Why do so many techs skip checking the power supply first?

I've been doing house calls in Phoenix for about 2 years now, and I'd say 8 out of 10 machines brought in for 'not turning on' just have a dead or failing power supply. The other day a guy spent 45 minutes reseating RAM and swapping cables before I checked his PSU with a tester and it was dead on the 12V rail. Am I crazy for thinking a quick PSU test should be step one every time?

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2 Comments

lisa_hill235mo ago

Respectfully disagree a bit here. Jumping straight to the PSU tester can sometimes overlook simpler stuff like a loose wall outlet or a tripped surge protector that's way more common in older homes out here. Most techs I know start with the obvious physical checks first because it saves time and avoids getting out gear for something that takes 10 seconds to rule out.

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emmap165mo ago

Isn't that just life though, everyone thinks they need the fancy tool before checking the basics?

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