The power supply is the component that supplies power to all your devices in your computer. From the motherboard the hard drive to the CDROM. Like everything else in your computer, they don't last forever. You may get many years out of your power supply or you may only get a few months out of it.
Typical power supply.
Symptoms of a power supply going bad can include random crashes, random reboots or the PC not coming on at all.
When replacing your power supply there are a couple of thing to take into consideration. The most important is getting the right one for your motherboard. Newer motherboards use the ATX form factor and need a power supply with the matching connection. You also need to make sure you get a power supply with enough power to handle all your components. 300-400 watts is sufficient for most home users. Another thing to consider is extra connections for your devices. Make sure the power supply has enough power connections and the right types. For example you may want to get built in Serial ATA connectors etc.
Replacing the power supply is a fairly simple job. First of all you need to unplug the power cord! Then you can open the case and take the power connections off of the hard drives, CD-ROMs, floppy drive and motherboard. Then you can take out the four screws on the outside back of the case and pull the power supply out from the inside. To install the new one just do the reverse.
Related Computer Tips:
DDR vs. DDR2 Memory
Installing an IDE Hard Drive
Master, Slave and Cable Select Hard Drive Jumper Settings
Installing Ram
Installing Components Such as Video, Sound or Network Cards
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