On May 5, 9:08*am, Barkimmy <Barki...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Thank you so much. I was wondering if it could be tested at acomputerstore..
> But, I wasn't sure if I just had 'generator/alternator' on the brain. My car
> is pissing on me as well....lol

Computer stores that use a power supply tester will not provide a
useful answer. Best power supply test (and only one that will
properly identify a defective supply without $hundreds in test
equipment) means leaving everything unchanged inside the computer.

Setup the system to access (multitask to) all peripherals
simultaneously. Play complex graphics (ie a movie) while playing
sound while searching the hard drive for files while downloading from
the internet while reading a CD, etc. Now the power supply is ready
to be tested.

A 3.5 digit multimeter should measure one of each power supply wires
- orange, red, purple, and yellow. Those VDC numbers should exceed
3.23, 4.87, and 11.7.

Only time a tester can properly test a power supply is under full
load. A power supply could have always been defective but not caused
failures for months. Some of these numbers could be too low (a
defective power supply) and computer would still boot and run today.
Only indication that the power supply was defective would be those
numbers - to find a defect today that would cause failures months from
now.