button’ simultaneously until you see a warning message on the screen (Refer Screenshot). Just press Volume Up button to continue. This will land you into downloading mode.

Step 4:  Keep the phone as it is in downloading mode and connect it to your PC using USB cable. Ensure that you’ve installed device specific drivers on PC to detect the phone when connected (As mentioned in pre-requisites).

Step 5: Launch the ‘Odin Multi Downloader_v3.07′software which you have just downloaded & extracted on your PC. As soon as you launch it, the ID:COM section in it will turn blue with a random COM port number below it. You’ll also see an ‘Added’ message which will appear in the message box window. If it’s not showing, then check whether you have properly installed those device drivers on your PC or not.

Step 6: Now tick the Auto Reboot option and F.Reset option present on the Odin window (Refer screenshot). Do not tick or un-tick any other options. Keep them as they are.

Step 7: Select the ‘PDA’ tab on the Odin window and navigate to the ‘PDA_S5360_DDMD1.tar.md5‘ from the firmware package & select it.

Step 8: Similarly select the ‘PHONE’ tab located below the PDA tab and navigate to the ‘MODEM_S5360_DDMD1.tar.md5‘ file & select it.

Step 9: Finally select the ‘CSC’ tab and navigate to the ‘CSC_S5360_ODDMD1.tar.md5‘ from the firmware package and select it.

Step 10:  After doing everything as mentioned above, just navigate to the ‘Start’ option on the Odin window and select it. This will initiate the actual firmware flashing process. Your Galaxy Y will automatically reboot itself while the process goes on. Do not remove the USB cable until the process completes fully. Be patient for few minutes.

Step 11: As soon as the process completes, you’ll see the ID:COM section on the Odin window is turned green with the message ‘Pass’ below it. This will confirm that you have successfully flashed your Galaxy Y with the latest Android 2.3.6 Gingerbread DDMD1  Indian firmware. You may now safely disconnect your phone by removing the USB cable.

Note: If the process fails or if Odin gets stuck or in case your device gets boot loops, then close the Odin window, remove battery from your Galaxy Y and re-insert it. Again go into downloading mode and follow the whole procedure as given above.

Step 12: After successfully completing the process, switch off the phone and boot into recovery mode. For that, press and hold Home Button (middle button) + Volume up key + Power Buttonsimultaneously until the recovery mode appears.

Note: Touch will not work here in this recovery mode. So all you need to do is use Volume Upand Volume Down keys for navigation and Home button (Middle button) for selection.

Step 13: On the recovery mode, navigate to the ‘Wipe data/factory reset’ option and the ‘Wipe Cache partition’ option for clearing all the data and caches present in your phones memory. This is essential in solving the boot loops issue.

Step 14: After wiping data/cache you’ll again land into recovery mode. Just select ‘reboot system now’ option to restart the phone.

How to Fix the Blue Screen of Death on Windows

A Blue Screen Error or STOP error, also known as the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD), can be a frustrating experience. The error message almost never clearly states what is wrong, and they seem to strike at random. Follow this guide to diagnose and fix the errors causing the Blue Screen of Death.
Method 1: Diagnosing the Problem

1. 
   1
   Determine if you changed anything recently. The most common cause of the Blue Screen is a recent change in your computer’s settings or hardware. This is often related to new drivers getting installed or updated. Drivers are software that allow your hardware to communicate with Windows. If you have a restore point, try to load it and see if it helps, it may or may not.^[1]
   

   • Because there are essentially an infinite number of hardware configurations possible, drivers can’t be tested for every possible setup. This means that sometimes a driver will be installed that causes a critical error when communicating with the hardware.
2. 
   2
   Check your computer’s internal hardware. Sometimes, a poor connection inside the computer can cause a Blue Screen. Open your case and check to make sure that all the cables are firmly connected and that any cards are seated firmly in their sockets.
   

   • This is more difficult for laptops. You can check the hard drive and the RAM to make sure that they are connected properly. Remove the panels in the back that cover the hard drive and RAM with a small Phillips-head screwdriver. Press the components firmly into their connections.
3. 
   3
   Check your computer’s temperature. Overheating can lead to your hardware malfunctioning. One of the most common components to overheat is the graphics card. The second most likely culprit is the CPU.
   

   • You can check temperatures in most BIOS menus, or through software in Windows.
4. 
   4
   Test your RAM. A common culprit in system crashes is a bad stick of RAM. When RAM fails, it causes the system to become unstable. You can test your RAM by using a program called “memtest86”. This program is available for free online, and is run by burning it to a bootable CD.
   

   • Reboot your computer and run the program. The memtest software will automatically begin running tests on your computer’s RAM. This may take several minutes to complete. For best results, allow several passes of the test to be completed. Memtest will run indefinitely until you stop it yourself.
5. 
   5
   Test your hard drive. Run the “chkdsk” function on your hard drive to scan for errors and fix potential problems. A failing hard drive can cause Blue Screens due to corrupted files. To run chkdsk, open Computer/My Computer and right-click the disk that you want to scan. Select Properties.
   

   • From the Properties screen, select the Tools tab.
   • Click Check Now in the Error Checking section. Your computer will prompt you to restart in order to scan the disk.
6. 
   6
   Strip your computer down to the essentials. One way to narrow down what is causing the problem is to remove everything that is not essential for the PC to run. This way, if the error goes away, you know that it was one of the pieces that you disconnected.

   • A desktop computer needs the motherboard, CPU, a hard disk, power supply, RAM, and a keyboard. Plug your monitor into your motherboard’s monitor port (if it has one) so that you can disconnect the graphics card. Everything else can be removed during the diagnostic process.
   • If the computer runs fine after stripping it down, add one part back at a time until the error message appears again. This will let you know which device is causing the computer to crash.
   • This method does not apply to laptops, as you cannot strip it down
   • 
     
7. Method 2: Analyzing the Crash Report
1. 1
   Set your computer to stop on a Blue Screen of Death. Oftentimes the computer will reboot before you have a chance to examine the contents of the Blue Screen. You will need to set your computer to stop on Blue Screens so that you can copy the necessary information.
   

   • Open your System Properties. In any version of Windows, press Windows+Pause/Break on your keyboard to open the System Properties window.^[2]
   • Click Advanced System Settings. Windows XP users will already be in the Advanced System Settings.
   • Click the Settings button in the Startup and Recovery section of the Advanced tab.
   • Uncheck the “Automatically restart’ option under the “System failure’ section. Click Apply to save the changes. The next time the computer experiences a Blue Screen of Death, the computer will display it until you manually reboot the system.
2. 
3. 
   2
   Wait for your system to crash again. When the Blue Screen appears again, jot down the following information from the display.^[3] Input the data into a search engine to see what hardware or program the error might be originating from:
   

   • ”The problem seems to be caused by the following file:” Make note of the file displayed as well as the error message printed below it
   • ”STOP:” Copy the first code after the STOP message.
   • 
     
4. Method 3: Fixing the Problem

1. 
   1
   Boot into Safe Mode. If Windows won’t start because of Blue Screen errors, try booting into Safe Mode try fixing the problem. As the computer is booting, repeatedly hit the F8 key until the Windows boot menu appears. Select Safe Mode with Networking to boot into a stripped down version of Windows. This will allow you to access your Device Manager, the internet, and other system tools.
2. 
   2
   Run a virus scan. Sometimes viruses and malware are at the root of a Blue Screen problem. Make sure that you have the latest antivirus software installed, and perform a full system scan to find anything that could be causing problems.
3. 
   3
   Perform a Repair Installation of Windows. This is a quick alternative to completely reinstalling Windows, as it only copies system files to your computer. This is useful if an essential file has become corrupt and is causing your computer to fail.
   

   • To perform a repair installation, insert your Windows disc and boot from it. In the setup menu, select Repair Installation. Windows will delete old Windows files and copy new ones. You will not lose any personal data.
4. 
   4
   Roll back your drivers. If the cause of the problem is hardware, the first thing you should try is rolling back drivers. This process will install an older version of the driver software, potentially getting rid of the conflict.
   

   • Open the Device Manager. You can access this by opening the Start Menu and right-clicking on Computer/My Computer. Select Properties, then Device Manager. In Windows 8, press Windows+X and select Device Manager from the list.
   • Select the hardware that you want to roll back. You may have to expand categories to find it. Right-click on the icon and select Properties.
   • Click the Driver tab. Select Roll Back Driver and confirm that you want to roll it back.
   • Continue using your computer as normal. Once your driver has been rolled back, continue to use your computer to verify that the error does not occur again. Do 'not' update the driver again until a newer version is released.
5. 
   5
   Roll back Windows updates. If rolling back the driver did not fix the problem, consider restoring to an older, working installation of Windows. This will let you determine if the Windows updates are responsible for your Blue Screen.^[4]
   

   • Open System Restore. You can find System Restore by searching for it in the search bar in the Start menu. Open the program, and select a date from the calendar before you started experiencing errors.
   • This will reset all of the updates and settings to that date, effectively removing any updates added afterwards. Use this to determine if a specific Windows update is what caused your malfunction.
6. 
   6
   Clear up hard disk space. If Windows does not have enough space on the disk it is installed on, it can cause system failures. Remove unnecessary files and programs if you have less than 15% of your hard disk free.
7. 
   7
   Apply new updates and drivers. If rolling back drivers and updates didn’t work, installing the newest versions and updates (if they weren’t installed already) may fix your problem. Check your Windows Update program to see if there are any new system and hardware updates available.
   

   • Click Start and search for “Windows Update”. In Windows 8, tap the Windows key and then start typing “Windows Update”.
8. 
   8
   Reinstall Windows. If you cannot track down the error, you can try a full reinstallation of Windows as a way to reset your computer. Make sure that you have all of your important files backed up before doing so, as your hard drive will be formatted for the install process.
   

   • If the Blue Screen is being caused by a failing piece of hardware, reinstalling Windows will not fix the problem. You will need to find and replace the piece of hardware that is causing problems.
9. 
   9
   Replace faulty hardware. If driver and update rollbacks do not solve your problem, you may need to remove and replace your hardware. Replacing anything other than the RAM or hard drive on a laptop can be difficult and expensive.
   

   • If the RAM test shows that you have faulty memory, you will want to replace the failing stick as soon as possible.
   • If the hard disk scanner is returning disk errors, you should back up your data andinstall a new drive. This will require reinstalling Windows if the drive has your Windows installation on it.
   • If your graphics card is failing, replacing it could get expensive. This is almost impossible to fix in most laptops. For a desktop, open your case and swap out the old card for a new one.